By studying scriptures and following religion and glorifying gods and gurus no one becomes Gnani.

Only on the base of the formless  soul as self one will be able to realize the fact that,  the three states are falsehood. Thus, it is necessary to have the firm conviction and learn to view and judge the three states on the base of the soul to realize the three states never existed.

One has to find out, how this waking experience has appeared when man and his experience of the world are within the waking experience.  What is it that is aware of the three states, which appear and disappear in succession?  Seeker has to find the source of the three states, from where it rises and subsides.  Seeker has to realize the fact that, duality(waking/dream)rises from non-dual (deep sleep/death) source and subsides back in it.

By arguing with the gurus and scholars on the base of scriptures is of no use. Seeker has to investigate on his own and realize the mind is the whole experience of diversity, and limiting the mind to the physical entity is cause of the ignorance. Ignorance is the greatest obstacle in pursuit of truth. All bookish knowledge is based on the false self. Seeker has to earn the knowledge on his own by verifying the authenticity and validity of the F.S messages, to reach the non-dual goal. 

Mundaka Upanishad :- The study of the Vedas, linguistics, Rituals, astronomy and all the arts Can be called lower knowledge. The higher Is that which leads to Self-realization. The eye cannot see it; mind cannot grasp it. The deathless Self has neither caste nor race, Neither eyes not ears nor hands nor feet. Sages say this Self is infinite in the great And in the small, everlasting and changeless, The source of life.

The true purpose of pursuit of truth is to reconnect with our soul, the innermost self. Acquiring self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana  is   supreme goal and to regain our lost identity as formless  soul. From this experience flows a peace that is not dependent on life's circumstances - a profound peace that is eternal. This experience is the true source of the eternal happiness that we all crave.

Indian has diverse beliefs, caste and creeds traditions religion and spirituality. Please go through all that. It is for you to know, and make sure that none of them including Ashtavakra  Gita can transport one  to final destination.  Indian culture is really great. But it has been mixed and messed in time.

Swami Vivekananda:-  Creeds and sects have their parts to play, but they are for children, they last but temporarily. Books never make religions, but religions make books. We must never forget that. No book ever created God, but God inspired all the great books. And no book ever created a soul. We must never forget that. (Talk given at Unity Hall, Hartford (Connecticut), USA, on March 8, 1895, as reported in "Hartford Times" (March 11, 1895). Complete Works, 1.324.) 

According to Adavaita Vedanta, the Veda addresses itself to two kinds of audiences - the ordinary ones who desire the transitory heaven and other pleasures obtained as a result of ritual sacrifices, and the more advanced seeker who seeks to know Brahman. Thus, the purva mimam.sa, with its emphasis on the karma kanda of the Vedas, is meant for the first audience, to help lead its followers along the way. However, the Vedanta, with its emphasis on the jnana kanda, is meant for those who wish to go beyond such transient pleasures. 

 

Upanishad says:-

  This Atman cannot be attained by the study of the Vedas, or by intelligence, or by much hearing of sacred books. It is attained by him alone whom It chooses. To such a one Atman reveals Its own form. [Katha Upanishad Ch-II -23-P-20]

Mundaka Upanishad  :-

This Atman cannot be attained through study of the Vedas, nor through intelligence, nor through much learning. He who chooses Atman—by him alone is Atman attained. It is Atman that reveals to the seeker Its true nature. [3 –page-70 Mundaka Upanishad  Upanishads by Nikilanada]

When the Upanishads say:-

It is attained by him alone whom It chooses. To such a one Atman reveals its own form.  Then what is the use of indulging through our intelligence or our accumulated knowledge, when one is not chosen by the self, which is the soul, which is in the form of consciousness.

There is no need for any philosophy in pursuit of truth because they take the seeker nearer to truth but they create more doubts and confusions.

 

The scriptures and theories and teaching based on the ego are not the yardstick. Using them as yardstick to understand and assimilate the truth will lead one towards pursuit of arguments. Seeker of truth has to discover on his own, the truth of his true existence by inquiring “what is mind?” and “what is substance of the mind?” and move forward.  

One has to realize the fact  non duality is the nature  of the formless  soul , the innermost self.  the duality  is the illusory nature of the soul. the duality is impermanent and non-duality is permanent.

By holding the Vedas  and other   scriptures as yard stick  and studying them deeply, is of no use in pursuit of truth, because one will only master the subject and become a scholar(pundit)  but he will never be able to become a Gnani. 

 

Sage Sri, Sankara says(VC ):- 

59. The study of the Scriptures is useless so long as the highest Truth is unknown, and it is equally useless when the highest Truth has already been known.

60. The Scriptures consisting of many words are a dense forest which merely causes the mind to ramble. Hence men of wisdom should earnestly set about knowing the true nature of the Self.

 

61. For one who has been bitten by the serpent of Ignorance, the only remedy is the knowledge of Brahman. Of what avail are the Vedas and (other) Scriptures, Mantras (sacred formulae) and medicines to such a one?

By studying scriptures and following religion and glorifying gods and gurus no one becomes Gnani. By realizing this truth J.Krishnamurti and U.G condemned the orthodoxy openly and they became most unpopular in the Indian religious world.

Truth pursuit is personal journey; we have to drop all unnecessary baggage we are carrying by realizing they are of no use for us.  Whatever experiences we have on our way is mere illusion even though they are so convincing; our aim is to know the formless experincer [witness] and realize the body and the world (waking/dream/astral/vision) are mere illusory  experience. Till we hold the body or waking entity  as self , we will not be able to cross the threshold of duality.

Spirituality is not concerned to religion or yoga.  The ultimate truth or Brahman  will reveal only when one is able discriminate between the mind and soul.  The mind is present in the form of universe. Universe appears as waking or dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep(non-duality).