12-3 to 12-5

ये तु अक्षरम् अनिर्देश्यम् अव्यक्तम् पर्युपासते ।
सर्वत्रगम् अचिन्त्यम् च कूटस्थम् अचलम् ध्रुवम् ॥ ३ ॥
संनियम्य इन्द्रिय ग्रामम् सर्वत्र समबुद्धयः ।
ते प्राप्नुवन्ति माम् एव सर्व भूत हिते रताः ॥ ४ ॥
क्लेशोऽधिकतरः तेषाम् अव्यक्तासक्त चेतसाम् ।
अव्यक्ता हि गतिः दुःखम् देहवद्भिरवाप्यते ॥ ५ ॥

ye tu akSaram anirdezyam avyaktam paryupAsate |
sarvatragam acintyam ca kUTastham acalam dhruvam || 3 ||
saMniyamya indriya grAmam sarvatra samabuddhayaH |
te prApnuvanti mAm eva sarva bhUta hite ratAH || 4 ||
klezo'dhikataraH teSAm avyaktAsakta cetasAm |
avyaktA hi gatiH duHkham dehavadbhiravApyate || 5 ||

ये तु [ye tu] Others who पर्युपासते [paryupAsate] pursue अक्षरम् [akSaram] the ‘perpetual’ समबुद्धयः [samabuddhayaH] have an attitude of equanimity सर्वत्र [sarvatra] in every way. सर्वत्रगम् [sarvatragam] The object of their focus is present in every body. अनिर्देश्यम् [anirdezyam] It is inscrutable. अव्यक्तम् [avyaktam] It isn’t evident to our senses. अचिन्त्यम् [acintyam] It cannot be deciphered by thought. कूटस्थम् [kUTastham] It is unchanged like an anvil - अचलम् [acalam] it is unmoved ध्रुवम् [dhruvam] and steadfast. संनियम्य [saMniyamya] By controlling इन्द्रिय ग्रामम् [indriya grAmam] the community of organs in the body, ते प्राप्नुवन्ति एव [te prApnuvanti eva] they shall certainly attain माम् [mAm] Me. सर्व भूत हिते रताः [sarva bhUta hite ratAH] They are well-wishers of all beings. हि [hi] Nevertheless, अधिकतरः क्लेशः [adhikataraH klezaH] it’s extra tough तेषाम् [teSAm] for them आसक्त चेतसाम् [Asakta cetasAm] to focus their interest on अव्यक्त [avyakta] the ‘unmanifest’. अव्यक्ता गतिः [avyaktA gatiH] The goal of realizing the unmanifest Self अवाप्यते [avApyate] is achieved दुःखम् [duHkham] with great difficulty देहवद्भिः [dehavadbhiH] by those who are predisposed to consider their body as themselves.

Knowing is about deciphering ourselves and our relationship with the Lord.

Here, the words ‘perpetual’ and ‘unmanifest’ refer to the Self, which is self-evident in each of us.

It is inscrutable. Since it’s distinct from the body, it can’t be described by words that are used to describe the body. For instance, being male, female, ordinary or powerful doesn’t describe its properties in any way. Hence, it’s not perceived by sight, speech or any of our senses.

This Shloka states that it is present in every body and cannot be deciphered by thought. Though the Self is present in the body, it doesn’t have any characteristics of the body. Hence, it cannot be deciphered in terms of those characteristics.

By being distinct from the body, it remains unchanged like an anvil, even though its body keeps changing. By this, the characteristics of the Self remain unaffected by all the effects of its body. By virtue of remaining constant, it is termed as being ‘unmoved and steadfast’ in this Shloka.

Our body is a community of organs. When people focus on the Self, they control the body well. They employ their organs such as sight and hearing, instead of transacting to pursue their satisfaction.

They have an attitude of universal equanimity. While we perceive huge variety in our bodies, they know that the Self inside all bodies is present in the form of pure knowledge - no matter how small, large or powerful the being is.

With this attitude, they wish everyone well. They are free from all intentions that cause harm. That’s because the intention to harm is a limitation, which comes by considering inequalities. The Self in each of us is identical.

By focusing on the Self, they will certainly attain Me - in addition to realizing their Self. This is stated in 14-2: ‘Having gained this knowledge, they achieve My characteristics’. It is also stated in the मुंडक उपनिशत् [muMDaka upanizat] , 3-1-3: [niranjana: paramam sAmyam upaiti] - ‘Devoid of flaws, it attains ultimate equality with the Lord’.

Though the Self is permanent and achieves ultimate equality with the Lord, it remains distinct. This is said in 15-16: ‘The Self stays without deforming and is said to be the imperishable’, going on to 15-17: ‘However, the Supreme Person is another one’.

The मुन्दक उपनिशत् [mundaka upanizat] , 1-1-5 narrates: A sage called Shyavanaka went to another sage called Angirasa and asked to be taught. Angirasa started his teaching with the statement: ‘There are two types of learning, the material and the superior. Material science is about observations and creativity in the universe’. He goes on to say: ‘Superior learning is the awareness by which the Supreme Lord can be attained’.

This teaching is called अक्षर विद्य [akSara vidya] – ‘The science of the perpetual’. In the अक्षर विद्य [akSara vidya] , the word ‘perpetual’ has been used to denote the Supreme Lord, rather than the Self. The Supreme Lord is described to be the creator of all beings.

The word अक्षर [akSara] - ‘the perpetual’ - has been used in the scriptures, to mean the Self in some places and the Lord in others. Even then, the Self and the Lord remain distinct – The Lord creates all beings and the Self does not.

Nevertheless, it’s extra tough to focus interest on the unmanifest Self. The goal of realizing the Self is reached with great difficulty, while being associated with a body. We are predisposed to consider our body as our Self.

Next, the Lord clearly asserts that He is always there for His worshippers.