On Advaita Vedanta: The real meaning of steadfastness

The following excerpt is from a samvaad (dialogue) session with Acharya Prashant.

यथाऽपकृष्टं शैवालं क्षणमात्रं न तिष्ठति ।
आवृणोति तथा माया प्राज्ञं वापि पराङ्मुखम् ॥

yathā’pakṛṣṭaṃ śaivālaṃ kṣaṇamātraṃ na tiṣṭhati
āvṛṇoti tathā māyā prājñaṃ vāpi parāṅmukham

Just as a pulled-up water reed stays not still even for a moment, so does Maya (ceaselessly) envelop even a wise man if he averts his face from the Truth.

~ Adhyatma Upanishad, Verse 15

✥ ✥ ✥

जीवतो यस्य कैवल्यं विदेहोऽपि स केवलः ।
समाधिनिष्ठतामेत्य निर्विकल्पो भवानघ ॥

jīvato yasya kaivalyaṃ videho’pi sa kevalaḥ
samādhiniṣṭhatāmetya nirvikalpo bhavānagha

Whosoever wins absoluteness while alive continues to be absolute even after death. Rooted in concentration, O sinless one, remain steadfast.