He who has not ceased from bad actions, he who is not tranquil, he who does not have a concentrated mind — he cannot obtain this Ātman by discriminative knowledge.

This verse establishes the ethical and psychological prerequisites for the realization of the Ātman. First, virati (cessation of negative actions) — the yamas of yoga. Second, śānti (tranquility). Third, samāhita (concentration). Without these qualities, prajñā (discriminative wisdom) cannot penetrate ultimate reality. This aligns perfectly with the aṣṭāṅga-yoga of Patañjali, where ethical practices precede and sustain meditative practices and final realization.