Water is the root of the element of the snow and cloud, similarly, consciousness is root of the element of the universe.

People take their gurus as their model. Many think that wisdom to be the matter of theorizing.  But it is not so. Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana   is nothing to do with practical life, which is limited to form, time and space. Everyone has to experience    birth, life, death and the world within the waking experience.  The dream becomes unreal when waking takes place. And waking becomes unreal when the self, wakes up in its formless non-dual true nature in the midst of waking experience.

 Egocentric theorizing   does not lead to Self-Awareness. Water is the root of the element of the snow and cloud, similarly, consciousness is root of the element of the universe. From consciousness the universe comes into existence. In consciousness the universe resides. And into the consciousness the universe is dissolved. Consciousness is parent of all that is there.

All the add-ons and attribute based knowledge, which are inferior, have to be bifurcated and excluded to know the ultimate truth.  The seeker of truth has to drop all the inferior knowledge based on the attributes and go beyond Vedas to understand assimilate and realize the ultimate truth or Brahman.  

Reason is the common ground for whole humanity in modern age, whereas the appeal to scriptural relations reaches only the sects.  Those who argue that truth is only in their religion are vain logicians, depending on mere ideas, speculations and imaginations. 

 

When one goes into the annals of the history it looks like the true Advaith expounded by Sri Sankara and his param guru, Sri, Goudpada was lost or mutilated by the orthodoxy, because the preaching and practice does not match. 

 It is necessary for the seeker to do his homework, and verify the validity of all the claims, rather than blindly believe, what others expound as knowledge, till, the un-contradicted truth is obtained.

Each sect concocts a God to suit its own purposes.  Such concocted Gods have no value in pursuit of truth.  Man himself suggests that there must be a God. It is an auto-suggestion. 

Prayers and sacrifices belong to a premature stage of development. However when no answers come to prayers, struggle for existence presses man, and doubt arises again.  Faith in religion weakens as man pays more attention to facts of life and this world. 

 

Physical & mental discipline   such like Karma, Mantra Yaga, Yajna, Puja Japa blind devotion to deity or guru are not the tool for liberation or freedom from experiencing the duality as reality. It is dualistic cult including tradition Advaitic orthodoxy propagate this discipline has no value if one is seeking truth to get non-dual moksha.  

Mysticism, scriptural knowledge, penance based Scholasticism are great are great hindrance to self-realization. Inherited blind belief   with corresponding actions based on scriptures, worship, ritual faith which imply certain mental and physical discipline, or scripture supporting belief, faith, creed, ritual, theological knowledge personal or opinion leads to hallucinated knowledge.  All these become great hindrance in grasping understanding, assimilating and realizing the Advaitic or nondual truth.    

Scriptural mastery including ancient Sastras, Tarka, Samkhya disciplines to support Karma's & belief Bhakti Argument & interpretation with help of logic, grammar etc.to support beliefs, revelations, prayers etc. Also dogmas, theological or other based on authorities.

Yoga, Silence, path of love,   meditation, rituals and devotion are based on the false self and false experience does not yield truth one seeking for, because the truth is beyond false self [ego] and false experience [universe]. Mysticism is based on individual experience. The self is not individual because the self, which s in the form of consciousness, pervades in everything and everywhere in all the three states. Blind beliefs without verification and argument and interpretation on the base of false self are not verified knowledge therefore it is not truth.