146 VIVEKACHUDAMANI
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��331. He who identifies himself with the objective universe which has been, denied by the Vedas, Smritis and hundreds of inferences, experiences misery after misery,, like a thief, for he does something for- bidden.
[ The thfef rs pmiisiied for stealing with im- prisonment etc., and the man who idenlifees him- self with the not-Self^ suffers infinite miseries. Jj
332. He whohas devoted himself to medi- tation on the Reality (Brahman) , and is free from Nescience attains to the eternal glory of the Atman. But he who dwells^ on the unreal (the undverse) , is destroyed.. That this is so is evidenced in the case of one who is not a thief and one who is a thief.
[One who is not a thief etc. — The allusion is to- the hot-axe test applied m ancknt limes i<y persons charged with theft etc. An axe would be made red- hot and the accused would be asked to hold it m
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