Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10, Verse 11
तेषामेवानुकम्पार्थमहमज्ञानजं तमः | नाशयाम्यात्मभावस्थो ज्ञानदीपेन भास्वता ||
teṣām evānukampārtham aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ nāśayāmy ātma-bhāva-stho jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā
Out of compassion for them, I, residing in their hearts, destroy the darkness born of ignorance with the shining lamp of knowledge.
Krishna reveals how He helps devotees: 'Teṣām evānukampārtham'—out of compassion for them. Not because they deserve it, but out of compassion. 'Aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ nāśayāmi'—I destroy the darkness born of ignorance. Ignorance (ajñāna) creates darkness (tamaḥ), and Krishna destroys it. 'Ātma-bhāva-sthaḥ'—residing in their hearts. Krishna doesn't destroy from outside—He resides within the devotee's heart and destroys ignorance from within. 'Jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā'—with the shining lamp of knowledge. Knowledge is like a lamp that dispels darkness. When Krishna resides in the devotee's heart, He destroys ignorance with the shining lamp of knowledge. This completes the relationship: devotees are constantly devoted, worship with love, and Krishna responds by giving understanding and destroying ignorance from within their hearts.