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BG 5.16 — 5.16 But to those whose ignorance is destroyed by the knowledge of the Self, like the sun, knowledge reveals the Supreme (Brahman).
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ज्ञानेन तु तदज्ञानं येषां नाशितमात्मनः |
तेषामादित्यवज्ज्ञानं प्रकाशयति तत्परम् ||५-१६||

jñānena tu tadajñānaṃ yeṣāṃ nāśitamātmanaḥ . teṣāmādityavajjñānaṃ prakāśayati tatparam ||5-16||


5.16 But to those whose ignorance is destroyed by the knowledge of the Self, like the sun, knowledge reveals the Supreme (Brahman).

Word-by-word meanings

5.16 ज्ञानेन by wisdom? तु but? तत् that? अज्ञानम् ignorance? येषाम् whose? नाशितम् is destroyed? आत्मनः of the Self? तेषाम् their? आदित्यवत् like the sun? ज्ञानम् knowledge? प्रकाशयति reveals? तत्परम् that Highest.Commentary When ignorance? the root cause of human sufferings? is annihilated by the knowledge of the Self? this knowledge illuminates the Supreme Brahman or that highest immortal Being? just as the sun illumines all the objects of this gross? physical universe.

Commentaries

Non-dualism. The individual self and Brahman are one. The world is appearance (maya). Liberation through knowledge.

Sri Shankaracharya

5.16 Tu, but; yesam, in the case of those creatures; of whom tat ajnanam, that ignorance; atmanah, of theirs-being covered by which ignorance creatures get deluded-; nasitam, becomes destroyed; jnanena, by knowledge, by discriminating knowledge concerning the Self; tesam, their; jnanam, knowledge; adityavat, like the sun; prakasayati, reveals, in the same way as the sun reveals all forms whatever; tat-param, that supreme Reality, the Reality which is the highest Goal, the totality of whatever is to be known.

(Showing excerpt)

Swami Gambirananda

5.16 But in the case of those of whom that ignorance of theirs becomes destroyed by the knowledge (of the Self), their Knowledge, like the sun, reveals that supreme Reality.

This interpretation draws on the Advaita tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.

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