ಮಾನವನ್ ಪರಮ ಗುರಿ ಆತ್ಮ ಜ್ಞಾನ ಅಥವಾ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ ಜ್ಞಾನ ಸಂಪಾದಿಸುವದು

ಮಾನವನ್ ಪರಮ ಗುರಿ ಆತ್ಮ ಜ್ಞಾನ ಅಥವಾ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ ಜ್ಞಾನ ಸಂಪಾದಿಸುವದು.  ಆದರೆ ಜಗದ ಜೀವನದ ಬ್ರಮೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ತನ್ನ ಮೂಲ ಅಸ್ತಿತ್ವದ ಅರಿವೀರದೆ ಬ್ರಮೆಯನ್ನು ಸತ್ಯವೆಂದು ಬ್ರಮೀಸಿ ತನ್ನನು ತಾನು ಬ್ರಮೆ, ಬರಿತವಾದ,     ದರ್ಮದ ಮತ್ತು ಸಮಾಜದ  ರೀತಿ ,ರಿವಜುಗಳಲ್ಲಿ  ತೊಡಗಿಸಿಕೊಂಡ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿಬ್ರಮೆಯಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಅರಿವಿಗೇ ,ಈ ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರವಾಗಿ  ಬಂದಂಥ ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರಗಳು ಆತ್ಮ ಜ್ಞಾನಕ್ಕೆ ಅಡ್ಡಿಯಾಗುದೆಂಬ ಅರಿವಿರದ  ಕಾರಣ, ಆತ್ಮ ಜ್ಞಾನವು ಅಸಾದ್ಯವಾಗುವದು. ಆತ್ಮ ಜ್ಞಾನಕ್ಕೆ ದರ್ಮ,ದೇವರು, ದರ್ಮ ಗ್ರಂಥಗಳ ಮತ್ತು ಗುರುವಿನ ಮಾರ್ಗದರ್ಶನದ ಅವಶ್ಯಕತೆ ಇಲ್ಲ. ಈ ನಿಟ್ಟಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಅನವಶ್ಯಕವಾದ  ವಾದ ವಿವಾದ ಗಳ್ಳಲ್ಲಿ  ತೊಡಗದೇ, ಸತ್ಯದ  ಸ್ವಯಂ ಅನ್ವೇಷಣೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ತೊಡಗುವದು ಒಳಿತು.  

ಇಷ   ಉಪನಿಷ್ದಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಹೇಳುವಂತೆ :- 

In Isa Upanishad says:

MANTRA 10

Scholars say that the path of Avidya [performing Aganihotra and other sacrifices] and the path of vidya [worshipping gods and goddesses] produce different results. Wise men confirm this. [X]

Vidya and Avidya both are hindrances to Self-knowledge, but Vidya is even worse than Avidya. The word Vidya is used here in a special sense; here it means worshipping gods and goddesses. By worshipping gods and goddesses you will go after death to the world of gods and goddesses. But will that help you? The time you spend there is wasted, because if you were not there you could have spent that time moving forward towards Self-knowledge, which is your goal. In the world of gods and goddesses you cannot do that, and thus you go deeper and deeper into darkness.

Avidya is Karama and therefore a hindrance. You perform Avidya - i.e., you perform Agnihotra and other sacrifices. This is a roundabout way of purifying the mind, and it is also groping in the dark. But it may not have as heavy a toll on your time and energy as the other.

The final advice by sankara is: combine both work and worship. Together they may quicken your pace towards Self-knowledge, because it will lead to Chitt shuddhi, purification of the mind. When this happens your desire for enjoyments will become less and your sense of "I' and "mine' will subside. This is the way to Karama-Mukthi, gradual, or progressive, liberation, according to Sankara.

MANTRA 11

He who worships gods and goddesses [Vidya] and also performs sacrifices [Avidya] attains immortality by sacrifices [Avidya] and attains bliss by worshipping gods and goddesses [Vidya]. [XI]

The condition in both cases worshipping gods and goddesses and performing sacrifices is that the person should have no motive for personal gain. He should not desire the fruits of his actions, such as going to the heaven of gods and goddesses.

As earlier explained, the word Vidya ¸ has a special meaning here. It means worship of gods and goddesses. Similarly, Avidya ¸ also has a special meaning. It is Karma that is, performing Aganihotra and other sacrifices. Such karamas are obligatory, but if they are done without any attachment to their fruits, they help purify the mind. Combining karama and worship is a path to gradual liberation. Sankara approves this for those who are not yet ready to renounce.

But suppose you follow the two paths separately. If you perform Avidya ¸ you will go to Pitra loka (the world of your ancestors). This is a dark region, because it is far removed from Self-knowledge. In fact, you will have to wait a long time to attain Self-knowledge. But if you worship Vidya ¸ - that is, gods and goddesses you go into still darker regions, and your attainment of Self-knowledge is even further delayed.

True, you go to Dev loka (the heaven of gods and goddesses), but you are caught in the pleasures there, and you remain there until the fruits of your worship are fully exhausted. You are then reborn as a human being, and your struggle resumes from where you left off. This is why Vidya ¸ is considered worse. But if you combine the two that is, perform the obligatory karmas without any attachment to the fruits and at the same time worship gods and goddesses, again without any desire to go to heaven - then you can get the benefit of both, liberation and bliss. For those who are not yet ready to renounce, this path is recommended.

It proves that the concept of god, karma, heaven and hell are ideas created by religion, to help for those who are incapable of grasping. The concept of god and goddesses and karma are part of the ignorance. By worshiping god and goddesses one accepts the false self as true self, thus he is unfit for self-knowledge. Therefore concept of god is not the means to acquire the self knowledge. That is why Buddha rejected concept of God.

As per the Indian religion the three "Ashrams" or stages in life were originally intended for three grades of intelligence thus:

v  Religion: low intellects had to do 'karmas' works, ritual actions, chanting of mantras and indulging in bajans and prayers etc.

v  Middle intellects:  Yoga: taking yellow robes, going to caves, ashrams etc.

v  High intellects: Philosophy: who wanted truth are concerned with no external rites or sanyas but depend solely on intelligent inquiry for their path.

In India, in the past the male birth is regarded as superior because a father of the male child can more easily renounce home and become a Sanyassin than a woman who is tied down by the care of her children.

Non dual wisdom can be attained by any house holder without disturbing his family life and that this path is easier; there is no need to renounce and take Sanyas, which however is harder. Only it needs no distractions and more concentration. it is better to have been married status  and lead the normal pleasures of life, and thus to have learn to evaluate sex at its proper worth instead of hankering always after sex so that the mind may pass on undisturbed and become more receptive to grasp and realize the non dual truth.

Ashtavakra Gita which says:  "For the wise man there is nothing to be renounced." He knows that everything is unreal, hence cannot be given up.

Yoga and meditation recommended as a temporary discipline to those who lack self-control. It will act as an antidote, counteract their inherent tendency, but the man who is already sufficiently level-headed and calm needs no such external discipline. In any case yoga/meditation is to be recommended only until the practitioner achieves some degree of self control after which he may relinquish his old habits.

Yoga and meditation are a temporary discipline and for the training of the mind, for the mind to become achieve external peace, remaining unaffected amid troubles. It has no other purpose. 

The mystic/yogi who objects to adopt inquiry   and reasoning into the quest has an attitude of not allowing anything other then his accepted truth.