The Self is subtler than the subtle, greater than the great; It
dwells in the heart of each living being. He who is free from
desire and free from grief, with mind and senses tranquil,
beholds the glory of the Atman.

Although this Atman dwells in the heart of every living being, yet It is not
perceived by ordinary mortals because of Its subtlety. It cannot be perceived
by the senses; a finer spiritual sight is required. The heart must be pure
and freed from every unworthy selfish desire; the thought must be indrawn from
all external objects; mind and body must be under control; when the whole
being thus becomes calm and serene, then it is possible to perceive that
effulgent Atman. It is subtler than the subtle, because It is the invisible
essence of every thing; and It is greater than the great because It is the
boundless, sustaining power of the whole universe; that upon which all
existence rests.


XXI

Though sitting, It travels far; though lying, It goes everywhere.
Who else save me is fit to know that God, who is (both) joyful
and joyless?

The Self is all-pervading, hence It is that which sits still and that which
travels, that which is active and that which is inactive. It is both
stationary and moving, and It is the basis of all forms of existence;
therefore whatever exists in the universe, whether joy or joylessness,
pleasure or pain, must spring from It. Who is better able to know God than I
myself, since He resides in my heart and is the very essence of my being?