Chapter 15 Shloka 11

यतन्तो योगिनश्चैनं पश्यन्त्यात्मन्यवस्थितम्।

यतन्तोऽप्यकृतात्मानो नैनं पश्यन्त्यचेतसः।।११।।

The striving Yogis see

this Atma established in them,

but the ignorant with impure heart

do not see It despite their best efforts.

Chapter 15 Shloka 11

यतन्तो योगिनश्चैनं पश्यन्त्यात्मन्यवस्थितम्।

यतन्तोऽप्यकृतात्मानो नैनं पश्यन्त्यचेतसः।।११।।

The Lord says:

The striving Yogis see this Atma established in them, but the ignorant with impure heart do not see It despite their best efforts.

It is said here that the endeavouring Yogis can see this Truth within themselves because such Yogis are established in the Atma essence.

1. They abide in unity with the Supreme.

2. They are striving to imbibe the nature of the Supreme in their lives.

3. They are endeavouring to abide in silence as does the Supreme.

4. They are striving to be uninfluenced and detached as is the Supreme.

5. They are performing actions for the universal well-being just like the Supreme.

6. They are giving of their body along with all its energies to the world, like the Supreme.

7. They are performing all actions in the spirit of yagya, like the Supreme.

8. They are striving to achieve forbearance just as the Supreme endures all with silence.

Therefore they can know that Supreme Essence. They are oblivious to the individualistic ‘I’.

Thus immersed in love for the Supreme:

a) they give of their body, mind and intellect to the Supreme;

b) they are oblivious to hopes and expectations – the fulfilment of the will of the Supreme is their only desire;

c) they place all desire and personal likes at the feet of the Supreme;

d) there is no cause for thought or reasoning when the Lord Himself looks to their every requirement!

e) there is nothing good or bad for them, because they have renounced the body idea.

Other spiritual aspirants are unable to witness this truth despite their repeated endeavours because they possess an impure mind. What is an impure mind? Let us try to understand.

The impurity of the mind-stuff

The greatest impurity is the ‘I’ and attachment. ‘I’ and attachment can be equated because the word ‘I’ arises when one becomes attached to the body self. That is the birth of individuality. ‘I’ is the greatest veil that cloaks the Truth and constitutes one’s basic impurity.

The consequence of impurity of the mind-stuff

Whatsoever exists within the mind-stuff will be impure:

a) when the body is predominant;

b) when the mind is predominant;

c) when the intellect is predominant;

d) when the ‘I’ takes the forefront;

e) when attachment predominates.

Then such an individual becomes essentially selfish:

a) in whatever he thinks;

b) in whatever he does;

c) in whatever he enjoys;

d) in whatever he speaks;

e) in whatever he conceals;

f) in whatever he sees;

g) in whatever he knows.

Every quality he sees in others, he seeks for his own purposes. All qualities that he possesses, he uses only for selfish purposes.

The interaction of one who is of impure mind

One with an impure mind:

a) is predominantly demonic;

b) is indolent and ignorant;

c) is full of desires and the delusion of moha;

d) is ever immersed in personal satiation and the procurement of articles for his personal comfort.

Little one, those who have a demonic attitude do not consider the other to be even a human being. They are ever engaged in self establishment and the establishment of those whom they consider to be their own. They are immersed in pride and do not give happiness to anyone. Actually they spread sorrow all around. The Lord has described the practice of yagya as acts of selfless sacrifice offered at the Lord’s feet, and forbearance and charity as deeds that purify even the sages. However, those with impure hearts do not even perform acts which are selfless in nature.

1. They do not forget their selfish purposes for even a moment.

2. They do not know the Supreme Essence.

3. They cannot understand the cycle of birth and death.

4. They cannot witness their true Self despite avid endeavours.

The detached Yogi can understand the Truth in essence because his mind-stuff is pure. He can witness the play of qualities objectively from afar and thus understand the cycle of birth and death.

Little one, such a one knows that:

1. Attachment causes the seeds of action to germinate.

2. Attachment infuses in them the potential for rebirth.

3. The speck of the Supreme that is within the jivatma grants consciousness to the mind, the intellect and the sense organs.

4. Just as the Prakriti of the Supreme creates the entire universe through its threefold energy of the attributes, so also that component of the Supreme within us creates a new body with the aid of the mind, intellect and the sense organs.

5. Born of a conscious entity, the ‘I’ possesses the power to breathe life into the seeds of action.

The qualities of the Atma inhere in the jivatma and every seed of action is replete with qualities. The fusion of these qualities leads to a new life – which is nothing but the play of the qualities. Little one, all this can be discerned only by the enlightened eyes of the Yogi and comprehended by him through his personal experience.

If the jivatma possesses knowledge, then:

a) his every deed will be selfless;

b) his every glance will be full of devotion;

c) his every word will be replete with knowledge;

d) his very life will be proof of Adhyatam.

Only then can he understand the essence of Truth.

Little one, the Lord has delivered a timely warning to the sincere aspirant in this shloka. Understand this carefully once more.

The Lord says,

“One who is akrit cannot know the Atma.”

“One who is achetsah cannot know the Atma.”

The Lord has clarified further that such people cannot know the Atma even if they endeavour all their lives.

Akrit (अकृत)

1. One who engages in no work.

2. One who leaves work unfinished.

3. One who ignores all relationships despite having relations and well-wishers.

4. One who desists from actions which he ought to do.

5. The unsuccessful being.

One who is akrit is ignorant, separated from his divine identity, foolish and of an unbalanced mind.

a) He performs deeds which are self-contradictory.

b) He follows contradictory paths.

c) He is instrumental in the performance of contradictory acts.

d) He disregards his duty.

Achetsah (अचेतसः)

1. One who is devoid of the capacity to think.

2. One who is devoid of the ability to reason.

3. One who is devoid of the ability to meditate.

4. One who is inanimate.

5. One who is not conscious.

So little one, the Lord has clarified here that:

a) You cannot know the Atma through escape from duty.

b) You cannot know the Atma if you renounce your power of reason and your intellect.

c) Despite innumerable attempts at attaining silence of the mind, you cannot know the Atma without extreme awareness and without engaging in dutiful actions.

­­–  Therefore, you must perform good deeds in your daily living.

­­–  You must perform deeds which are selfless in nature.

­­–  You must perform deeds which you perform in a spirit of sacrificial offering to the Lord.

If you do none of these, you can never know the Atma.