The one who thinks himself as guru and the one who thinks himself as chela (disciple) will not be able to acquire Atma Gnana.+

The Self cannot be realized by following some Guru, the study of the scriptures, or by intelligence, nor by much hearing of sacred books. It is attained reason. To such a one Atman reveals Its own form.

Some modern Gurus talk of surrendering to the Self without knowing what the Self is supposed to be in actuality.

Just by saying open your heart and surrender nothing happens. Playing with the words and playing with the emotions leads only to hallucinations.

The Guru who pretends to be Self-realized and plays with the emotions and sentiments of the seeker is a fraud, not a Gnani.

Only a perfect understanding of what is what leads to truth realization. The truth-realization is Self-realization. Self-realization is God-realization.

If you are seeking truth nothing but the truth then you must not get stuck to any Guru or yogi. Those who are seeking truth need not follow any Guru or any teaching.

Yoga Vasistha says: ~ Self-knowledge or knowledge of truth is not had by resorting to a Guru (preceptor) nor by the study of scripture, nor by good works: it is attained only through inquiry inspired by the company of wise (Gnani). One’s inner light alone is the means, naught else. When this inner light is kept alive, it is not affected by the darkness of inertia.

There is no need to condemn Gurus, but there is a need to highlight how they become an obstacle in realizing the ultimate truth or Brahman.

Swami Vivekananda said: ~ “You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher, but your own Soul.”

The Guru is useless so long as the ultimate truth is unknown, and the Guru is equally useless when the ultimate truth or Brahman has already been known.

A Guru is needed in the religious and the yogic path. There is no need for a Guru to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

The one who thinks of himself as a Guru and the one who thinks of himself as a chela (disciple) will not be able to get Self-Knowledge because both accepted themselves as the body. And all their understanding, practices, and knowledge are based on the false self. Therefore, the Guru–Shisya concept is a great obstacle in the pursuit of truth.

Gnani never accepted himself as a guru or anyone as his disciple because he is fully aware he, his body, and the world in which he exists are merely an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

There is no division in his consciousness even though he is in the midst of division or duality.

Thus, by surrendering to any Guru or Godmen is not the means to Self-knowledge. The Soul, the Self is the true Guru.:~Santthosh Kumaar