Only by perfect understanding of 'what is what' one will able to acquire Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Man and his world exists only in duality. The duality is present in the form of mind. Mind is present in the form of universe. Universe appears as waking or dream. Duality within the duality. 

The duality exists until the mind exists. Absent of mind is absent of duality. Therefore,   by understanding “What is mind?” and “What is the substance of the mind?” and "What is the source of the mind?"  one becomes aware of the fact that the mind and its substance and its source are one in essence. That essence is consciousness, which is the soul, the innermost self.  Only by perfect understanding  of 'what is what'  one will able to acquire Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana  or Atma Gnana.

 

Due to inborn conditioning which present in the form of 'I' the self remains in  ignorance of its own formless non-dual true nature. because of this ignorance the illusion is born. because of this illusion the duality is experienced as reality. 

Man and his world exist within the illusion.  Therefore, it is erroneous to view and judge the truth on the base of illusory entity(ego or waking entity).

  
Truth cannot be got in world. The truth is hidden within the three states as their formless substance and witness.  The formless substance is the soul,which is present in the form of consciousness.  And the soul or conciousness  is the innermost  self. 

 

The soul is not an entity or identity within the waking  or dream, but it is the substance  and witness and also the  source of the three states. The source  from where the three states erupt and subsides.

When one is able to view and judge the worldview on the standpoint soul as self, then he will realize there is neither the creation, nor the creator, but only soul (consciousness or spirit) will prevail as ultimate reality or Brahman.  Therefore, it is erroneous to conclude the truth on the base of religion and God.

All religious and yogic practices are based on the `false self  'within the false experience (waking/ or universe).  The Waking experience is mere illusion, same way as the dream. Hence it is very much necessary to verify truth of the ‘I’,  in order to  unfold the mystery of the mind or universe.

Deeper self -search revels the fact that  ‘I’ itself is mere illusion. ‘I’ is not the self, because it comes and goes as waking or dream. Absent of ‘I’ absent of waking or dream(mind). Absent of waking or dream is absent of illusion or duality.  

 The knower of the ‘I’ is formless soul or consciousness. When one who realizes the soul as the true self, and then he becomes free from experiencing the duality as reality.

This formless path is very difficult for those who stick to their inherited or accepted truth, but not for the serious seekers who are in search of  truth nothing but truth.