na tvāṃ śakyam upaṣṭātum
“You cannot be approached”
Structure
na tvām śakyam upaṣṭātum
na (not) tvām (you) śakyam (possible) upaṣṭātum (to stand)
Word-by-Word Grammar
| Word | IAST | Type | Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| na | na | indeclinable | — | not |
| tvām | tvām | pronoun | accusative · singular | you |
| śakyam | śakyam | noun | nominative · singular · neuter | it is possible |
| upaṣṭātum | upaṣṭātum | verb | √ṣṭā · liṅ-optative · first | to approach |
Scholarly Commentary
Advaita Vedānta (Ādi Śaṅkarācārya): The verse 'na tvāṃ śakyam upaṣṭātum' highlights the impossibility of approaching the ultimate reality through mundane means. According to Shankara, this is because the ultimate reality, Brahman, is beyond human comprehension and cannot be reached by ordinary perception or inference. In his commentary on the Bhagavad Gītā, Shankara explains that the knowledge of Brahman is not a matter of intellectual understanding but rather a direct experience that transcends the limitations of the mind. This verse points to the brahman-ātman identity, emphasizing that the individual self (ātman) is ultimately non-different from the ultimate reality (Brahman). Shankara's reasoning on this verse is closely related to his discussion on the nature of Brahman in the Brahmasūtra Bhāṣya, where he argues that Brahman is the unchanging, all-pervading reality that underlies all existence.
Vaiṣṇava tradition (Rāmānujācārya / Madhvācārya): The verse 'na tvāṃ śakyam upaṣṭātum' is significant in the Vaiṣṇava tradition as it underscores the transcendence and majesty of the Supreme Lord, Īśvara. Rāmānujācārya, in his commentary on the Bhagavad Gītā, emphasizes that this verse highlights the dependence of the individual self (jīva) on the Lord, and that the Lord's grace is necessary for the jīva to attain knowledge of Him. Madhvācārya, on the other hand, interprets this verse as emphasizing the absolute distinction between the Lord and the jīva, highlighting the Lord's independence and the jīva's complete dependence on Him. Both Rāmānuja and Madhva agree that this verse underscores the importance of devotional surrender (prapatti) as the means to approach the Lord, who is otherwise inaccessible through human effort alone.
Neo-Vedānta (Swami Vivekānanda / S. Rādhākrishnan): The verse 'na tvāṃ śakyam upaṣṭātum' has universal and practical implications in contemporary life. Swami Vivekānanda, in his lectures on the Bhagavad Gītā, interprets this verse as a call to introspection and self-realization, emphasizing that the ultimate reality is not something external but rather a dimension of our own consciousness. S. Rādhākrishnan, in his writings on the Bhagavad Gītā, connects this verse to the human quest for meaning and purpose, arguing that it points to the limitations of human knowledge and the need for a deeper, more intuitive understanding of reality. Both Vivekānanda and Rādhākrishnan see this verse as an invitation to explore the depths of human consciousness and to discover the universal principles that underlie all existence, thereby promoting a sense of unity, harmony, and cooperation among all beings.