Mundaka-3-2-4-nāyamātmā

Mundaka Upanishad – Mundaka 3 – Chapter 2 – Verse 4 « »

नायमात्मा बलहीनेन लभ्यो
न च प्रमादात् तपसो वाप्यलिङ्गात् ।
एतैरुपायैर्यतते यस्तु विद्वां-
स्तस्यैष आत्मा विशते ब्रह्मधाम ॥ ४॥

nāyamātmā balahīnena labhyo
na ca pramādāt tapaso vāpyaliṅgāt .
etairupāyairyatate yastu vidvāṃ-
stasyaiṣa ātmā viśate brahmadhāma .. 4..

4 This Atman cannot be attained by one who is without strength or earnestness or who is without knowledge accompanied by renunciation. But if a wise man strives by means of these aids, his soul enters the Abode of Brahman.

Word Meaning
() – not
अयम् (ayam) – this
आत्मा (ātmā) – Ᾱtman
बलहीनेन (balahīnena) – by the weak (in spirit)
लभ्यः (labhyaḥ) – is attained
न (na) – nor
च (ca) – and
प्रमादात् (pramādāt) – insincerity, carelessness
तपसः (tapasaḥ) – from penances, austerities
वा (vā) – or
अपि (api) – and
अलिङ्गात् (aliṅgāt) – (lit. without proper sign) improper, unintelligent
एतैः (etaiḥ) – by these
उपायैः (upāyaiḥ) – practices, means
यतते (yatate) – strives
यः (yaḥ) – who
तु (tu) – but
विद्वान् (vidvān) – wise man
तस्य (tasya) – to him
एषः (eṣaḥ) – this
आत्मा (ātmā) – Ᾱtman
विशते (viśate) – attains
ब्रह्मधाम (brahmadhāma) – the State of Brahman

Table of Contents

Sri Shankara’s Commentary (Bhashya) translated by S. Sitarama Sastri

Com.—Combined with the wish to realise the Atman, strength, absence of excitement, and knowledge coupled with Sanyasa are helps; because this Atman cannot be attained by one devoid of strength produced by concentration on the Atman or by excitement caused by associating with objects of the world, as son, cattle and the rest, or by tapas devoid of linga. ‘Tapas’ here means ‘knowledge.’ “Linga,” means “Sanyasa.” The meaning is that the Atman cannot be attained by knowledge without Sanyasa. But of the knower who, with these aids, strength, absence of excitement, Sanyasa and knowledge—strives intent after the Atman, the Atman enters its abode, the Brahman.

Links
Various resources on the Mundakopanishad
Upanishad Series – Mundakopanishad Commentary by Swami Chinmayananda

Mundaka Upanishad – Verse 4 – Mundaka-3-2-4-nāyamātmā – In Sanskrit with English Transliteration, Meaning and Commentary by Adi Shankaracharya (Sankara Bhashya) – Mundaka-3-2-4