Kaṭha Upaniṣad 121

121

yady api durvijñeyo 'yam ātmā tathāpy upāyena suvijñeya evety āha nāyam ātmā pravacanenānekavedasvīkaraṇena labhyo jñeyo, nāpi medhayā granthārthadhāraṇaśaktyā, na bahunā śrutena kevalena / kena tarhi labhya ity ucyate -- yam eva svātmānam eṣa sādhako vṛṇute prārthayate tenaivātmanā varitrā svayam ātmā labhyo jñāyata ity etat / niṣkāmaś cātmānam eva prārthayate, ātmanaivātmā labhyata ity arthaḥ / kathaṃ labhyata ity ucyate -- tasyātmakāmasyaiṣa ātmā vivṛṇute prakāśayati pāramārthikīṃ tanūṃ svāṃ svakīyāṃ svayāthātmyam ity arthaḥ ///1,2.23 //

Shankara’s Commentary:
Com.—This text says that though this atman is hard to know, still he can certainly be known well by proper means. This atman is not attainable by the study of many Vedas, or by intelligence, i.e., a retentive memory of the import of books, or by any amount of mere learning. By what then can he be attained is explained. That atman (self) whom the neophyte seeks, by the same self, i.e., by the seeker, can the atman be known. The meaning is that, of one who seeks only the atman, being free from desire, the atman is attained by the atman alone. How it is attained is explained. To the man who seeks the atman, the atman reveals its real form, i.e., its own true nature.