13.18
ज्योतिषामपि तज्ज्योतिस्तमसः परमुच्यते ।
ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं ज्ञानगम्यं हृदि सर्वस्य विष्ठितम् ॥
jyotiṣām api taj jyotis tamasaḥ param ucyate
jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ jñānagamyaṃ hṛdi sarvasya viṣṭhitam
Kṛṣṇa (कृष्ण) is still speaking, to Arjuna (अर्जुन).
The verse
That is the light even of lights, and it is called beyond darkness: knowledge, what is to be known, and what is reached by knowledge, settled in the heart of all.
नेपालीमा
त्यो ज्योतिहरूको पनि ज्योति हो र अन्धकारभन्दा पर भनिन्छ। त्यो ज्ञान हो, जान्नुपर्ने हो र ज्ञानले पुगिने हो, र सबैको हृदयमा अडिएको छ।
Where it sits
The description that began at 13.13 ends in the heart of all, where what is to be known is called knowledge and the goal of knowledge together, before 13.19 closes field, knowledge, and the known.
Split: ज्योतिषाम् + अपि + तत् + ज्योतिः + तमसः + परम् + उच्यते + ज्ञानम् + ज्ञेयम् + ज्ञान-गम्यम् + हृदि + सर्वस्य + विष्ठितम्
jyotiṣām + api + tat + jyotiḥ + tamasaḥ + param + ucyate + jñānam + jñeyam + jñāna-gamyam + hṛdi + sarvasya + viṣṭhitam
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| देवनागरी | Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|---|
| ज्योतिषाम् | jyotiṣām | genitive plural of jyotis (ज्योतिस्) | of lights. |
| अपि | api | indeclinable | even. |
| तत् | tat | nominative singular neuter | that. |
| ज्योतिः | jyotiḥ | nominative singular | light. Recited jyotis (ज्योतिस्) before tamasaḥ (तमसः). |
| तमसः | tamasaḥ | ablative singular of tamas (तमस्) | from darkness. Beyond darkness. |
| परम् | param | nominative singular neuter | beyond. |
| उच्यते | ucyate | present passive, 3rd singular | is called. |
| ज्ञानम् | jñānam | nominative singular | knowledge. |
| ज्ञेयम् | jñeyam | nominative singular | what is to be known. |
| ज्ञान-गम्यम् | jñāna-gamyam | nominative singular neuter, gerundive | to be reached by knowledge. gamya (गम्य) is "approachable." |
| हृदि | hṛdi | locative singular of hṛdaya (हृदय) | in the heart. |
| सर्वस्य | sarvasya | genitive singular | of all. Of everyone. |
| विष्ठितम् | viṣṭhitam | nominative singular neuter | settled. Standing firm. vi-sthita (वि-स्थित). |
The phrases
ज्योतिषाम् अपि तत् ज्योतिः jyotiṣām api tat jyotiḥ calls it the light even of lights. The genitive answers "of what." तमसः परम् उच्यते tamasaḥ param ucyate adds the place it is said to hold: beyond darkness. ज्योतिः + तमसः jyotiḥ + tamasaḥ is recited jyotis tamasaḥ (ज्योतिस्तमसः).
jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ jñānagamyam (ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं ज्ञानगम्यम्) gives it three names at once. Knowledge, what is to be known, and what is reached by knowledge. The qualities of 13.8 were called jñānam (ज्ञानम्). Here the thing to be known is called jñānam (ज्ञानम्) as well.
hṛdi sarvasya viṣṭhitam (हृदि सर्वस्य विष्ठितम्) is the place. Settled in the heart of everyone.
Sanskrit in this line
ज्योतिः + तमसः jyotiḥ + tamasaḥ is jyotis tamasaḥ (ज्योतिस्तमसः). Visarga after i (इ), before the voiceless t (त्), becomes s (स्).
The ṣ (ष्) inside jyotiṣām (ज्योतिषाम्) is a different change. The stem is jyotis (ज्योतिस्), and s (स्) before the vowel of the genitive ending has become ṣ (ष्). Two sibilants in one line, two reasons.
Say it back
Say what light it is, and where it is settled. If hṛdi (हृदि) comes out as a distant heaven, stay here. The place is the heart of all.