Verse 13.18

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 13.18:

ज्योतिषाम् अपि तज् ज्योतिस् तमसः परम् उच्यते ।
ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं ज्ञान-गम्यं हृदि सर्वस्य धिष्ठितम् ॥ १८ ॥

jyotiṣām api taj jyotis tamasaḥ param ucyate |
jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ jñāna-gamyaṃ hṛdi sarvasya dhiṣṭhitam || 18 ||

jyotiṣām–of the sun and other luminaries; api–also; tat–He; jyotiḥ–(the cause of) illumination; tamasaḥ–ignorance; param–transcendental; ucyate–He is said; jñānam–transcendental knowledge; jñeyam–the object of knowledge; jñāna-gamyam–accessible through divine knowledge; hṛdi–in the heart; sarvasya–of all (beings); dhiṣṭhitam–situated.

He is the source of illumination in all luminaries. Being transcendental to ignorance, He is divine knowledge, He is the object of such knowledge, and He is realizable through knowledge. He dwells within the heart of all beings.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

He is even the source of light for other luminaries, such as the moon and sun. This is confirmed in the Śrutis: “sūryas tapati tejasendraḥ–by His radiance, the sun becomes luminous and distributes heat.” What to speak of fire, even the sun, moon, stars and so forth lose their splendour before Him. They appear to be effulgent, but they all acquire their glow from Him. It is by His effulgence only that they acquire their own unique qualities of illumination.

Kaṭha Upaniṣad (2.2.15) states:

na tatra sūryo bhāti na candra-tārakaṃ nemā vidyuto bhānti kuto’yam agniḥ
tam eva bhāntaṃ anu bhāti sarvaṃ tasya bhāṣā sarvam idaṃ vibhāti

The sun, moon, stars or fire cannot illuminate lightning, what to speak of illuminating that self-effulgent Parabrahma. However, it is by that self-effulgent brahma alone that all luminous objects such as the sun give light. In fact, the whole universe exists only because of His existence.

Therefore, He is beyond ignorance; it can never touch Him. The Śrutis also say, “His complexion is like the colour of the sun and He lies beyond tama, or darkness.” His full manifestation in the faculty of pure intelligence is called actual knowledge, or jñāna. He Himself becomes modified as all forms, etc. He is the object of knowledge (jñeya), and He is accessible through knowledge (jñāna-gamyam). In other words, He is attainable by the previously described means of the careful practice of jñāna, such as humility. He alone is situated as Paramātmā in the hearts of all beings.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

Parameśvara, the complete kṣetra-jña, is the original illuminator of all luminaries such as the sun, moon and fire:

na tatra sūryo bhāti na candra-tārakaṃ
nemā vidyuto bhānti kuto’yam agniḥ

Kaṭha Upaniṣad (2.2.15)

Although the sun, moon, stars, lightning and fire illuminate everything, they cannot illuminate Bhagavān or His abode.

This is also confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.25.42):

mad-bhayād vāti vāto’yaṃ sūryas tapati mad-bhayāt
varṣatīndro dahaty agnir mṛtyuś carati mad-bhayāt

It is because of fear of Me that the wind blows, the sun shines and Indra sends forth showers. Out of fear of Me, fire burns and death goes about taking its toll.

Furthermore, Kaṭha Upaniṣad (2.3.3) states, “bhayād asyāgnistapati bhayāt tapati sūryaḥ–out of fear of Parabrahma, fire burns and the sun heats.” That Supreme Truth is beyond darkness and is supremely pure, being transcendental to material nature. The Śrutis also say, “āditya-varṇaṃ tamasaḥ parastāt–He is beyond material nature and has a golden effulgence (āditya).” He is knowledge (jñāna), the object of knowledge (jñeya) and the knower (jñātā).

Jñāna-svarūpa: The Śrutis say He is vijñāna ānanda-ghanaṃ brahma– The specific attributes of brahma are that He is jñāna-svarūpa, intrinsically composed of knowledge, and ghanībhūta ānanda-svarūpa, the concentrated embodiment of bliss.

Jñeya-svarūpa: He is the shelter of those who desire liberation.

Therefore, He is that which is to be sought:

taṃ ha devam ātma-buddhi-prakāśaṃ
mumukṣur vai śaraṇam ahaṃ prapadye

Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (6.18)

Being desirous of liberation, I surrender to the Supreme Lord, who illuminates the intelligence of the soul.

According to this Śruti statement, He is approachable by knowledge.

Jñātā: He is also the knower because He is situated in everyone’s heart as the witness, controller and Supersoul. In this regard, one should refer to verses of the Śrutis, such as “dvāsuparṇā, tam eva viditvā and antaḥ-praviṣṭaḥ śāstā–within the body the ātmā and Paramātmā are compared to two birds seated in the same tree” (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 4.6–7).