Bg. 5.16 · Bhagavad-gita As It Is

Devanagari

ज्ञानेन तु तदज्ञानं येषां नाशितमात्मन: । तेषामादित्यवज्ज्ञानं प्रकाशयति तत्परम् ॥ १६ ॥

Verse text

jṣānena tu tad ajṣānaṁ yeṣāṁ nāśitam ātmanaḥ teṣām āditya-vaj jṣānaṁ prakāśayati tat param

Synonyms

jṣānena — by knowledge ; tu — but ; tat — that ; ajṣānam — nescience ; yeṣām — whose ; nāśitam — is destroyed ; ātmanaḥ — of the living entity ; teṣām — their ; āditya-vat — like the rising sun ; jṣānam — knowledge ; prakāśayati — discloses ; tat param — Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Translation

When, however, one is enlightened with the knowledge by which nescience is destroyed, then his knowledge reveals everything, as the sun lights up everything in the daytime.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

16. When the jīva’s vidyā destroys avidyā, that vidyā, like the sun, reveals the spiritual knowledge within the jīva.

Translation (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)

16. When the jīva’s knowledge destroys ignorance, that knowledge, like the sun, reveals the Supreme Lord and the jīva.

Purport

Those who have forgotten Kṛṣṇa must certainly be bewildered, but those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness are not bewildered at all. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarvaṁ jṣāna-plavena, jṣānāgniḥ sarva-karmāṇi and na hi jṣānena sadṛśam. Knowledge is always highly esteemed. And what is that knowledge? Perfect knowledge is achieved when one surrenders unto Kṛṣṇa, as is said in the Seventh Chapter, nineteenth verse: bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jṣānavān māṁ prapadyate. After passing through many, many births, when one perfect in knowledge surrenders unto Kṛṣṇa, or when one attains Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then everything is revealed to him, as everything is revealed by the sun in the daytime. The living entity is bewildered in so many ways. For instance, when he unceremoniously thinks himself God, he actually falls into the last snare of nescience. If a living entity is God, then how can he become bewildered by nescience? Does God become bewildered by nescience? If so, then nescience, or Satan, is greater than God. Real knowledge can be obtained from a person who is in perfect Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore, one has to seek out such a bona fide spiritual master and, under him, learn what Kṛṣṇa consciousness is, for Kṛṣṇa consciousness will certainly drive away all nescience, as the sun drives away darkness. Even though a person may be in full knowledge that he is not this body but is transcendental to the body, he still may not be able to discriminate between the soul and the Supersoul. However, he can know everything well if he cares to take shelter of the perfect, bona fide Kṛṣṇa conscious spiritual master. One can know God and one’s relationship with God only when one actually meets a representative of God. A representative of God never claims that he is God, although he is paid all the respect ordinarily paid to God because he has knowledge of God. One has to learn the distinction between God and the living entity. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa therefore stated in the Second Chapter (2.12) that every living being is individual and that the Lord also is individual. They were all individuals in the past, they are individuals at present, and they will continue to be individuals in the future, even after liberation. At night we see everything as one in the darkness, but in day, when the sun is up, we see everything in its real identity. Identity with individuality in spiritual life is real knowledge.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

As ignorance or avidyā covers the knowledge of the jīva, the Lord’s other energy called vidyā destroys ignorance and reveals knowledge. By the vidyā-sakti (jṣānena), avidyā (ajṣānam) is destroyed, and knowledge of the jīva is produced. Just as the glow of the sun destroys darkness and reveals objects like pots and cloth, so vidyā destroys avidyā and reveals the spiritual (param) knowledge in which the jīva is convinced of his spiritual nature. Thus, the Lord does not bind anyone nor does He liberate anyone, but vidyā and avidyā which are qualities of prakṛti liberate and bind the jīva. [Note: Jīva Gosvāmī in Paramātma Sandarbha explains that vidyā and avidyā are two aspects of māyā.] The qualities of prakṛti are the causes of bondage in the form of instigating the jīva to become the doer and the enjoyer, and they are the causes of liberation in the form of such qualities as detachment and peace. The respective qualities of prakṛti are awakened by the Supreme Lord, functioning in the capacity of Supersoul. He is only the initiator of prakṛti’s functions through this aṁśa or expansion. Thus, He does not show any injustice or cruelty towards the jīva.

Purport (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)

But those with realization do not become bewildered. The greatness of knowledge of ātmā and paramātmā, attained by the mercy of an authorized guru, has been stated in verses such as sarvaṁ jṣāna-plavenaiva (BG 4.36), jṣānāgniḥ sarva-karmāṇi (BG 4.37), and na hi jṣānena sadṛśaṁ (BG 4.38). Those who associate with saintly persons have their ignorance, which is opposed to knowledge, destroyed by that knowledge of ātmā and paramātmā. Their knowledge then reveals what is param. Param indicates the Supreme Lord because he is above (param) unequal treatment of the jīvas. It can refer to the jīva because he is above (param) the material body and senses. Just as the sun on rising destroys darkness and reveals objects, knowledge of ātmā attained through instructions of the authorized guru reveals the real object known as ātmā. The plural case (yeṣām.. teṣām) is used here by the Lord to indicate that even in the liberated state the jīvas remain in abundance. The present statement and the Lord’s instruction in the beginning: neme janādhipāḥ confirm each other.

Surrender Unto Me

The previous verse described how the living entity is covered and thinks himself the doer ‑ this is his covering. His false ego, thinking that "I am the One". This is what maya does ‑ She makes one think: "I am the doer, I am Isvara, I am the supreme enjoyer!" This is ignorance. And then when one gets this knowledge one is enlightened, "by which nescience is destroyed", to know that "I am not the doer! ‑ Krsna as the Supersoul, is the One who is satisfying all my desires, because I am not independent". This is the definition of the mode of goodness. When one is in this mode, no longer has ignorance, he has knowledge, he is not attached, he is detached, he knows that he is not this body, he is aloof from the body. This is the mode of goodness. But is he liberated? No, because he is in the mode of goodness. This Text describes knowledge. Puts in perspective what knowledge is. And if one has this knowledge, and then focuses his consciousness on the Supersoul ‑ knowing that the Supersoul is the Lord and Master and the bestower of all material desires, and one surrenders to Him ‑ then one gets liberation. Knowledge leads to liberation but knowledge is different from liberation. Knowledge comes from goodness. Liberation is transcendental to the modes of material nature. This is a very subtle and fine point. This section describes knowledge, specifically this 16th verse. SUMMARY: The three doers: The living entity (doer 1) who knows that all bodily activities are automatically carried out by the modes of material nature (doer 2) after those activities are sanctioned by the Supersoul (doer 3), attains enlightenment through knowledge. This is knowledge: Knowing these 3 doers in perspective. The interrelation between: the living entity, the modes of material nature and the Supersoul. [ D . LIBERATION THROUGH FOCUSING ONE'S CONSCIOUSNESS ON THE SUPERSOUL (5. 17‑26) 1 . Fixing his consciousness on the Lord, the learned sage equally views the brahmana and the elephant, happiness and distress. He enjoys unlimitedly because his consciousness is fixed on the Supreme. Knowing material pleasures as temporary he doen't delight in them. (18‑23) ] Knowledge is not enough, one has to take shelter of the Supersoul to get liberation.