Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 13, Verse 17

ज्योतिषामपि तज्ज्योतिस्तमसः परमुच्यते । ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं ज्ञानगम्यं हृदि सर्वस्य विष्ठितम्

jyotiṣāmapi tajjyotistamasaḥ paramucyate | jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ jñānagamyaṃ hṛdi sarvasya viṣṭhitam

Translation

The Light even of lights, That is said to be beyond darkness. Knowledge, the Knowable, the Goal of knowledge, (It) is implanted in the heart of every one.

— Alladi Mahadeva Sastri

Word meanings

jyotiṣām

of lights

api

also

tat

that

jyotiḥ

light

tamasaḥ

from darkness

param

beyond

ucyate

is called

jñānam

knowledge

jñeyam

that which is to be known

jñānagamyam

by knowledge, to be reached

hṛdi

in the heart

sarvasya

of all

viṣṭhitam

seated

Śaṅkarācārya's commentary

That, the Knowable, is the Light even of lights such as the sun. Indeed these latter shine only when illumined by the light of the consciousness of the Self. The Chants say: "That Light by which illumined the sun shines" (Tait. Br. 3.12.9); "By Its light all this shines" (Śvet. Up. 6.14). It is said to be uncontaminated by Tamas, by ajñāna, by nescience. Knowledge, such as humility (xiii.7-11); the Knowable, as described in xiii.12-17; and the same thing, viz., the Knowable, which, when known, forms the fruit of knowledge and is therefore said to be the Goal of knowledge — these three are implanted pre-eminently in the heart (buddhi) of every living being.