In the absence of the ‘taste’ (direct knowledge) of cosmic intelligence, the senses endeavour to apprehend their objects and vainly imagine that such contact gives rise to meaningful experience! Surely, the infinite and inexhaustible intelligence (consciousness) dwells in all these; however on account of the absence of self-knowledge, it appears to be ignorant of itself and therefore limited and finite.
The life-force and its retinue function here merely to provide energy for the movements inherent in living, not with any other motive. In the absence of self-knowledge, all the talking and roaring which people indulge in are like the sound produced by a gun! They inevitably proceed towards destruction and do not lead to salutory results. Fools enjoy the fruits of their labour, not knowing that they are resting and sleeping on a rock that is burning hot.
Keeping company with such fools is like sitting in a forest on a tree which is about to be felled. Whatever you do for the sake of such people is like beating the air with a rod. What is given to them is thrown into mud, and to converse with them is as meaningful as a dog barking at the sky.
Ignorance of the self is the source of all troubles and calamities. Is there a single trouble that does not spring from ignorance of the self? This entire creation is pervaded by ignorance which sustains it. One who is ignorant is visited again and again by terrible sorrow and rarely by pleasure.