Bhagavad Gita 15.12

[Paramananda das]

Text 12

yad aditya-gatam tejo jagad bhasayate ’khilam yac candramasi yac cagnau tat tejo viddhi mamakam

Translation

The splendor of the sun, which dissipates the darkness of this whole world, comes from Me. And the splendor of the moon and the splendor of fire are also from Me.

Commentary by Srila Prabhupada

The unintelligent cannot understand how things are taking place. But one can begin to be established in knowledge by understanding what the Lord explains here. Everyone sees the sun, moon, fire and electricity. One should simply try to understand that the splendor of the sun, the splendor of the moon, and the splendor of electricity or fire are coming from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In such a conception of life, the beginning of Krishna consciousness, lies a great deal of advancement for the conditioned soul in this material world. The living entities are essentially the parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord, and He is giving herewith the hint how they can come back to Godhead, back to home.

From this verse we can understand that the sun is illuminating the whole solar system. There are different universes and solar systems, and there are different suns, moons and planets also, but in each universe there is only one sun. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (10.21), the moon is one of the stars (nakshatranam aham sasi). Sunlight is due to the spiritual effulgence in the spiritual sky of the Supreme Lord. With the rise of the sun, the activities of human beings are set up. They set fire to prepare their foodstuff, they set fire to start the factories, etc. So many things are done with the help of fire. Therefore sunrise, fire and moonlight are so pleasing to the living entities.

Without their help no living entity can live. So if one can understand that the light and splendor of the sun, moon and fire are emanating from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, then one’s Krishna consciousness will begin. By the moonshine, all the vegetables are nourished. The moonshine is so pleasing that people can easily understand that they are living by the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. Without His mercy there cannot be sun, without His mercy there cannot be moon, and without His mercy there cannot be fire, and without the help of sun, moon and fire, no one can live. These are some thoughts to provoke Krishna consciousness in the conditioned soul.

Commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur

Whatever the jiva attains in his bound state, I, being the essence of the sun, moon and other objects, supply that. This is explained in three verses. The light situated in the sun, rising in the morning on Udaya Parvata, illuminates the world in order to cause action for the attaining present and future enjoyment. That light, and all light (akhilam) that is in the moon and fire, belong to me alone. What are known as the sun, moon and fire, are actually me. Know that these are my vibhuti.

Sridhara Swami's Commentary In the previous four verses the Supreme state of Lord Krishna has been described as well as confirmation that those who constantly endeavor can achieve it and will never again be subject to the enslavement of samsara the perpetual cycle of birth and death. Also anticipating any doubt of the transmigration of the atmaor immortal soul, Lord Krishna has categorically and unequivocably identified it as eternal and distinctly different from the perishable physical body. Now in this verse and the next three the omnipotent nature of the Supreme Lord Krishna will be revealed beginning with the various kinds of natural light that exist in material existence. The factual understanding is that it is by the light of consciousness from the Supreme Lord that the sun, the moon, lightning and fire receive their luminousity and effulgence as they are solely illuminated by the Supreme Lord and thus a part of His potency.

Brahma Vaisnava Sampradaya: Madhvacarya Madhvacarya's Commentary Lord Krishna reveals more pertinent details and facts about His omnipotent attributes.

Sri Vaisnava Sampradaya: Ramanuja Ramanuja's Commentary All the lights which illuminate all the worlds such as suns, moons, lighning, fire reflect the light of consciousness bestowed by the Supreme Lord Krishna as integral parts of creation. His effulgence was bestowed upon them being pleased by their service of universal management and by the propitiation from their personified forms such as Surya the demigod in charge of the sun, Agni the demigod in charge of fire, Somathe demigod in charge of the moon, etc.

Kumara Vaisnava Sampradaya: Nimbaditya Kesava Kasmiri's Commentary Previously Lord Krishna has delineated the dual nature of the jiva or embodied being as either liberated or in bondage and the means to free oneself from the captivity of samsaraor the perpetual cycle of birth and death. Now in this verse and the next three He reveals some of His divine glories. Here He illustrates that the sun, moon and fire are all part of His divine glory as their illumination manifests from Him and assist in the maintenance and preservation of creation. He explains them as a portion of His effulgence to show that they are but a portion of Him. The Supreme Lord being pleased by their competence and service in the material worlds has enhanced them with His effulgence acccording to their capacity.

 

[Paramananda das]

Udaya Parvata is mentioned as being the place where Lord Vamana deva set his first step, but where it is located ,I could not figure out