Thread by @Hiranyareta

"तरु-कोटर महँ बस बिहंग तरु काटे मरै न जैसे ।
साधन करिय बिचार-हीन मन सुद्ध होइ नहिं तैसे ॥"~ गोस्वामी तुलसीदास (विनय पत्रिका)
taru-kōṭara maham̐ basa bihaṅga taru kāṭē marai na jaisē.
sādhana kariya bicāra-hīna mana sud'dha hō'i nahiṁ taisē.
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Like a bird living in a hollow of a tree-trunk cannot die when the tree is cut (because it would fly away from it) (taru-kōṭara maham̐ basa bihaṅga taru kāṭē marai na jaisē), the mind cannot be purified, focused and controlled from the inside so as to become rested1+
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and attentive towards the spiritual welfare of the creature unless wisdom and enlightenment (about the falsehood of the world, its perishable and delusory nature, and the futility of expecting peace and rest in it) dawns upon the inner-self of the creature2+
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(sādhana kariya bicāra-hīna mana sud'dha hō'i nahiṁ taisē).

Here, the numerous temptations and attachments of the world are like the bird which flies from one tree to another if the original tree is cut, and then on to another if the second tree is also cut.
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That is, merely trying to overcome one or two worldly attachments and longings would not help the creature to control his mind from flying to other temptations. It has to be a holistic approach.
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Similarly, mere external efforts such as doing Tapa (austerity and penance done as a routine effort), Yoga (the physical aspect of exercises of meditation), Dhyan (contemplation merely done as a break from the rat-race of routine life) etc.1+
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will yield no results till the creature has a determined mind to break free from all attachments with the world of material sense objects and their temptations, to stop expecting any real happiness and peace from this world no matter how great the temptation is.
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Tapa, Yoga, Dhyan and the rest of the efforts that are directed towards controlling the mind have only a transient benefit unless one’s inner-self is purified and controlled by eliminating all attachments with the material world of sense objects.

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This realization or awareness is to attain wisdom and enlightenment, of
becoming wise, enlightened and self-realized.
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"घृतपूरन कराह अंतरगत ससि-प्रतिबिंब दिखावै ।
ईंधन अनल लगाय कलपसत, औटत नास न पावै ॥" ~ गोस्वामी तुलसीदास (विनय पत्रिका)
ghṛtapūrana karāha antaragata sasi-pratibimba dikhāvai.
īndhana anala lagāya kalapasata, auṭata nāsa na pāvai.

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The image of the moon that is reflected in a pan filled with Ghee (liquid clarified butter or refined oil—“ghṛtapūrana karāha antaragata sasi-pratibimba dikhāvai”) cannot be removed or obliterated even for 100 Kalpas (i.e. a long period of of time)1+
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as long as the clarified butter or the oil remains in the pan inspite of boiling it
using fuel and fire (īndhana anala lagāya kalapasata, auṭata nāsa na pāvai).

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As long as there is oil or liquid clarified butter in the pan, the moon will continue to be reflected in it though one boils the oil or the liquid butter over and over again.
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In order to remove the reflection of the moon, it is imperative to get rid of the
oil altogether rather than merely attempting to clean it by boiling it.
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Likewise, as long as there exists the notion "World is real" in mind this knot symbolizing the endless cycle of birth and death that is tied to the neck of the creature shall not break1+
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or end even by the fire and fuel of penances and austerities and other rigorous methods that one may undertake in his attempts to get rid of it.
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