The mind that is to know the Self || On Mundaka Upanishad (2021)

एषोऽणुरात्मा चेतसा वेदितव्यो यस्मिन्प्राणः पञ्चधा संविवेश । प्राणैश्चित्तं सर्वमोतं प्रजानां यस्मिन्विशुद्धे विभवत्येष आत्मा ॥

eṣo’ṇurātmā cetasā veditavyo yasminprāṇaḥ pañcadhā saṃviveśa prāṇaiścittaṃ sarvamotaṃ prajānāṃ yasminviśuddhe vibhavatyeṣa ātmā

This Self is subtle and has to be known by a thought-mind into which the life-force has made its fivefold entry: all the conscious heart of creatures is shot through and inwoven with the currents of the life-force and only when it is purified can this Self manifest its power.

~ Verse 3.1.9

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Acharya Prashant (AP): “The Self is subtle and has to be known by a thought-mind into which the life-force has made its fivefold entry: all the conscious heart of creatures is shot through and interwoven with the currents of the life-force and only when it is purified can the Self manifest its power.”

This verse can be tricky if you don’t pay attention. See, prāṇa refers to the life-giving presence of air in the body. The tradition has it that the air that you take in — it’s a way of looking at the anatomy — divides itself into five and nurtures five parts of your body.