Upanishads · Muṇḍaka 3.2.3
॥
Devanāgarī
न अयम् आत्मा प्रवचनेन लभ्यः न मेधया न बहुना श्रुतेन ।
यम् एव एषः वृणुते तेन लभ्यः तस्य एषः आत्मा विवृणुते तनूं स्वाम् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
na ayam ātmā pravacanena labhyaḥ na medhayā na bahunā śrutena |
yam eva eṣaḥ vṛṇute tena labhyaḥ tasya eṣaḥ ātmā vivṛṇute tanūṃ svām ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
नnanot; no
अयम् आत्माayam ātmāthis Ātman; this self
प्रवचनेनpravacanenaby exposition (pravacana); by eloquence; by learned speech
लभ्यःlabhyaḥis attainable; is won
नnanot; no
मेधयाmedhayāby intelligence (medhā); by force of intellect; by keenness of mind
नnanot; no
बहुना श्रुतेनbahunā śrutenaby much hearing; by abundant learning
यम् एवyam evawhom precisely; him whom
एषःeṣaḥhe; the Ātman Himself
वृणुतेvṛṇutechooses (from √vṛ); Himself elects; calls
तेनtenaby that; for him
लभ्यःlabhyaḥis attainable; is won
तस्यtasyato him; for him
एषः आत्माeṣaḥ ātmāthis Ātman; the Ātman Himself
विवृणुतेvivṛṇutediscloses (vi-√vṛ); reveals; makes manifest
तनूम् स्वाम्tanūm svāmHis own form (tanū svā); His own body-form; His very self
Translation
This Ātman is not attained by exposition, nor by intellect, nor by much hearing. Whom He Himself chooses — by him He is attained: to him this Ātman reveals His own form.
Version
5a4f2f669e0c · published Jul 26, 2026, 8:10:40 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
A verse the Muṇḍaka utters word for word with the Kaṭha (1.2.23) — and what the śruti says twice, hear twice over: nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyaḥ — not by eloquence, na medhayā — not by force of intellect, na bahunā śrutena — not by a multitude of things heard: the three noblest instruments of culture are set aside — they prepare the meeting, they do not produce it.
yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyaḥ — "whom He chooses, by him He is attained": vṛṇute — "chooses" (the root of vara, "boon, election"): the last step is always His; tasyaiṣa ātmā vivṛṇute tanūṁ svām — "to him the Ātman reveals His own form": tanūṁ svām — "His own body, His own form": what is granted is not an "experience" — He Himself appears, as a face is unveiled.
And whom does He choose? Both contexts, the Kaṭha's and the Muṇḍaka's, answer alike: the one who has chosen Him: the unrelenting Naciketas; here, the one who worships the Puruṣa selflessly (verse 54). Election answers election: grace is not a lottery but a mutuality. So at the very heart of the "Upaniṣad of knowledge" stands the law that will later be called by the word bhakti: the final truth is not taken but given — and given to one who loves.