Verse from Guru Vachaka Kovai - on self-inquiry

GURU VACHAKA KOVAI

394 Since pramada, forgetfulness of the Self,  is, in truth, 

death, for those who are attempting to attain immortality, transcending the death that frightens one and all, it is essential at all times to destroy pramada, the real nature of death, without giving it the slightest scope to survive

There are therefore no rules to the effect that the jnana-vichara performed to know and attain the immortal Self should be practiced only during specific periods.

Muruganar: 'Attempting to attain' here means making uninterrupted effort, with the entire attention focused on the endeavor one has embarked upon, until it takes one to the goal. 

Bhagavan: "Destruction of mind alone is tapas. This alone is one's duty. One who is doing his own work will not pay attention to anyone else's work. One should never give room for swerving from the thought of the Self. However many duties one may have, at all the other times not meant for performing duties one must perform only self-enquiry.

While standing, sitting and taking food one can do vichara, can one not? If the mind happens to forget the enquiry 'Who am I?' because of vasanas, when it remembers the enquiry, it should try not to lose hold of the enquiry again. 

– Who am I?;  an early draft