Bhagavad Gita 13.18ज्योतिषामपि तज्ज्योतिस्तमसः परमुच्यते।ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं ज्ञानगम्यं हृदि सर्वस्य विष्ठितम् ॥
jyotiṣhām api taj jyotis tamasaḥ param uchyate
jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ jñāna-gamyaṁ hṛidi sarvasya viṣhṭhitam
Sanskrit recitation
The field and the knower · 13.1–13.18 · Teaching
Translation
That Light of all lights is said to be beyond darkness: knowledge, the knowable, and the goal of knowledge, seated in the hearts of all.
Hindi translation
वह परमात्मा सम्पूर्ण ज्योतियोंका भी ज्योति और अज्ञानसे अत्यन्त परे कहा गया है। वह ज्ञानस्वरूप, जाननेयोग्य, ज्ञान(साधन-समुदाय) से प्राप्त करनेयोग्य और सबके हृदयमें विराजमान है।
Meaning
The Supreme Self illumines the intellect, the mind, the sun, moon, stars, fire and lightning. It is selfluminous, The sun does not shine there, nor do the moon and the stars, nor do these lightnings shine and much less this fire. When It shines, everything shines after It all these shine by Its Light. (Kathopanishad 5.15 also Svetasvataropanishad 6.14)Knowledge Such as humility. (Cf.XIII.7to11)The knowable As described in verses 12 to 7.The goal of knowledge, i.e., capable of being understood by wisdom.These three are installed in the heart (Buddhi) of every living being. Though the light of the sun shines in all objects, yet the suns light shines more brilliantly in all bright and clean objects such as a mirror. Even so, though Brahman is present in all objects, the intellect shines with special effulgence received from Brahman. (Cf.X.20XIII.3XVIII.61)
After Swami Sivananda
The field and the knower· 13.1–13.18→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 13.1Arjuna said, "I wish to learn about Nature and the Spirit, the field and the knower of the…
- 13.2The Blessed Lord said, "O Arjuna, this body is called the field; he who knows it is called…
- 13.3Do thou also know Me as the knower of the field in all fields, O Arjuna. Knowledge of both…
- 13.4Hear from Me in brief what the field is, of what nature it is, what its modifications are,…
- 13.5Sages have sung in many ways, with various distinctive chants and also with suggestive…
- 13.6The great elements, egoism, intellect, and also the Unmanifested Nature, the ten senses,…
- 13.7Desire, hatred, pleasure, pain, the aggregate (body), intelligence, and fortitude—the…
- 13.8Humility, unpretentiousness, non-injury, forgiveness, uprightness, service to the teacher,…
- 13.9Indifference to the objects of the senses and also absence of egoism; perceiving the evil…
- 13.10Non-attachment, non-identification of the Self with son, wife, home, and the rest, and…
- 13.11Unswerving devotion to Me through the Yoga of non-separation, resorting to solitary…
- 13.12Constancy in Self-knowledge, the perception of the end of true knowledge—this is declared…
- 13.13I will declare that which is to be known, knowing which one attains immortality; the…
- 13.14With hands and feet everywhere, with eyes, heads, and mouths everywhere, with ears…
- 13.15Shining by the functions of all the senses, yet without being attached to them;…
- 13.16It is within and without all beings, both the unmoving and the moving; It is subtle and…
- 13.17Undivided yet, It exists as if divided in beings; It is to be known as the supporter of…
13.18That Light of all lights is said to be beyond darkness: knowledge, the knowable, and the…
Word-by-word→
- api
- and
- tat
- that
- param
- beyond
- hṛidi
- within the heart
- jñeyam
- the object of knowledge
- uchyate
- is said (to be)
- jyotiḥ
- the source of light
- jñānam
- knowledge
- sarvasya
- of all living beings
- tamasaḥ
- the darkness
- jyotiṣhām
- in all luminarie
- jñāna-gamyam
- the goal of knowledge
- viṣhṭhitam
- dwells
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- 18.51Endowed with a pure intellect, controlling the self through firmness, relinquishing sound…