Vedanta Verses 325 - 29

The goal of life has to be understood. The goal is not another object but freedom from all dualities. The ultimate attainment can only be knowledge of this oneness where all dualities get resolved. This is the lakshyam, the goal, the final topic that will relieve me of all sorrows arising out of dualities. There is nothing to more to be gained after this.

Having realized the value of this topic if one were to give up the pursuit and meander over objects then it is a real ‘fall’ warns the text. This ‘fall’ is the ultimate distraction and it leaves one bewildered again in this world. Incidentally this is only a distraction from the path and not a distraction from the knowledge. Knowledge, the very nature of Self is always there, it is never lost. There is distraction until one falls asleep, once the person has reposed in sleep there is no more distraction. Even so after the realization of the knowledge there is no more ‘fall’.
I need to realize that all the glamour of the world that stimulates the sense of excitement and pleasure in me gets swallowed by its own temporariness. Everything is short lived. They all vanish in the deep sleep state when I am dead to memory and all that it creates. All this happens in the background of the self, the knower, the eternal seer.

If I do not understand this and keeps pursuing the world and then I become a bahirmukhi i.e. an extrovert. An antatmukhi or an introvert is one whose attention is not on what is seen but on the interminable seer. One ought to reflect on “Who is this me?” “What is the nature of this me?” etc. An antarmukhi, the introvert has great dispassion for all objects while an extrovert loves his world and its variety.

This ‘fall’ is continues because an attachment like a chain leads to the other. This is compared to a man ascending a staircase while playing with a ball and when he is a bit careless the ball slips from his hand and descends from step to step. It bounces with ever step it descends. A student who has seen the value of the study if attracted to the objects of the world and gives up the pursuit he/she is like this ball that bounces and falls until it reaches the ground. Hence be care full and do not get deceived by the glamour of the objects. This text brings the point that it becomes extremely difficult for the student to regain the composure and continue the study.
Dwelling on the objects draws the mind to their qualities. This brings about attraction to the object and this in turn generates desire. Desire motivates the man to achieve or work for the object and then enjoy the pleasures. Thus man moves on and on without having any time for reflection or vichara. There will lead to a serious discontinuity of study.
One has to be aware of three things here:

What is conducive and what nourishes my refection /vichara? (sahakari)
What is that which can blend with my study or reflection? (samucchaya)
What is that which is opposed to my spiritual pursuit? (virodha)

Human beings have to be clear on these three. Absolute detachment nourishes my study, but working for my survival can easily blend with my quest and finally moving in the direction of the object with all enthusiasm will be opposed to my pursuit.

When one falls down getting distracted by objects or thoughts pertaining to the objects there is no end to the falling, in other words the falling has no boundary. Actually problem is limited but my worry and concern are unlimited, the worry makes the problem look more and more serious.
It is not easy to get up after the fall. For there is no helping hand excepting one’s own self. A lost object can be found, a lost person can be got back, but to get the right inspiration back at right time is very difficult. Strike when the iron is still hot, and do not loose much time in search of the objects.

Hence avoid dwelling on objects. This is the cause of all undesirable worries and anxieties.
The peaceful sage, the knower of the Self, is always alone, ekatvam. He/she seeks no company. Infinity cannot have company. Loneliness is different from being alone. Loneliness is a feeling but aloneness is a fact!

Truth has never any company, the seer has no company. Objects are many and one form can have another form as its company, but the self being ever one has no company. The water in the ocean has no company. It is not that waves give company to the water, waves are indeed water. Water being all pervasive does not crave for company. The seer being one, non material subject can never have another seer for its company for there is indeed one seer. The seer seeks no security in company. All such security is illusory. Clay cannot have pot or multiple objects created from clay as its company nor can ornaments give company to the gold. Freedom from the other, the non dual presence is the actual peace.

To be peaceful, alone and non dual is the nature of the Self. When I fail to understand this I seek security in a company. Society tries to make a company/companionship like marriage to last by highly complex marriage rituals. All of them ultimately fail because self can have no company. In actuality all companies fail, what remains is the still ever peaceful non dual self. In deep sleep there is no company and no feeling of insecurity or seeking company, deep sleep is when all company resolves. This freedom from company should not be seen as a helpless state. One misses no company here. Truth cannot have falsity for its company, false snake cannot give company to the truly existent rope! Nor can the correct knowledge of rope give company to the rope. Therefore do not build your delight and expectations in company. ( something to reflect upon!)

For such a sage there is no ‘fall’. Even while in the body he has captured the truth. So he is always in that state of knowledge. Understanding that awareness as non dual while in body or after giving up the body is called the true knowledge. This is like knowing that water alone is when the waves rise and also when waves fall and resolve back into water. Hence the distinction between vidheh mukti and jivita muktih is only figurative and not real.