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TEXT 18 jyotisam api taj jyotis
SYNONYMS  jyotisam--in
all luminous objects; api--also; tat--that; jyotih--source
of light; tamasah--of the darkness; param--beyond; ucyate--is
said; jnanam--knowledge; jneyam--to be known; jnana-gamyam--to
be approached by knowledge; hrdi--in the heart; sarvasya--of
everyone; visthitam--situated.
TRANSLATION He is the
source of light in all luminous objects. He is beyond the darkness of matter
and is unmanifested. He is knowledge, He is the object of knowledge, and
He is the goal of knowledge. He is situated in everyone's heart.
PURPORT The Supersoul,
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the source of light in all luminous
objects like the sun, moon, stars, etc. In the Vedic literature we find
that in the spiritual kingdom there is no need of sun or moon because the
effulgence of the Supreme Lord is there. In the material world that brahmajyoti,
the Lord's spiritual effulgence, is covered by mahat-tattva, the
material elements; therefore in this material world we require the assistance
of sun, moon, electricity, etc., for light. But in the spiritual world
there is no need of such things. It is clearly stated in the Vedic literature
that because of His luminous effulgence, everything is illuminated. It
is clear, therefore, that His situation is not in the material world. He
is situated in the spiritual world which is far, far away in the spiritual
sky. That is also confirmed in the Vedic literature. Aditya-varnam tamasah
parastat. He is just like the sun, eternally luminous, but He is far,
far beyond the darkness of this material world. His knowledge is transcendental.
The Vedic literature confirms that Brahman is concentrated transcendental
knowledge. To one who is anxious to be transferred to that spiritual world,
knowledge is given by the Supreme Lord who is situated in everyone's heart.
One Vedic
mantra says: tam ha devam atma-buddhi-prakasam mumuksur vai saranam
aham prapadye. One must surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead
if he at all wants liberation. As far as the goal of ultimate knowledge
is concerned, it is also confirmed in Vedic literature: tam eva viditvati
mrtyum eti. "Only by knowing You can one surpass the boundary of birth
and death." He is situated in everyone's heart as the supreme controller.
The Supreme has legs and hands distributed everywhere, and this cannot
be said of the individual soul. Therefore that there are two knowers of
the field of activity, the individual soul and the Supersoul, must be admitted.
One's hands and legs are distributed locally, but Krsna's hands and legs
are distributed everywhere. This is confirmed in the Svetasvatara Upanisad:
sarvasya prabhum isanam sarvasya saranam brhat. That Supreme Personality
of Godhead, Supersoul, is the prabhu or master of all living entities;
therefore He is the ultimate center of all living entities. So there is
no denying the fact that the Supreme Supersoul and the individual soul
are always different.
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