Scriptures are of value only when dealing with persons who are incapable of understanding truth. They have no value as authority for those who use reason.+

The fallacy of religionists’ appeal to scripture lies in the varying and conflicting interpretations of the same scripture that different men feel entitled to give or hold. 

The scriptures are for ignorant masses, who wholly accept the material world as it presents itself. Gnana is for those who have begun to realize that things are not what they seem. 

Scriptures are of value only when dealing with persons who are incapable of understanding truth. They have no value as authority for those who use reason. 

Sage Sankara was always misunderstood through misrepresentation of his Advaitic wisdom by the orthodox people.  

It is the disciples and followers who, after the death of the Sage Sankara by highlight the orthodox path as the highest to the world according to their own impressions and understanding.

These interpretations of the orthodox followers invariably vary, sometimes quite contrary to the spirit of Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom.

If an orthodox Guru speaks today before a large crowd, and the same subject is repeated by the 500 listeners to others, there would be many different interpretations.

The Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara was interpreted after his death perhaps a million times through different interpreters in the past by orthodox Gurus. 

The original wisdom of Sage Sankara is lost sight of and or made irrelevant because each  orthodox Guru clings to his own different interpretation as the original

That is why so many today hesitate to believe in the Sage Sankara because his wisdom is buried under orthodoxy/

Every Guru thinks he is a Gnani because he has mastered Vedas and other Scriptures. There is more of the Gurus than of Gnanis.

Sage Sankara says in V C: - 56. Neither by Yoga, nor by Sankhya, nor by work, nor by learning, but by the realization of one's identity with Brahman is Liberation possible, and by no other means.

58. Loud speech consisting of a shower of words, the skill in expounding the Scriptures, and likewise erudition - these merely bring on a little personal enjoyment to the scholar but are no good for Liberation.

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 that 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?

62. A disease does not leave off if one simply utters the name of the medicine, without taking it; (similarly) without direct realization one cannot be liberated by the mere utterance of the word Brahman.

63. Without causing the objective universe to vanish and without knowing the truth of the Self, how is one to achieve Liberation by the mere utterance of the word Brahman? — It would result merely in an effort of speech.

64. Without killing one’s enemies, and possessing oneself of the splendor of the entire surrounding region, one cannot claim to be an emperor by merely saying, ‘I am an emperor’.

65. As a treasure hidden underground requires (for its extraction) competent instruction, excavation, the removal of stones and other such things lying above it and (finally) grasping, but never comes out by being (merely) called out by name, so the transparent Truth of the Self, which is hidden by Maya and its effects, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, followed by reflection, meditation and so forth, but not through perverted arguments.

66. Therefore the wise should, as in the case of disease and the like, personally strive by all the means in their power to be free from the bondage of repeated births and deaths.

67. The question that thou hast asked today is excellent, approved by those versed in the Scriptures, aphoristic, pregnant with meaning, and fit to be known by the seekers after Liberation.

Sage Sankara clearly suggests the direct realization of truth is not possible through punditry or orthodoxy.  Why follow the traditional path, which does not yield any fruit?  Therefore, the Seeker of truth has to take the direct path and avoid losing precious time and effort losing himself in philosophical studies and traditional paths.:~Santthosh Kumaar