Text 16

jnanena tu tad ajnanam
yesham nasitam atmanah
tesham aditya-vaj jnanam
prakasayati tat param

Translation

When, however, one is enlightened with the knowledge by which nescience is destroyed, then his knowledge reveals everything, as the sun lights up everything in the daytime. 

Commentary by Srila Prabhupada 

Those who have forgotten Krishna must certainly be bewildered, but those who are in Krishna consciousness are not bewildered at all. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, sarvam jnana-plavena, jnanagnih sarva-karmani and na hi jnanena sadrsam. Knowledge is always highly esteemed. And what is that knowledge? Perfect knowledge is achieved when one surrenders unto Krishna, as is said in the Seventh Chapter, 19th verse: bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate. After passing through many, many births, when one perfect in knowledge surrenders unto Krishna, or when one attains Krishna consciousness, then everything is revealed to him, as everything is revealed by the sun in the daytime. The living entity is bewildered in so many ways. For instance, when he unceremoniously thinks himself God, he actually falls into the last snare of nescience. If a living entity is God, then how can he become bewildered by nescience? Does God become bewildered by nescience? If so, then nescience, or Satan, is greater than God. Real knowledge can be obtained from a person who is in perfect Krishna consciousness. Therefore, one has to seek out such a bona fide spiritual master and, under him, learn what Krishna consciousness is, for Krishna consciousness will certainly drive away all nescience, as the sun drives away darkness. Even though a person may be in full knowledge that he is not this body but is transcendental to the body, he still may not be able to discriminate between the soul and the Supersoul. However, he can know everything well if he cares to take shelter of the perfect, bona fide Krishna conscious spiritual master. One can know God and one’s relationship with God only when one actually meets a representative of God. A representative of God never claims that he is God, although he is paid all the respect ordinarily paid to God because he has knowledge of God. One has to learn the distinction between God and the living entity. Lord Sri Krishna therefore stated in the Second Chapter (2.12) that every living being is individual and that the Lord also is individual. They were all individuals in the past, they are individuals at present, and they will continue to be individuals in the future, even after liberation. At night we see everything as one in the darkness, but in day, when the sun is up, we see everything in its real identity. Identity with individuality in spiritual life is real knowledge.

Commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur

As ignorance or avidya covers the knowledge of the jiva, superior energy called vidya destroys ignorance and reveals knowledge. By the vidya sakti (jnanena), avidya (ajnanam) is destroyed, and knowledge of the jivas is produced. Just as the glow of the sun destroys darkness and reveals objects like pots and cloth, so vidya destroys avidya and reveals the spiritual (param) knowledge in which the jiva is convinced of his spiritual nature. Thus, the Lord does not bind anyone nor does he liberate anyone, but vidya and avidya which are qualities of prakrti liberate and bind the jiva. The qualities of prakrti are the causes of bondage in the form of instigating the jiva to become the doer and the enjoyer, and they are the causes of liberation in the form of such qualities as detachment and peace.

The respective qualities of prakrti are awakened by the Supreme Lord functioning in the capacity of Supersoul. He is only the initiator of prakrti's functions through this amsa or expansion. Thus, he does not show any injustice or cruelty towards the jiva.