We all inderstand imbalance in the physical world.  There is a push at one end and there is a pull at the other.  An object placed on the top of a mountain is pulled by the gravity of Mother Earth and pushed by the slope of the mountain. Objects placed at a high point such as a hill will be in a state of imbalance.  The imbalance will be set right when the object rolles downhill. In other words the imbalance is balanced by movement. An object that is hot relative to the surroundings is in a state of imbalance and will be cooled by the environment untill the object is at the same temperature as the environment.  Here the high temperature is pushed out of the object and is pulled by the environment. 

So an imabalance imparts the energy into the object on which the imabalance acts. This energy is used up either as movement or as a dissipation of heat (in the above instances).

Put differently, physical imbalance is the CAUSE and the EFFECT is either the movement or the cooling. We are not aware of an imbalance unless we are able to perceive the EFFECT. 

So the mind perceives only the effect of an imbalance through the means of the five senses. However, the mind wonders as to what the cause is and tries to find the cause through the intellect.  The intellect alone can try to figure out what the CAUSE of the effect was, since the senses cannot perceive gravity and did not see what caused the object to heat up. 

So in the physical world, wnen a PERCEPTIBLE imbalance is created, and the perceived object is subject to the mabalance (CAUSE) i a CHANGE in the object is perceived (EFFECT). 

The object which is subject to the imbalance undergoes a change which is an effect that is perceived by the five senses. The change that the object undergoes is an attempt to set right the imbalance. One the imbalance is dissipated, the object returns to equilibrium and there is no more change. The change perceived through the senses, excites the intelligence into looking for the reason or the cause of the imbalance.  

The intellect explores the possibilites and finds that one imbalance is caused by another imbalance. The intellect finds that the difference in push and pull is caused by a perceived slope in the terrain. If there is no slope, there is no sideways push and pull on the object. So it appears fixed to one spot.

The mind explores the possible cause of why the object remains stationary once the bottom of the slope is reached. The inquiry leads the intellect to conclude that the object is pulled towards the center of the earth on which it is resting. So although it appears to be in a state of balance, it is actually subject to two forces - one pulling it towards the center of the Earth (Gravity), and the other, the resistance by the fabric of the Earth to prevent the object from breaking through. So the balance of the two forces, in exactly opposite directions, keeps the object at rest.  

The mind conlcudes that an object will be at rest only when subject to oposing imabalances or when it is not subject to an imbalance. The exploration then starts to discover that spot in the perceived universe which is devoid of imbalances.  On Earth, in Outer Space, Within the Galaxy, Beyond the intergalactic space, there is not even one spot that is not subject to imbalances. 

So the cause of one imbalance is another imabalance.  The causes of imbalances seem to feed and sustain each other in what appears to be a chain of events that has no beginning or end. The mind continues to explore the imbalances and begins the charting their interdependancies.  The intellect becomes immersed in unending loops from which it cannot make progress in unraveling the relationships and reaching the source of all physical energy. 

The Paramathma on the other hand clearly states that the effort to identify the relationships between objecta and events perceived by the senses is a futile exercise. The dependancies are ony a reflection, transient and are projected with the sole purpose of setting the mind on the path of observation and realization of the self.

The Paramathma asks Uddhave at one point in the conversation with him as to why he wants to know the mechanics of what essentially is MAYA or transcience.

The only purpose of these illusions is to be able to understand that just as the physical forces of imbalances cause changes in the perceived universe, the forces of perception are also driven by imbalances in the Mind.  The imbalances cause the changes in the mind, and these changes manifest as the perceived universe. 

So in order to attain realization of the self, the forces of imbalance that cause turbulence in the Mind should be brought under control. In order to bring them under control, it is essential that the interdependancies of the forces of the mind should be understood. This is known as Self Realization.