The Yoga of the Supreme Divine Personality
Verse 15.12
यदादित्यगतं तेजो जगद्भासयतेऽखिलम्।यच्चन्द्रमसि यच्चाग्नौ तत्तेजो विद्धि मामकम्।।15.12।।
yad āditya-gataṁ tejo jagad bhāsayate ’khilam yach chandramasi yach chāgnau tat tejo viddhi māmakam
Word Meanings
yat—which; āditya-gatam—in the sun; tejaḥ—brilliance; jagat—solar system; bhāsayate—illuminates; akhilam—entire; yat—which; chandramasi—in the moon; yat—which; cha—also; agnau—in the fire; tat—that; tejaḥ—brightness; viddhi—know; māmakam—mine
Translation · English
That light which resides in the sun, illuminating the whole world; that which is in the moon and in the fire—know that light to be Mine.
Deep Meaning · English
In this verse, Bhagavan Krishna invites Arjuna—and by extension, the seeker—to perceive the manifest world not as a collection of separate objects, but as a singular, radiant expression of the Divine consciousness. By highlighting the sun, the moon, and fire, Krishna draws our attention to the primary sources of light and energy that sustain life, urging us to recognize that this brilliance is not inherent to matter itself, but is a borrowed glow, an externalized manifestation of His own eternal effulgence. It is a profound shift in perspective from external observation to internal realization: the universe is a vibrant temple where the light we witness is the signature of the Indwelling Presence. Philosophically, this verse serves to deconstruct the seeker’s attachment to the material world by revealing its source. When we gaze upon the sun or the warmth of fire, we are meant to see through the physical form to the essence that empowers it. This is the path of Vijnana, where the world is no longer seen as an obstacle to God, but as the very medium through which the Divine reveals His omnipresence. By acknowledging that all light is 'Māmakam'—Mine—Krishna dismantles the duality between the Creator and the creation, guiding the soul toward a state of constant communion where every flicker of life becomes an act of recognition of the Beloved.
The radiant beauty and energy we perceive in the external world are but the reflected glory of the Divine, inviting us to see the entire universe as a continuous manifestation of God's presence.
Connected Verses
This verse describes the Supreme Abode which requires no external light, clarifying that the sun and fire are merely symbols of the primordial light of the Self.
Here, Krishna identifies Himself as the 'Self' seated in the hearts of all beings, mirroring the internal recognition of His presence in the external.
Krishna explains that all beings dwell in Him, just as the brilliance of the sun dwells in the reality of His being.
Krishna declares Himself the taste in water and the light in the sun and moon, bridging the gap between nature and the Divine.
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