AVG 3.6

Chapter 3 (Challenging The Seekers Understanding): Verse 6
आस्थितः परमाद्वैतं मोक्षार्थेऽपि व्यवस्थितः ।
आश्चर्यं कामवशगो विकलः केलिशिक्षया ॥ ३-६॥

PURPORT:
Enduring in a profound state of non-duality
with an intent and focus towards liberation,
it is surprising that one should yet, be in thrall
to the power of attachment and the practice
of clinging to impassioned endeavors.

TRANSLITERATION:
आस्थितः परमाद्वैतम् मोक्षार्थे अपि व्यवस्थितः ।
āsthitaḥ paramādvaitam mokṣārthe api vyavasthitaḥ ।
आश्चर्यम् कामवशगः विकलः केलिशिक्षया ॥ ३-६॥
āścaryam kāmavaśagaḥ vikalaḥ keliśikṣayā ॥ 3-6॥

MEANING:
āsthitaḥ (आस्थितः) = existing/abiding/enduring
paramādvaitam (परमाद्वैतम्) =  in supreme non-duality (compound of param (परम) meaning 'absolute/profound/supreme' and ādvaitam (अद्वैतम्) meaning 'to be in a state that is destitute of dichotomy' or 'to be in a state of non-duality')
mokṣārthe (मोक्षार्थे) = with an intent towards and a focus on redemption (compound of mokṣa (मोक्ष) meaning 'absolution/redemption/liberation' and arthe (अर्थे) meaning 'on the account of/with an intent towards')
api (अपि) = even
vyavasthitaḥ (व्यवस्थितः) = persevering/established/settled/fixed।
āścaryam (आश्चर्यम्) = astonished/miracle/surprise
kāmavaśagaḥ (कामवशगः) = being held in the power of attachment/lust (compound of kāma (काम) meaning 'desire/lust/pleasure' and vaśagaḥ (वशगः) meaning 'being in the power of/subjected to/subjugated to')
vikalaḥ (विकलः) = weakened/crippled/exhausted/maimed
keliśikṣayā (केलिशिक्षया) = by the learning and practice of impassioned endeavors (compound of keli (केलि) meaning 'amorous and sportive pleasures' or impassioned activities' and śikṣayā (शिक्षया) meaning 'by the learning' of or 'by the practice of') ॥ 3-6॥

COMMENT:
In reading this verse as well as the previous verses, the concept of attachment, lust, desire and like emotions keeps surfacing (previously in 3.4 and 3.5). These verses should not be construed as a condemnation against love or desire or lust; also, the verses should not be read as espousing a life of strict, celibate non-attachment. These lines are far from such narrow sedentary interpretations. Within my limited understanding of these lines, I humbly submit that the import of these verses boil down to the following simple message: love and desire for the other person is the most positively uplifting selfless act one can bring oneself to accomplish as long as such love for the other does not become a place from which the innate self-awareness of the other stops shining and fades – where attachment happens to the exclusion of all else and the other is subsumed in this process. Kahlil Gibran espoused the same sentiments when he wrote the following lines in the poem ‘On Marriage’ that seemed to better express the thinking that I had on reading these verses.

“Love one another, but make not a bond
of love:
  Let it rather be a moving sea between
the shores of your souls.
  Fill each other’s cup but drink not from
one cup.
  Give one another of your bread but eat
not from the same loaf.
  Sing and dance together and be joyous,
but let each one of you be alone,
  Even as the strings of a lute are alone
though they quiver with the same music.”