13.18 The light of lights Krishna speaks
ज्योतिषामपि तज्ज्योतिस्तमसः परमुच्यते
ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं ज्ञानगम्यं हृदि सर्वस्य विष्ठितम्
jyotiṣhām api taj jyotis tamasaḥ param uchyate
jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ jñāna-gamyaṁ hṛidi sarvasya viṣhṭhitam
The light of lights, said to be beyond the dark; it is knowledge, what is to be known, and what knowledge reaches — seated in the heart of all.
Explanation
The light of lights, beyond the dark.
And then the collapse of the chapter's own three-part scheme: it is knowledge, and what is to be known, and what knowledge reaches. All three.
Arjuna asked for six definitions in 13.1. Here three of them turn out to name the same thing, seated in the heart of all.
Word by word
- jyotiṣhām
- in all luminarie
- api
- and
- tat
- that
- jyotiḥ
- the source of light
- tamasaḥ
- the darkness
- param
- beyond
- uchyate
- is said (to be)
- jñānam
- knowledge
- jñeyam
- the object of knowledge
- jñāna-gamyam
- the goal of knowledge
- hṛidi
- within the heart
- sarvasya
- of all living beings
- viṣhṭhitam
- dwells
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