What comes from the long term practice of yoga -2 ?

Finding the atma from the Mundaka Upanishad

When asked what the main reason for one to practice yoga asanas, Pattabhi Jois would often quote the following portion of verse 3.2.4 from the Mundaka Upanishad:

नायमात्मा बलहीनेन लभ्य​:​ (3.2.4)

Nayam Atma Balahinena labyah:

This atma is not attained by the weak.


Asana is just one limb of yoga and the reason for one to practice yoga, according to Patanjali, is to remove the perturbations of the mind so that the mind is clearly able to see the atma i.e. Purusha and distinguish it from the body, i,e. Prakriti. The yoga sutras, as well as all other yogic and Sankhyan texts, says that when this state is reached, there is no more rebirth and one attains Kaivalyam or liberation from the constant cycle of births (and deaths) which the wise know causes suffering, however good a family and land one is born in (Y.S. 2.15).


Nayam atma balahinena labyah.mp4

Mundaka means shaven head. Therefore it is a Upanishad that shaves or Liberates us from the errors we commit that lead to an endless cycle of births and deaths. It is said that when one does the right practice (i.e. the limbs of yoga, especially meditation), for a long time without hankering for results then the Atma will reveal itself to the practitioner.

The verses below are from section 3.2 of the Mundaka Upanishad.

This atma cannot be attained by the study of the vedas nor can it be attained by the intellect nor much by listening to the sacred scriptures. This atman is attainable by they to whom it chooses to reveal its form.

This atma is never attained by the weak nor by the inattentive, nor even by one performing improper austerities. The wise who strive by these means (of yoga) his atma enters the world of the brahman.