A composed mind

Yamaraja continues with the qualifications one needs to cultivate in order to have a clear mind for understanding ātmājñānam.

nāvirato duścaritānnāśānto nāsamāhitaḥ |

nāśāntamānaso vāpi prajñānenainamāpnuyāt ||1.2.24||

Neither the one who has not withdrawn from wrong conduct, nor the one who lacks

sense-control, nor the one whose mind is not composed, nor the one who lacks

concentration can attain this (ātmā) through knowledge.

prajñānenainamāpnuyāt - this ātmā is attained through knowledge, the main means is ascertained again by yamaraja. For the purpose of establishing the importance of qualifications, he says that even if one takes up śravana, manana, and nididhyāsana, that person will not own up ātmā, if he is the one nāvirato duścaritān - who has not withdrawn from wrong conduct, as we have seen that dharma is the very foundation for the pursuit of śreyas. nāśānto - one whose senses are restless, running after sense objects, because he sees the values in those sense objects to give fulfilment. nāsamāhitaḥ - one whose mind lacks of concentration, can’t stay in a subject matter for a length of time. nāśāntamānaso - one whose mind is not composed, he is still anxious towards the duality world, because our impression in this dualistic world is too strong, thus our conviction towards the limitless nature of the self becomes weak.

These qualifications can be developed through astanga yoga; yama and niyama help to develop dharma; āsanā-prāṇāyāma-pratyahāra helps to control over sense organs. Dhāraṇa-dhyāna helps to gain control over the mind, and samādhi gains composure of the mind. Without these four qualifications, a person wouldn’t be able to assimilate self-knowledge; this is the essence of this mantra.