Katha Upanishad 6.17
intermediate
अङ्गुष्ठमात्रः पुरुषोऽन्तरात्मा सदा जनानां हृदये सन्निविष्टः। तं स्वाच्छरीरात्प्रवृहेन्मुञ्जादिवेषीकां धैर्येण। तं विद्याच्छुक्रममृतं तं विद्याच्छुक्रममृतमिति॥
aṅguṣṭhamātraḥ puruṣo'ntarātmā sadā janānāṃ hṛdaye sanniviṣṭaḥ | taṃ svāccharīrātpravṛhenmuñjādiveṣīkāṃ dhairyeṇa | taṃ vidyācchukramamṛtaṃ taṃ vidyācchukramamṛtamiti ||
""The Purusha, of the size of a thumb, the inner Self, is always seated in the heart of creatures. One should draw Him out from one's body with steadfastness, as one draws the stalk from the munja grass. One should know Him as the pure, the immortal - yes, one should know Him as the pure, the immortal.""
What This Means:
The Self in the heart should be carefully extracted from identification with the body - like pulling a reed from its sheath. Know it as pure and immortal.
Going Deeper:
The munja grass metaphor shows that the Self must be separated from its sheath (body) with care and steadiness.
How To Apply This:
With steady practice, separate your true Self from body-identification. It can be done.
#extraction#munja grass#pure immortal