When the light of Atman Drives out our darkness That light shines forth from us, A sun in splendor, The revealed Brahman.

Krishna

The Light of Atman

Theme: The Light of Truth

The Atman is the light: The light is covered by darkness: This darkness is delusion: That is why we dream. When the light of Atman Drives out our darkness That light shines forth from us, A sun in splendor, The revealed Brahman.

Krishna

Krishna (/ˈkrɪʃnə/; IAST: Kṛṣṇa [ˈkr̩ʂɳɐ]) is a major deity in Hinduism. The name comes from a Sanskrit word (कृष्ण, kṛṣṇa) that means "black", "dark", "dark blue" or “the all attractive”. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one of the most popular and widely revered among Indian divinities. Krishna's birthday is celebrated every year by Hindus on Krishna Janmashtami according to the lunisolar Hindu calendar, which falls in late August or early September of the Gregorian calendar.

The anecdotes and narratives of Krishna's life are generally titled as Krishna Līlā. He is a central character in the Mahabharata, the Bhagavata Purana, the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, and the Bhagavad Gita, and is mentioned in many Hindu philosophical, theological, and mythological texts. They portray him in various perspectives: as a god-child, a prankster, a model lover, a divine hero, and the universal supreme being. His iconography reflects these legends, and shows him in different stages of his life, such as an infant eating butter, a young boy playing a flute, a young boy with Radha or surrounded by female devotees; or a friendly charioteer giving counsel to Arjuna.

Hinduism
The Bhagavad Gita

Wilson, Andrew, editor. World Scripture - a Comparative Anthology of Sacred Texts. Paragon House, 1991, p. 381 [Bhagavad Gita 5.15-16].

Krishna

Theme: The Light of Truth

Commentary by Sri Sridhara Swami of Rudra Sampradaya:

Here Lord Krishna is emphasising that persons whose spiritual knowledge has become awakened do not become deluded in the material existence. They are able to discriminate between the mundane material knowledge and the divine spiritual knowledge by knowledge of the atma or soul and knowledge of the Supreme. This spiritual knowledge destroys all ignorance and manifests illumination of the Supreme Lord within the etheric heart of a human being just as the sun destroying darkness and illuminates all things.

—Bhagavad Gita website [www.bhagavad-gita.us/bhagavad-gita-5-16/].

Bhagavad Gita 5.15-16 [Short Commentary]

The universal concept of light, found in a multitude of wisdom traditions, often symbolizes truth and spiritual comprehension. This universal metaphor transcends cultural and temporal constraints, casting light on the commonality of our shared human journey towards enlightenment. Light is frequently depicted as an illuminating force that dispels ignorance and darkness, a divine radiance that instills spiritual clarity, and a guiding lamp on our path to wisdom. A rich illustration of this can be found in the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred text of Hinduism, where the concept of light is deeply intertwined with the notion of the Atman, or the individual soul.

Bhagavad Gita 5.15-16 [Longer Commentary]

The Bhagavad Gita (5.15-16) proclaims, “The Atman is the light: The light is covered by darkness: This darkness is delusion: That is why we dream. When the light of Atman drives out our darkness, that light shines forth from us, a sun in splendor, the revealed Brahman.” Here, the Atman, the individual soul, is likened to a light shrouded by the darkness of delusion. This darkness represents the ignorance and misconceptions that cloud our perception and understanding. However, when the light of Atman, the inherent divine spark within us, dispels this darkness, we become radiant, embodying the revealed Brahman, the ultimate reality in Hindu philosophy.

This passage from the Bhagavad Gita encapsulates the transformative power of spiritual enlightenment. The metaphor of light and darkness is used to illustrate the journey from ignorance to wisdom, from delusion to clarity. It highlights the profound Hindu belief in the divine light within each individual, the Atman, and its power to illuminate truth and dispel darkness. In essence, it is a potent reminder of the omnipresent divine light within us and the possibility of attaining spiritual awakening through the realization of this light.

Through the metaphor of light in the Bhagavad Gita, we witness the universal human quest for enlightenment and truth. The light of the Atman represents the potential for spiritual illumination inherent in all individuals. This radiance, once unveiled, guides us on the path towards realizing the ultimate truth – the Brahman. This illuminating journey from darkness to light, from ignorance to wisdom, resonates with our collective yearning for spiritual insight and understanding.

Atman

Atman is a Sanskrit word that can be translated as “self” or “breath.” It is a word that is used in Hinduism to describe the concept of the inner Self. Each person’s Atman is regarded as being a part of the universal Brahman, which is the eternal Truth or the absolute Universal Principle. For yoga practitioners, increasing self-awareness and self-knowledge through meditation can lead to the revelation of the inner Self through time and practice.

In Hinduism, Atman is seen as being the true Self or Essence of a person. To achieve liberation, they have to reach the level of self-knowledge that allows their Atman to become the same as the Brahman. In Buddhism, there is no concept of the inner Self; although, the word is sometimes used to refer to an Absolute rather than to an individual’s own Self.

Upon death, it is believed a person’s Atman either goes with them to their new life, or it reaches moksha and is freed from the constraints of the death and rebirth cycle. This latter event only occurs when the person understands that their Atman is identical to the Brahman.

—Yogapedia website [www.yogapedia.com/definition/5245/atman].

The Light of Atman

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