In plain words
does not even apply — it is as 'it' that he is properly indicated. Since the word 'he' denotes the masculine, personal gender, it creates a groundless sense of difference. The attribute-free-indicating word 'it' is used instead, and attributelessness alone is taught by it. This indeed is Advaita.
That every soul attain perfection is the ordained law; every being must, in the end, without fail, attain perfection. Our present condition is the fruit of our past births' karmas and of our past births' notions; our future will be the fruit of our present karmas and notions. That is, our present conduct alone is the root cause of both our fortune and our misfortune. This kind of uplifting power must come from the Ātma alone, and cannot be obtained from anywhere else. We may spend our whole lifetime immersed in the study of texts; we may acquire an exceedingly mature intellect. But, in the end, not even a trace of spiritual advancement will have come to us. To say that the man who has achieved a lofty maturity of intellect has thereby also automatically acquired a corresponding spiritual maturity is untrue. While reading texts, we may sometimes fall under the illusion that spiritual benefit too is accruing to us by that means. But if we carefully examine the fruit of such book-reading, it becomes clear that though the intellect may perhaps have gained strength, no awakening of the Ātma whatsoever has come about. What is the reason that all of us, though capable of delivering the most wonderful discourses on these spiritual matters, remain merely limping along in truly living a genuine spiritual life? It is only this: strengthening one's intellect merely through acquaintance with texts, one may, for the sake of one's livelihood, put on disguises and carry on disputations, display scholarship, and offer commentary on the Gita in many different ways. Yet of one who has not, in practice, demonstrated the truly real