Verse 3

असुर्या नाम ते लोका अन्धेन तमसावृताः ।
तांस्ते प्रेत्याभिगच्छन्ति ये के चात्महनो जनाः ॥ ३ ॥

asuryā nāma te lokā andhena tamasāvṛtāḥ |
tāṃste pretyābhigacchanti ye ke cātmahano janāḥ || 3 ||

3. Those births partake of the nature of the Asuras and are enveloped in blind darkness. After leaving the body they who kill their Atman attain them.

Shankara’s Commentary:

Com.—This mantra is begun for the purpose of condemning those who have no knowledge of the Atman. Asuryah: even Devas, etc., are Asuras, relatively to becoming one with the Paramatman. Asuryah because they belong to them (Asuras). Kama is a meaningless word. Those lokas (births) so called because the fruits of Karma are there perceived or enjoyed (lokyante). Andhena tamasa, ‘ignorance which consists in inability to see one’s self.’ Avritah means covered. These births down to the immovable. Pretya means ‘leaving the body.’ ‘Abhigachhanti’ means ‘attain in accordance with their Karma and Knowledge.’ ‘Atmahanah’ means ‘those who kill the Atman.’ Who are they? Those who do not know the Atman. How do they kill the eternal Atman? By drawing the veil of ignorance over the Atman that exists. Those who do not, under the influence of their natural tendencies (Prakriti), know the Atman are called ‘Atmahanah’ (slayers of the Atman); because in their case the result of the existence of the Atman, i. e., the knowledge of its undecaying and immortal nature is veiled, as if the Atman were killed. By this fault of slaying the Atman, they get into Samsara.