Bhagavadgita [13.17] - Jyotishaamapi taj jyotih

Bhagavadgita [13.17]

Sloka –

Jyotishaamapi tajjyotistamasah paramuchyate;

Jnaanam jneyam jnaanagamyam hridi sarvasya vishthitam. [B.G. 13.17]

 

Meaning -

That, the Light of all lights, is beyond darkness; it is said to be knowledge, the Knowable

and the goal of knowledge, seated in the hearts of all.

Bhagavadgita commentary by Swami Sivananda

Jyotishamapi taj jyotih (13.17): It is the Light of all lights. Na tatra suryo bhati: thousands of suns cannot stand before it. The light of the sun is like darkness before It. Tamasah param: Beyond the darkness of the world shines that supreme radiance of the Absolute. Jnanam jneyam jnana-gamyam: It is knowledge, It is the object of knowledge, and It is also the knower. All three clubbed together is that Eternity which is Brahman, the Absolute. Hrdi sarvasya vishthitam: It is in our own heart. We should not be afraid that this tremendous description is of something that is very, very far away. It is in the heart of all.

http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/bgita/bgita_38.html

It is the true light – atma jyoti. Jyotiṣām api taj jyotis tamasaḥ param ucyate, jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ jñānagamyaṁ hṛdi sarvasya viṣṭhitam (Gita 13.17): That majesty which you are aspiring for is seated in your own heart, like the twinkling of a star. That star has to become a conflagration.

http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/bhagavata/bhagavata_5.html

Jyotiṣām api taj jyotis (Gita 13.17): It is the light behind all lights. It was mentioned in the context of the Visvarupa Darshana: thousands of suns cannot shine before it. All the brightest lights that you can think of are like shadows cast by that light.

http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/gita1/bhagavadgita_12.html

Excerpts from:

Divine Life Society publications

Sanskrit Slokha verse from http://www.sanskritweb.net/sansdocs/gita-big.pdf