Bhagavad Gita · Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga — The Cosmic Form
Chapter 11, Verse 38
"Bhagavad Gita 11.38" — meaning and explanation.
त्वमादिदेवः पुरुषः पुराणस्- त्वमस्य विश्वस्य परं निधानम् | वेत्तासि वेद्यं च परं च धाम त्वया ततं विश्वमनन्तरूप
tvamādidevaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇasa- tvamasya viśvasya paraṃ nidhānam . vettāsi vedyaṃ ca paraṃ ca dhāma tvayā tataṃ viśvamanantarūpa
Meaning
11.38 Thou art the primal God, the ancient Purusha, the supreme refuge of this universe, the knower, the knowable and the supreme Abode. By Thee is the universe pervaded, O Being of infinite forms.
।।11.38।। आप आदिदेव और पुराण (सनातन) पुरुष हैं। आप इस जगत् के परम आश्रय, ज्ञाता, ज्ञेय, (जानने योग्य) और परम धाम हैं। हे अनन्तरूप आपसे ही यह विश्व व्याप्त है।।
Explanation
11.38 त्वम् Thou? आदिदेवः the primal God? पुरुषः Purusha? पुराणः the ancient? त्वम् Thou? अस्य of (this)? विश्वस्य of Universe? परम् the Supreme? निधानम् Refuge? वेत्ता Knower? असि (Thou) art? वेद्यम् to be known? च and? परम् the Supreme? च and? धाम abode? त्वया by Thee? ततम् is pervaded? विश्वम् the Universe? अनन्तरूप O Being of infinite forms.Commentary Primal God? because the Lord is the creator of the universe.Purusha? because the Lord lies in the body (Puri Sayanat).Nidhaanam That in which the world rests during the great deluge or cosmic dissolution.The pot comes out of the clay and gets merged in clay. Even so the world has come out of the Lord and gets dissolved or involved in the Lord. So the Lord is the material cause of the world. Therefore? He is the primal God and the supreme refuge also.Vetta Knower of the knowable things. As the Lord is omniscient? He knows all about the world? and He is the instrumental or the efficient cause of this world.Param Dhama Supreme Abode of Vishnu. Just as the rope (the substratum for the superimposed snake) pervades the snake? so also Brahman or Vishnu through His Nature as ExistenceKnowledgeBliss Absolute pervades the whole universe.Moreover --
Life Lesson
Study Bhagavad Gita 11.38 slowly, then express its central teaching through one thoughtful action in daily life.
Context
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11, verse 38, from Krishna's dialogue with Arjuna at Kurukshetra.
Bhagavad Gita 11.38
This page presents the Sanskrit verse, transliteration, Hindi meaning, English meaning, and a simple explanation for study. For a fuller understanding, read this shloka in sequence with the rest of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Bhagavad Gita 11.38 mean?
11.38 Thou art the primal God, the ancient Purusha, the supreme refuge of this universe, the knower, the knowable and the supreme Abode. By Thee is the universe pervaded, O Being of infinite forms.
What is the life lesson of this verse?
Study Bhagavad Gita 11.38 slowly, then express its central teaching through one thoughtful action in daily life.
What is the context of this verse?
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11, verse 38, from Krishna's dialogue with Arjuna at Kurukshetra.