5-16

ज्ञानेन तु तद् अज्ञानम् येषाम् नाशितम् आत्मनः ।
तेषाम् आदित्यवत् ज्ञानम् प्रकाशयति तत्परम् ॥ १६ ॥

jJAnena tu tad ajJAnam yeSAm nAzitam AtmanaH |
teSAm Adityavat jJAnam prakAzayati tatparam || 16 ||

ज्ञानम् [jJAnam] Knowledge आदित्यवत् प्रकाशयति [Adityavat prakAzayati] shines like the sun तेषाम् [teSAm] in people येषाम् [yeSAm] whose तत् अज्ञानम् [tat ajJAnam] ignorance नाशितम् [nAzitam] is destroyed आत्मनः ज्ञानेन [AtmanaH jJAnena] by the knowledge of the Self. तत्परम् [tatparam] This knowledge is their ultimate goal.

All beings who exist in this way are plagued by ignorance and doubt, generated by actions committed since eternity. A few of them get guidance about the nature of the Self, like it was described. By knowing the Self in this way, they practice in abundance daily and gain comprehension. With limitlessly pure knowledge, their ignorance and doubt are destroyed. The supreme knowledge that’s inherent in them isn’t constrained anymore. It shines by itself in its true form, like the brightness that’s inherent in the sun.

The word ’their’ reinforces the multiplicity of Selves that have got rid of their ignorance. The description of multiple Selves started in 2-12: ‘At any point in time, it has never been that we did not exist’. It is clarified further over here. This multiplicity couldn’t have been a mistaken illusion. That’s because in this Shloka, the word ‘their’ is about people who have lost their ignorance.

By saying ‘their knowledge shines like the sun’, this Shloka makes a distinct relationship between the Self and its knowledge. It illustrates that knowledge is associated with the Self its very nature. It’s an association between everything that has to be known and the knower. Like the relationship between brilliance and the brilliant sun.

In this way, worldly pursuit constrains our knowledge. In the state of moksha , this knowledge is unlimited and unconstrained.