Without breaking away from religion and ancient traditions, it is impossible to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.+

Without breaking away from religion and ancient traditions, it is impossible to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Religion and tradition will keep one locked in ignorance.

People magnify every minor coincidence or every petty fact where yogis or Good men were concerned, and they see the miraculous or esoteric significance therein.

Prayers and sacrifices belong to a premature stage of development. When no answers come to prayers to their religious God based on blind belief, then doubt arises about the existence of such God.

According to Sage Sankara, it is the ignorance of our real nature that causes suffering and pain. The desire for happiness is essentially a longing to awaken to who and what we truly are.

The essence of Mundaka is: Do not be satisfied with rituals, yoga, etc. which are good in their own way but inquire. Into what? Brahman and Atman are things you can never see. So do not inquire into them.

Inquire into the world around you, which you can see. Science tells you it is passing away every second. Everything is dying repeatedly. Where is it going?

Thus, you follow up your inquiry into what you can lay hands on. How can you inquire into Atma which you cannot see? So first we deal with the known and seen, this inquiry leads up to the unknown in the end.

Sage Sankara said: - Talk as much philosophy as you like, worship as many gods as you please, observe ceremonies, and sing devotional hymns, but liberation will never come, even after a hundred aeons, without realizing the Oneness.

According to Advaita 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 most 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.

One may believe in a position, but he is required to prove the truth of his belief.

A belief is based on the false self (ego) within the false experience (waking). The ultimate truth or Brahman is based on the Soul, the Self. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar