Bhagavad Gita Verse 11, Chapter 10

teshaamevaanukampaarthamahamajnyaanajam tamaha |
naashayaamyaatmabhaavastho jnaanadeepena bhaasvataa || 11 ||
 
For those, only out of compassion, I dispel darkness residing in their hearts, born of ignorance, by lighting the brilliant lamp of knowledge.
 
teshaam : for those people
eva : only
anukampaartham : out of compassion
aham : I
ajnyaanajam : born of ignorance
tamaha : darkness
naashayaami : I dispel
aatmabhaavasthaha : residing in their hearts
jnaanadeepena : lamp of knowledge
bhaasvataa : brilliant
 
Shri Krishna paints a beautiful picture to illustrate Ishvara’s grace that was explained in the previous shloka. Like a lamp that is lit to dispel darkness, Ishvara, out of sheer compassion, ignites the yoga of intellect which removes ignorance from the hearts of serious devotees.
 
The renowned Shankaraachaarya has elaborated upon this illustration in his Gita commentary. His illustration is comprised of the lamp with a lamp holder, wick, and oil. The lamp holder is the quality of vairagya or dispassion, the wick is brahmacharya or continence and the oil is prasaada buddhi or the willingness to accept everything in life as Ishvara’s blessing. The lamp is nourished by a gentle breeze in the form of constant devotion to Ishvara, but can be extinguished by an impure mind containing strong likes and dislikes.
 
With these two shlokas, Shri Krishna summarizes the path of the bhakti marga or devotional means to attain Ishvara. In bhakti, Ishvara’s grace is emphasized rather than individual effort. In the Indian tradition this is pictorially depicted by comparing a monkey with a cat. In “markatanyaaya”, the method of the monkey, a baby monkey has to hang on to its mother with its own effort. But in “marjalanyaaya”, the method of the cat, a kitten does not have to do anything because its mother holds her by its neck.
 
Likewise, Ishvara takes care of his devotees. He will ensure that their material needs are taken care of. But more importantly, he will ensure that all our ignorance is destroyed and that we are educated spiritually. This is in contrast with other paths to Ishvara that require significant self effort. There is no need to roll any beads or sit in any postures. All that is required is surrender.
 
With these words, Shri Krishna stopped speaking and Arjuna, excited by the topic, started praising him.