Adhikarana 10
The Word "Jyotis" Refers to Brahman Introduction by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana The Chandogya Upanisad(3.13.7) states:
atha yad atah paro divo jyotir dipyate visvatah prsthesu sarvatah prsthesv anuttamesuttamesu lokesu idam vava tad yad idam asminn antah puruse jyotih
"Jyotis shines in the spiritual world, above all the material planets. Jyotis forms the background on which all material universes and all material planets, from lowest to highest, rest. This jyotis is present in the heart of every living being."
2. Samsaya (doubt): What is the jyotis described here? Is it the light of the sun and other luminous objects, or is it the Supreme Brahman?
3..Purvapaksa (the opposing argument): Because there is no mention of Brahman in this passage, the word jyotis in this text must refer to the light of the sun and other luminous objects. 4. Siddhanta (Conclusion): Srila Vyasadeva replies in the following sutra.
Sutra 24
jyotis-caranabhidhanat
jyotih - of the jyotih; carana - of the feet; abhidhanat' because of the mention.
Because the "jyotis" in this text is described as having feet, (it must refer to the Supreme Brahman).
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The word jyotis here should be understood to mean "the Supreme Brahman". Why? Because this jyotis is described as having feet. The Chandogya Upanisad(3.12.6) states:
etavan asya mahimato jyayams" capurusah. pado 'sya sarva-bhutani tri-padasyamrtam divi
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead is full of glory and opulence. His one foot is all material
elements and all living entities, and His three feet are the eternal spiritual world."
In the previously quoted text of Chandogya Upanisad (3.13.7), as well as in this text from Chandogya Upanisad (3.12.6), (where Brahman is described as having four feet), the spiritual world is mentioned. Although both texts are separated by a little distance, they are brought together by joint mention of the spiritual world, as well as by use of the relative and co-relative pronouns yat and tat. For these reasons it should be understood that both texts describe the all-powerful Supreme Personality of Godhead. For these reasons the jyotis described in this text is the all-powerful Supreme Personality of Godhead, and not the light of the sun and other luminous objects.