Bhagavad Gita · Vibhuti YogaChapter 10, Shloka 11 (10.11)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
तेषामेवानुकम्पार्थम् अहमज्ञानजं तमः
नाशयाम्यात्मभावस्थो ज्ञानदीपेन भास्वता
॥ 10.11 ॥
teṣāmevānukampārtham ahamajñānajaṃ tamaḥ
nāśayāmyātmabhāvastho jñānadīpena bhāsvatā
Translation
"Out of compassion for them alone, dwelling in their hearts, I destroy the darkness born of ignorance with the shining lamp of knowledge."
Interpretation
Shankaracharya — the wonderful image of the lamp of knowledge. ātmabhāvasthaḥ ātmanaḥ bhāvaḥ antaḥkaraṇāśayaḥ tasminn eva sthitaḥ san — abiding within their inner being itself; and the full picture of the lamp: bhaktiprasādasnehābhiṣiktena (fed with the oil of devotion and grace), madbhāvanābhiniveśavāteritena (fanned by the breeze of absorption in me), brahmacaryādisādhanasaṃskāravatprajñāvartinā (with a wick of wisdom refined by spiritual practice), viraktāntaḥkaraṇādhāreṇa (resting on a dispassionate mind as its stand), viṣayavyāvṛttacittarāgadveṣākaluṣitanivātāpavarakasthena (placed in a windless room, free of attachment and aversion), nityapravṛttaikāgryadhyānajanitasamyagdarśanabhāsvatā (shining with the right vision born of constant, one-pointed meditation).
Acharya Ramanuja. teṣāṃ manovṛttau viṣayatayā avasthitaḥ — present as the object of their thoughts; madīyān kalyāṇaguṇagaṇān ca āviṣkurvan — revealing my auspicious qualities; tamas = madvyatiriktaviṣayaprāvaṇyarūpaṃ pūrvābhyastaṃ — the old, habitual leaning towards objects other than me.
Shridhar Swami. He gives the sequence: buddhiyogaṃ dattvā ca tasyānubhavaparyantaṃ tam āpādya avidyākṛtaṃ saṃsāraṃ nāśayāmi — having given buddhi-yoga and brought it to the point of experience, I destroy samsara (the darkness) made by ignorance; ātmabhāvasthaḥ buddhivṛttau sthitaḥ san — abiding in the activity of the intellect.
Vedanta Deshika. He takes "anukampa" not as mere pity but as anugrahārtham — active grace, which also appears later in 11.1 (madanugrahāya). And the meaning of the lamp: bhāsvaratvaṃ paritaḥ prakāśanam — light on every side.
Abhinavagupta (on 10.6–10.11 together). His formula: parasparabodhanayā anyonyabodhasphārasaṃkramaṇāt — by awakening one another, the light of understanding spreads from one to the next.
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.