Attainment of ātmajñānam through mind

The mantra 5-10 concluded that there is no substance called anātmā; there is only ātmā, because everything is only manifestation of consciousness brahman. Just like we see ornaments are many, but we know gold is the only substance. We need names and forms for worldly transactions, but in the back of the mind, we should know that ātmā is the only substance. Therefore, śruti says in the following mantra.

manasaivedamāptavyam neha nānā’sti kiñcana |

mṛtyoḥ sa mṛtyum gacchati ya iha nāneva paśyati ||2.1.11||

This has to be attained through the mind alone. There is no plurality at all here.

One who sees plurality here, as it were, goes from death to death.

The second line of this mantra is almost the same as the second line of the previous mantra. ya iha nāneva paśyati - when a person (who doesn’t give up the defective perception caused by ignorance) sees plurality as real, then mṛtyoḥ sa mṛtyum gacchati - he travels from death to death. The essence of this mantra is neha nānā’sti kiñcana - there is no plurality at all, either in the past, present, or further. It conveys that this duality world is not a transformation of non-dual brahman to duality; duality is only an appearance. Thus, when one gains non-duality, it is not that duality transforms to non-duality. Non-duality is gained only by dropping the notion that there is no duality in reality. Dropping this notion is only through understanding, and therefore, it is a cognitive change. Just like the wave doesn’t need to transform to become the ocean; it just needs to understand that it is water.

manasaivedamāptavyam -  non-duality can be acquired only with the help of the

mind, which is refined by the teacher and scripture. There is no other alternative method. How can one get knowledge without the mind? Understanding takes place only in the mind. But how do you reconcile the statement that “ātmā can’t be known through the mind” in kenopaniṣad mantra 1.6? The mantra meant to convey that ātmā can’t be known through the mind as an object. Since the mind can function only because of the sentiency borrowed from consciousness ātmā, there is no way that mind can objectify ātmā, just like our eyes can see because of the mind, thus eyes can’t see the mind.

Therefore, I don’t use my mind to seek limitless ātmā; I am that consciousness ātmā alone. My mind serves as the locus of knowledge, a place where knowledge takes place. When knowledge is fraud with doubts, the mind also serves as the instrument of knowledge through reasoning; and at the end of reasoning, firm knowledge takes place in the same mind itself. Just like the tenth man gains the tenth man through the words of the wise man in the mind.