Bhagavad Gita BG 11.18
Chapter 11, Verse 18 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
त्वमक्षरं परमं वेदितव्यं त्वमस्य विश्वस्य परं निधानम् । त्वमव्ययः शाश्वतधर्मगोप्ता सनातनस्त्वं पुरुषो मतो मे ॥
tvam aksharam paramam veditavyam tvam asya vishvasya param nidhanam tvam avyayah shashvata-dharma-gopta sanatanas tvam purusho mato me
Meaning
You are the Imperishable (akshara), the supreme to be known (paramam veditavyam); You are the ultimate resting place (param nidhanam) of this universe; You are the eternal guardian (gopta) of the eternal dharma (shashvata-dharma); You are the ancient/eternal Person (sanatana purusha) — this is my conviction (mato me).
Understanding
The theological peak of Arjuna's Vishvarupa speech — four declarations forming a complete ontological portrait: (1) Tvam aksharam paramam veditavyam — You are the Imperishable (akshara = without syllable/destruction), the supreme knowable, the ultimate object of all knowing. (2) Tvam asya vishvasya param nidhanam — You are the param nidhanam (ultimate resting-place, the final refuge, the supreme repository) of this entire universe. The universe rests IN the Absolute, not the Absolute in the universe. (3) Tvam avyayah shashvata-dharma-gopta — You are the avyaya (inexhaustible), the guardian (gopta) of the eternal (shashvata) dharma. The cosmic moral order has its guardian in the Absolute. (4) Sanatanam tvam purusho mato me — the eternal (sanatana) Purusha — this is my conviction (mato me). The personal witnessing: 'this is what I understand, this is my knowing.'
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| अक्षरम् | aksharam | the Imperishable, the indestructible (a + kshara = not wasting away) |
| वेदितव्यम् | veditavyam | to be known, the ultimate knowable |
| परं निधानम् | param nidhanam | the supreme resting place, the ultimate repository/refuge |
| शाश्वतधर्मगोप्ता | shashvata-dharma-gopta | guardian of the eternal dharma (shashvata = eternal, dharma, gopta = protector) |
| सनातनः | sanatanah | the eternal, the ancient, the timeless one |
| मतो मे | mato me | this is my conviction, this is my understanding/belief |
| त्वम् | tvam | You |
| अक्षरम् | akṣaram | the imperishable |
| परमम् | paramam | supreme |
| त्वम् | tvam | You are |
| अस्य | asya | of this |
| विश्वस्य | viśvasya | of the universe |
| परम् | param | the ultimate |
| निधानम् | nidhānam | resting place, treasure |
| त्वम् | tvam | You are |
| अव्ययः | avyayaḥ | imperishable |
| शाश्वत-धर्म-गोप्ता | śāśvata-dharma-goptā | the protector of eternal dharma |
| सनातनः | sanātanaḥ | eternal |
| त्वम् | tvam | You are |
| पुरुषः | puruṣaḥ | the Person |
| मतः | mataḥ | is considered, is held |
| मे | me | by me |