FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 15.6

న తద్భ‍ాసయతే సూర్యో న శశాఙ్కో న పావక: । యద్గ‍త్వా న నివర్తన్తే తద్ధామ పరమం మమ ॥ ౬ ॥
na tad bhāsayate sūryo
[na tad bhaasayate sooryo]
na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ
[na shashaanko na paavakah]
yad gatvā na nivartante
[yad gatvaa na nivartante]
tad dhāma paramaṁ mama
[tad dhaama paramam mama]
Word-for-word
na — not tat — that bhāsayate — illuminates sūryaḥ — the sun na — nor śaśāṅkaḥ — the moon na — nor pāvakaḥ — fire, electricity yat — where gatvā — going na — never nivartante — they come back tat dhāma — that abode paramam — supreme mama — My .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
na tad bhāsayate sūryo
na
not
tat
that
bhāsayate
illuminates
sūryaḥ
the sun
na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ
na
nor
śaśāṅkaḥ
the moon
na
nor
pāvakaḥ
fire, electricity
yad gatvā na nivartante
yat
where
gatvā
going
na
never
nivartante
they come back
tad dhāma paramaṁ mama
tat dhāma
that abode
paramam
supreme
mama
My .
Important Words
  • bhāsayate — illuminates
    Causative — 'causes to shine.' The verb is what every luminary in this world does to something else; here it is what nothing does to the dhāma. The supreme abode is bhāsa itself, not the lit object of bhāsa.
  • sūryaḥ — the sun
    The greatest light source in this universe is named first — and dismissed. If even sūrya cannot illumine that place, every smaller fire one has worshipped as 'light' is exposed as derivative.
  • pāvakaḥ — fire, electricity
    Pāvaka — 'the purifier,' a Vedic name for Agni. The traditional triad of celestial lights — sun, moon, fire — is exhausted, and still the dhāma is unlit by anything material. The verse closes off the entire inventory of physical luminosity.
  • tat dhāma — that abode
    Dhāman — not just 'place' but 'effulgence, splendor, settled abode.' The same word that names Kṛṣṇa's personal realm also names the radiance that defines it. In the spiritual world, locus and light are not distinguishable.
  • paramam — supreme
    Adjective sealing the noun: there are dhāmas and there is *the* dhāma. The previous verses' 'eternal padam' is now identified with Kṛṣṇa's own residence — His mama-dhāma, not a generic featureless brahman.
  • mama — My
    One syllable of intimate possession. The supreme abode belongs to a *someone* who calls it His. The impersonalist read of the verse cannot survive that pronoun.
That supreme abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by fire or electricity. Those who reach it never return to this material world.
Purport

The spiritual world, the abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa – which is known as Kṛṣṇaloka, Goloka Vṛndāvana – is described here. In the spiritual sky there is no need of sunshine, moonshine, fire or electricity, because all the planets are self-luminous. We have only one planet in this universe, the sun, which is self-luminous, but all the planets in the spiritual sky are self-luminous. The shining effulgence of all those planets (called Vaikuṇṭhas) constitutes the shining sky known as the brahma-jyotir. Actually, the effulgence is emanating from the planet of Kṛṣṇa, Goloka Vṛndāvana. Part of that shining effulgence is covered by the mahat-tattva, the material world. Other than this, the major portion of that shining sky is full of spiritual planets, which are called Vaikuṇṭhas, chief of which is Goloka Vṛndāvana. As long as a living entity is in this dark material world, he is in conditional life, but as soon as he reaches the spiritual sky by cutting through the false, perverted tree of this material world, he becomes liberated. Then there is no chance of his coming back here. In his conditional life, the living entity considers himself to be the lord of this material world, but in his liberated state he enters into the spiritual kingdom and becomes an associate of the Supreme Lord. There he enjoys eternal bliss, eternal life, and full knowledge. One should be captivated by this information. He should desire to transfer himself to that eternal world and extricate himself from this false reflection of reality. For one who is too much attached to this material world, it is very difficult to cut that attachment, but if he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness there is a chance of gradually becoming detached. One has to associate himself with devotees, those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One should search out a society dedicated to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and learn how to discharge devotional service. In this way he can cut off his attachment to the material world. One cannot become detached from the attraction of the material world simply by dressing himself in saffron cloth. He must become attached to the devotional service of the Lord. Therefore one should take it very seriously that devotional service as described in the Twelfth Chapter is the only way to get out of this false representation of the real tree. In Chapter Fourteen the contamination of all kinds of processes by material nature is described. Only devotional service is described as purely transcendental. The words paramaṁ mama are very important here. Actually every nook and corner is the property of the Supreme Lord, but the spiritual world is paramam, full of six opulences. The Kaṭha Upaniṣad (2.2.15) also confirms that in the spiritual world there is no need of sunshine, moonshine or stars ( na tatra sūryo bhāti na candra-tārakam ), for the whole spiritual sky is illuminated by the internal potency of the Supreme Lord. That supreme abode can be achieved only by surrender and by no other means.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
6. The sun, moon and fire do not illuminate this supreme light of Mine. Having attained this light one does not return.
Commentary

What are the qualities of that object which is attained? The words “Sun, moon and fire do not light it” means that it is self- revealing, self-dependent, self-sufficient, and devoid of miseries such as heat and cold (caused by the sun, moon and fire). tad dhāma paramaṁ mama means that light (dhāma) [Note: Dhāma can mean light, place and form.] which is non-material, beyond the material senses (paramam), which illuminates or reveals everything else, and which belongs to Me (mama). The Hari Vaṁśa says: tat paraṁ paramaṁ brahma sarvaṁ vibhajate jagat mamaiva tad ghanaṁ tejo jṣātum arhasi bhārata That supreme Brahman lights up this whole universe. You should know that this intense light belongs to Me, O Bhārata. Hari Vaṁśa 2.114.12 The śruti says: na tatra sūryo bhāti na candra-tārakaṁ nemā vidyuto bhānti kuto’yam agniḥ tam eva bhāntam anubhāti sarvaṁ tasya bhāsā sarvam idaṁ vibhāti The sun does not shine there, nor do the moon or stars. Nor does lightning shine. How, then, can fire burn? When He shines, all of these shine. Through His light, all things shine. Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.15

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
6. The sun, moon and fire do not light up My supreme form. Having attained this beautiful form of Mine, they do not return.
Commentary

The Lord, in describing the pada, indicates Himself. Having attained it, the surrendered persons do not return. That pada is My svarūpa, My form (dhāma), which is full of all excellences (paramam). Though the sun and moon and light illuminate everything, they do not illuminate that form. The śrutis say na tatra sūryo: there exists no sun there. (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 5.15) That form cannot be lit by the sun, but rather, that form, which the sun cannot reveal, illuminates the sun and all other luminaries. I, the husband of Lakṣmi, the form of knowledge which reveals itself, am to be known as the padam. I am attained by those who surrender. mam

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

This has already been explained several times in previous chapters. Krsna is giving a glimpse of the spiritual world from where we belong and mostly has to do with eternity. But of course we know from other scriptures that the spiritual world is not only eternal, there much more details about it. This spiritual world is where the living entities came from and what are they doing now in the analogy of the tree? Is jumping from branch to branch, which means transmigrating. Now Krsna explains that we are actually eternal, we are not born when the body is born, we are not dying when the body dies.

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

What are the characteristics of that Supreme Abode, which a detached surrendered soul will attain;

and if he goes there, does he ever come back?

That abode is not illuminated by sun, moon, fire or electricity
Once attained, one never returns to the material world

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF SECTION II

Unless one attains the spiritual world, he must continually take

repeated births in many species of life, through process of transmigration

Focus of Learning

explained in six points

(a) Free from false prestige or pride – The first qualification

Conditioned soul is puffed up – Thinks himself to be the Lord (always expecting some honor), this makes it difficult for him to surrender
Solution – Cultivate knowledge to know that I am not the Lord but Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Lord
Freedom from pride begins the process of surrender

(b) Freedom from illusion – Pride is due to illusion

Illusion means one comes and goes from this world but still thinks to be the Lord and the proprietor
Thus makes things complicated and is always in trouble
The entire world is under this false impression of “created divisions of false proprietorship” (land, earth etc)

(c) Freedom from false associations

Possible when one is free from false proprietorship
“False associations” are caused by familial, social, national affection

(d) Understand the eternal – One should develop spiritual knowledge

Cultivate knowledge of what is actually his own and what is not
It leads to freedom from conceptions of duality

(e) Freedom from dualities

(f) Done with material lust and unbewildered

Unbewildered – When one becomes full in knowledge, it is possible to surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead

LINK BETWEEN TEXTS 15.6 & 15.7: QUESTION: Why a living entity will not be satisfied until he has

reached that Supreme abode. ANSWER: Because it is his constitutional position to be related with

Krishna as explained in Text 15.7

(a) Why there is no need of any light source

Because all planets are self-illuminous and their shining effulgence is called brahmajyoti
All effulgence comes from planet of Krishna – Goloka Vrindavana
One fourth of the spiritual sky is covered by mahat-tattva which constitutes the material world
Material world has only one self luminous planet – The Sun

(b) Two stages of living entities

Conditional stage – Living entity in dark material world
Considers himself to be the Lord of material world
Liberated stage
Reaches spiritual sky by cutting through the false perverted tree of material world and thus becomes liberated
Becomes an associate of the Lord – enjoy eternal life of full bliss and full knowledge
Never comes back

(c) Why this information of the Supreme abode is given to conditioned souls

One should be captivated by this information
Desire to transfer to the spiritual world and extricate from perverted reflection
If too much attached to material world – difficult to cut off this tree

(d) How Krishna consciousness helps

Helps by gradual detachment
Only way to get detached from attraction to material world
Not by wearing saffron cloth
Must become attached to devotional service of the Lord
What kind of devotional service
Serious practice of devotional service as explained in Chapter 12
How to work in Krishna consciousness – Associate with Krishna conscious devotees, search out such a society and learn devotional service
The only transcendental method is devotional service
Chapter 14 describes the contamination of all kinds of processes by material nature
Only devotional service is purely transcendental (14.26)

(e) Importance of “Paramam mama” – Refers to spiritual world

Every nook and corner is the Lord’s property
But spiritual world is ”Paramam mama” – full of six opulences
Ref. on spiritual world: Katha Upanisad
The whole spiritual sky is illuminated by internal potency
No need of sun, moon, stars

(f) Only way to achieve that abode – Surrender and no other means

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
15.6 Na suryah, niether the sun-though possessed of the power of illumining everything; so also, na sasankah, nor the moon; na pavakah, nor even fire; bhasayate, illumines; tat, That [-this (word) refers to the remote word dhama (Abode) at the end of the verse-], that Abode which is of the nature of light. That abode, the State of Visnu, gatva, reaching, attaining; yat, which; they na, do not; nivartante, return, and which the sun etc. do not illumine; tat, that; is mama, My, Visnu's; paramam, supreme; dhama, Abode, State. Objection: It has been said, 'reaching which they do not return'. Is it not well known that all goings end, verily, in returning, and unions are followed by separations? How is it said that there is no return for those who come to that Abode? Reply: As to that, listen to the reason:
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
15.6 The sun cannot illumine the light of the self, nor moon, nor fire. For, knowledge is indeed that which illumines them all. External lights, however, are helpful only in removing the darkness which hinders the contact between the senses and the objects. It is the intelligence of the self that reveals such external lights. What reveals this (i.e., the self) is Yoga (i.e., meditation) only. Beginningless Karma is the hindrance. It has been taught that the way for the erasing of Karma is self-surrender to the Lord through detachment etc. That supreme light, reaching which they do not return any more is the self, which is My glory (Vibhuti) and therefore belongs to Me and is a part of Myself. Such is the meaning. The supremacy of this light (i.e., individual self) consists in its capacity to illumine the light of knowledge. Knowledge alone can illuminate all things (including the light of the sun which sheds only physical light on objects.).
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
15.6 Na tat etc. There is no scope for the sun etc., in [illumining] That. For, they are conditioned by time etc., because they are objects of knowledge, [and] because they are the helpers of the sense organs. On the other hand, That [Absolute] is unrestricted by space, time etc. It is the knower, the one inducer of the sense organs and also the one transcending them.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
15.6 Neither doth the sun illumine there nor the moon, nor the fire; having gone thither they return not; that is My supreme abode.
Commentary

15.6 न not? तत् that? भासयते illumines? सूर्यः the sun? न not? शशाङ्कः the moon? न not? पावकः fire? यत् to which? गत्वा having gone? न not? निवर्तन्ते (they) return? तत् that? धाम Abode? परमम् Supreme? मम My.Commentary That supreme abode is selfillumined for Brahman is selfluminous. It existed before the sun? the moon and the fire came into existence during creation. It remains even after they dissolve into the Unmanifested during the dissolution of the world.This verse is taken from the Kathopanishad The sun does not shine there? nor do the moon and the stars? nor does this lightning shine and much less this fire. When It shines? everything shines after It? by Its light? all these shine (Chap.II?5.15). The same idea occurs in the Svetasvatara Upanishad (6.14) and the Mundaka Upanishad (II.2.10). The sun? the moon? etc.? derive their light from Para Brahman. Nothing else is needed for illuminating the Supreme Being because It is selfluminous.Dhama paramam Supreme abode or superexcellent seat or Para Brahman.Though the sun is endowed with the power of illumining all? it cannot illumine the Supreme Being.यत् धाम वैष्णवं पदं गत्वा प्राप्य न निवर्तन्ते यत् च सूर्यादिभिः न भासयते तत् धाम पदं परमं मम विष्णोः।That abode? to which having gone? none returns? and which the sun? moon? stars? lightning and fire do not illumine? is the highest abode of Vishnu.(Cf.VIII.21)

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
15.6 Neither the sun nor the moon nor fire illumines That. That is My supreme Abode, reaching which they do not return.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
15.6 Neither sun, moon, nor fire shines there. Those who go thither never come back. For, O Arjuna, that is my Celestial Home!
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)
Related verses
BG 8.21 BG 13.18 BG 8.15 SB 2.9.10 SB 3.15.26 SB 10.28.14 CC Ādi 5.22 CC Madhya 20.256 CC Madhya 21.50 Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.15Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 2.2.10
Study Q&A referencing this verse
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
That supreme abode is not illuminated by sun, moon, or fire — once attained, one never returns to this material world.
Practical Applications
  • Imagine an illumination beyond physical light.
  • Don't reduce 'spiritual' to 'subtle physical.'
  • Cultivate the language of the spiritual world.
Reflection Questions
  • Where have I reduced spiritual to subtle-physical?
  • What restores the radical otherness?
Analogy

Every lamp you have ever known runs on a fuel — wax, oil, hydrogen, electricity. The dhāma Kṛṣṇa describes is luminous without any of these. It is as if you walked into a room and noticed there was no shadow anywhere, and then realized there was no light source either — only a self-shining presence in which all directions are equally illumined.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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