यतन्तो योगिनश्चैनं पश्यन्त्यात्मन्यवस्थितम् | यतन्तोऽप्यकृतात्मानो नैनं पश्यन्त्यचेतसः ||
yatanto yoginaś cainaṁ paśyanty ātmany avasthitam yatanto 'py akṛtātmāno nainaṁ paśyanty acetasaḥ
Translation
Yogis striving to see it, perceive it dwelling in the Self. But the unrefined — even though striving — do not see it, their minds being impure.
Interpretation
Two kinds of striving are contrasted: the yogi whose mind has been purified through practice perceives the soul within — the practice has refined the instrument so that it can now see clearly. The akritaatma — one whose inner self has not been cultivated — may make great effort but cannot see, because the instrument remains clouded. This is why the Gita emphasizes both understanding and practice: mere intellectual effort without inner purification (through ethical living, meditation, service, and devotion) cannot reveal the Self. The mirror must be cleaned before it can reflect the light.