Isha - 5-tadejati tannaijati

Commentary by Sri Adi Sankaracharya – Translated in English

Showing that there is no superfluity of mantras, the following mantra declares again what was expressed by the previous mantra. ‘It’ means ‘the entity of the Atman which is being treated of.’ ‘Ejati’ means ‘moves.’ ‘Xaijati’ means ‘does not move of itself.’ The meaning is that though motionless in itself, it seems to move. Besides, it is distant, i.e., it seems to be far removed, because it is not attainable by the ignorant, even in the course of hundreds of millions of ages. Tadvantikê is split into tad, u and antikê. It is very near to the knowing; for, it is their Atman. It is not merely distant and near; it is within everything according to the Sruti “The Atman which is within everything.” All means ‘all the world of names and forms and activity.’ It is without all this, being all-pervading like the Akas; and within everything, being extremely subtle. It is indivisible according to the Sruti “It is dense with knowledge.”

Commentary by Swami Sivananda

The ideas of the fourth Mantra are continued here. Ejati means ‘moves’. Naijati means ‘does not move.’ Apparently it seems that this Mantra also is full of contradictions and paradoxes. But it is not so for the thinker. The meaning is ite clear. The Atman is the primum-mobile (prime mover). It gives a push to the Prakriti and the Prakriti move by simple gazing, by Its simple presence. So it is said ‘It moves’. When It is all-pervading all-full, where can it move? Hence it is motionless. ‘It moves not’.

It is distant for the ignorant. It is very far for those who are immersed in worldlines, who have lunged themselves in Samsara. It is very, very far for those who are very selfish, proud, egoistic, hot-tempered and passionate. It is near for the enirer. It is very, very near for those who are eipped with purity of mind (Chitta-Suddhi) and the four means of salvation and who have started hearing at the feet of Guru, reflecting and meditation (Sravana, Manana and Nididhyasana), because It is their Inner Self or the Atman (Antar-Atman). It is very subtle (Ati-sukshma). It transcends Akasa (ether). It fills and covers everything. It is all-full (Paripurna). Hence It is within and without. ‘all’ means ‘the objects of this whole world’. Brahman is the substratum or support (Adhishthana) of all beings, as It is inside all and pervades all.

Links
Commentary on the Isavasya Upanishad by Swami Krishnananda – Divine Life Society
Upanishad Series – Isavasya Upanishad Commentary by Swami Chinmayananda
Commentary on the Isavasya Upanishad by Paramarthananda