Explanation of yam evaishha vRNute .. -- an Upanishad quote

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Namaste

 

I am sorry I did not make the translation very clear in my post #35456.

 

The mantra is:

 

nAyam-AtmA pravacanena labhyo na medhayA na bahunA shrutena /

yam-evaishha vRNute tena labhyaH tasyaishha AtmA vivRNute tanUM svAM //

 

ayaM AtmA : This Self

na labhyaH : is not attainable

pravacanena : through study (of the scriptures)

na medhayA : nor through intelligence

na bahunA shrutena : nor through much hearing.

Yam eva: The very entity, which

eshhaH : this (seeker)

vRNute : seeks to reach; prays to, exclusively

tena : by that seeker; by that very fact of exclusive persistence

labhyaH : (this Self) is attainable.

tasya: To him who seeks thus,

eshhaH AtmA : this Self

vivRNute : reveals

svAM tanUM : Its true Nature.

 

 

This mantra occurs once in Katha Upanishad I-2-23 and Mundaka Upanishad III

-2-3.

In the Kathopanishad commentary, Shankara writes:

*nishhkAmashca AtmAnam-eva prArthayate. Atmanaiva AtmA labhyate ityarthaH*

Meaning: To desireless man who seeks for the Self alone, this Self becomes

known of its own accord.

 

In the Mundaka Upanishad commentary, Shankara writes:

*yameva paramAtmAnameva eshhaH vidvAn vRNute prAptum-icchati, tena varaNena

eshha para AtmA labhyaH, nAnyena sAdhanAntareNa, nitya-labdha-svabhAvatvAt *

Meaning: The very supreme Self this man of knowledge seeks to reach, by that

very exclusive hankering this supreme Self is attainable, not through any

other spiritual effort, for It is by Its very nature ever attained.

 

Now if you read what was written in #35456, namely,

 

" It is to be attained only by the one this one chooses.

To such a one the soul reveals its own self. "

 

The confusion in the mind of the reader must be because of the words " this

one chooses " . " this one " refers to 'the seeker'. " chooses " stands for

'prays to reach' or 'persists in seeking exclusively'.

 

I hope the vagueness is cleared now. I ought to have explained it in #35456

itself.

 

PraNAms to all advaitins.

profvk

 

 

 

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