There is an incident related to this verse in Sankara Bhagavatpada’s life. Acharya travelled all over the country, going from one place to another, and taught all who came to him. He was like a storm of knowledge, a storm of peace. Wherever he went, he illumined the hearts of people. At one time, when Acharya reached a village, a scholarly old Brahmin came to him. Quoting this śloka from the Gita, he asked Acharya, “The Gita says jyotiṣāmapi tajjyotiḥ. What is that jyoti, that light, by which everything shines forth?”
Acharya replied: What is the light by which you behold the world in the daytime?
B: O Lord, during the daytime, it is the Sun.
A: Yes. Then how do you see at night?
B: By the light of a lamp.
A: Very well. By what light do you behold the Sun, the Moon, the lamp and the flame?
B: With my eyes, O Lord.
A: When asleep and your eyes are closed, you still see many things in your dreams. By what light do you see them?
B: With the light of the intellect.
A: Oh! When that intellect also merges in deep sleep, when you are absolutely dreamless, neither ‘I’ nor ‘you’ exists. But despite this, when you wake up, you say that there was happiness and contentment in deep sleep. Everyone cherishes going into the deep-sleep state. We can therefore conclude that there is someone who is self-luminous and recognises everything, even while asleep. Intellect is not present there, but ‘knowingness’ is. Knowledge remains the essence there. What is that?
The Brahmin contemplated for a few moments and declared in an ecstatic state, “tadasmi prabho—O Master, that is me!”
Sankaracharya declared, “Yes! You are the Supreme Light—TATTVAMASI!”
Know that you are the Supreme effulgence. The greatest effulgence has already happened to you.
This is the profound ekaśloki of Acharya that is related to this anecdote.
किं ज्योतिस्तव भानुमानहनि मे रात्रौ प्रदीपादिकं
स्यादेवं रविदीपदर्शनविधौ किं ज्योतिराख्याहि मे।
चक्षुस्तस्य निमीलनादिसमये किं धीर्धियो दर्शने
किं तत्राहमतो भवान्परमकं ज्योतिस्तदस्मि प्रभो॥
(Source: Srimad Bhagavad Gita – Elixir of Eternal Wisdom | Vol 3)
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- The Light even of lights, It is said to be beyond darkness. As knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the goal of knowledge, It is set firm in the hearts of all. (BG 13.18)