In plain words
How that One became two, Mudigoṇḍa Piccayya Śāstri has just explained. He said, “Just as heat, light and other qualities come into coal when fire enters it, so, when the aham enters the jīva, it appears full of qualities.” But you must take note of one more thing as well. Even that coal came into being only because fire entered it. In the same way, only because the aham entered (Ekohaṃ bahusyām) did the world and everything in the world arise.
Śāstrigāru also said, “Because the aham entered, life itself has turned into a padmavyūha.” When Kumbhaja had drawn up the padmavyūha at Kurukṣetra, at a time when Arjuna was away, the Kauravas called on his son Abhimanyu to enter it and break it open. To refuse such a call does not befit kṣatriya warriors. When the son begged his mother to bless him and send him forth, she raised two kinds of obstacle: “Your father is not here; your wife is with child.”
The hidden meaning of those words is this: “Unless you get past the two obstacles called mamakāra and abhimāna, there is no way you can overcome the trap that Kumbhaja (Prajñānam) has laid.” The Mahābhārata says that Arjuna alone was able to break through the padmavyūha and come out. What this means is: Arjuna means one whose citta is spotless, one without a stain, one who has purity of citta; and so, knowing the Brahman spoken of as “Prajñānaṃ brahma.” To reach the holy state “Brahmavid brahmaiva bhavati,” purity of citta is what matters most; only through purity of citta comes purity of Jñāna. But those who forget God and keep the world alone in their minds, whatever strength and ability they may have, whatever power of wealth, power of arm and power of office they may have, cannot escape unrest, because mamatā and Ahaṅkāra are present in their inner vision.