The Upanishads are Self-contradictory. Every pundit even gives conflicting interpretations of them. +

Scriptures are being added to from time to time. This process will go on. There is the final authority among them? One contradicts the other: duality reigns supreme. 

The Upanishads are Self-contradictory. Every pundit even gives conflicting interpretations of them. The final authority, therefore, is using one’s own own reason. One should apply his reason to them.  

The scriptures are for the 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.  

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

I quote only the verified citation from the scriptures. I need no scriptures, but I quote them to help the seekers realize the scriptures are saying

The Upanishads are the only scriptures in the world which declare: ~

It is impossible to find and realize the truth via religion and scriptural study.

Katha Upanishad: ~ 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 The Soul reveals its own form. (Katha Upanishad Ch-II -23-P-20)

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

When the Upanishad says:- that the human goal is to acquire ‘Self’-Knowledge and they indicate the personal Gods, scriptures, worship, and rituals are not the means to ‘Self’ –Knowledge, then why anyone should indulge in it.

Religion, the concept of an individualized God, and scriptures are the greatest obstacles to realizing non-dual truth or Self-realization because they are based on false self.

The seeker of truth has to search for the ultimate truth without losing himself in the labyrinths of philosophy, through deeper ‘Self’-search and assimilate and realize 

Remember:~ 

There is no use of scriptural knowledge when it is not of any use in pursuit of truth. Self-knowledge cannot be attained by the study of the scriptures and intellectual understanding or by bookish knowledge. Therefore, there is no use in studying the scriptures and other scriptures to acquire Advaitic wisdom.

That is why Bhagavan Buddha rejected the scriptures, and even Sage  Sankara indicated that the ultimate truth lies beyond religion, the concept of God, and the scriptures.

There is only one Reality to be known, the same for all seekers, but the ways to it, are hidden by the religion. Self-discovery is the only way, towards the non-dualistic or Advaitic truth without any religious doctrines, which will help the seekers to unfold the mystery of the illusion in which we all are searching for the truth of our true existence.

Scriptures deal only with the Objects, the Seen, not with the Seer. If one starts with the idea that Samsara (universe) exists, he can never see Atman, because Samsara is an illusion and only ignorant people read it as a reality.

Hence, Sage  Sankara: ~ (VC) V.63 ~ "Without knowing and examining the external world, one can’t know the Truth, as the idea that the external world exists, won't go. It can go only by an inquiry into the nature of the external world.

Sage Sankara himself declares: ~ VC ~ 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.

Then there is the need for the scriptures, religion, and the idea of God? One has to be more rational to realize the Advaitic truth, which is the ultimate truth or scientific truth. Thus, the seeker has to drop all the accumulated knowledge and start afresh.

Realizing the universe is created out of single stuff and that single stuff is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness leads to non-dualistic or Advaitic Self-awareness. Self-awareness is freedom or Moksha. Moksha is unity in diversity in the midst of duality. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar