The Yogins striving (for perfection) behold Him dwelling in the Self; but, the unrefined and unintelligent, even though striving, see Him not.
In simple words
Krishna continues: "Yogis who sincerely strive can see the soul dwelling within themselves. But people who have not refined their minds — even if they try — cannot see it."
Word-by-word meanings
यतन्तःstriving (for perfection)योगिनःthe Yoginsचandएनम्thisपश्यन्तिseeआत्मनिin the Selfअवस्थितम्dwellingयतन्तःstrivingअपिalsoअकृतात्मानःthe unrefinedनnotएनम्thisपश्यन्तिseeअचेतसःunintelligent
15.11 यतन्तः striving (for perfection)? योगिनः the Yogins? च and? एनम् this? पश्यन्ति see? आत्मनि in the Self? अवस्थितम् dwelling? यतन्तः striving? अपि also? अकृतात्मानः the unrefined? न not? एनम् this? पश्यन्ति see? अचेतसः unintelligent.Commentary The description of the evolution of the individual soul is now complete.The Yogins who strive with an iron determination? fiery resolve? faith? earnestness and wellbalanced mind? see Him established in their hearts. They behold Him dwelling in their own mind or intellect. They recognise Him -- This I am. But those who are of full intellect and without proper discipline of the mind and the senses? who have not been purified by austerity? selfless service and charity? who have not subdued their senses? who have not practised regular meditation? who have not given up their evil ways? who have not eradicated lust? pride? egoism? anger? greed and hypocrisy? who have not developed true discrimination between the Real and the unreal? however hard they may struggle to know Him by means of the study of the sacred scriptures? do not behold Him. They are not able to attain Selfrealisation. Mere study of scriptues alone cannot help one who has an impure mind to attain Selfrealisation. The aspirant should have a calm and pure mind. He should practise constant? protracted and profound meditation on the Self. Only then will he realise? recognise and behold the Self abiding in his own heart.That Goal (the Supreme Being) which the fire? stars? lightning? sun and moon do not illumine? having reached which the aspirants do not return to this Samsara or the world of birth and death? of which the individual souls are only imaginary parts appearing so on account of the limiting adjunct (ignorance)? just as the ether in the pot appears to be limited though it is one with the,universal ether -- is the essence of all worldly experiences.Just as the ether in the pot becomes identical with the universal ether when the limiting adjunct (pot) is broken? so also the individual soul becomes identical with the Supreme Being when the limiting adjunct (ignorance) is destroyed through the knowledge of the Self or Selfrealisation born of meditation on the right significance of the great sentences of the Upanishads? viz.? TatTvamAsi (That thou art) or AhamBrahmaAsmi (I am the Supreme Being). Then he realises that Brahman is the essence of all and tht He is the basis of all experiences.In order to make Arjuna understand this? the Lord gives a brief summary of His manifestations in the following four verses. A description is given here of the allpervasiveness of the Self.
Contemporary scholarly and practical interpretations for modern seekers.
This interpretation draws on a specific tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.
Modern
Those seekers who succeed in concentrating their mind and purifying their intellect by withdrawing from desires and attachments alone come to know the splendor of the atman and experience its infinitude. Yet it is also true that merely engaging in mechanical practice does not guarantee success. There are many practitioners who grieve that despite years of disciplined effort, they have not achieved the progress they desired. What could be the reason for this? Addressing this contentious question with perfect reasoning, Lord Sri Krishna declares: Although they strive, those of impure inner nature and lacking in discernment do not perceive the atman. For the attainment of the fruits of meditation, two essential qualities are necessary: (1) purity of mind—the absence of ego and selfish distractions, and (2) discrimination between atman and anatman through the teachings of Vedanta, by which the veil of ignorance is destroyed. Without both of these, self-knowledge is utterly impossible. Therefore, seekers should first purify their mind through karma yoga and bhakti yoga, and then engage in self-inquiry.
In the discussion thus far, in pointing to the atman, it has been said that: (1) it cannot be illumined by material sources of light—the sun, moon, and fire; (2) upon attaining it, there is no return to the cycle of birth and death; and (3) all beings are, as it were, its expressions.
Thereafter, in the next four verses, the nature and pervasiveness of the Supreme Self are described: that it is (1) the light of all-illuminating consciousness, (2) the life-sustaining principle of all existence, (3) the warmth of life in the bodies of all living creatures, and (4) dwelling in the heart of all as the atman itself.
The Lord speaks: