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Bhagavad-gītā 11.38

त्वमादिदेव: पुरुष: पुराण- स्त्वमस्य विश्वस्य परं निधानम् । वेत्तासि वेद्यं च परं च धाम त्वया ततं विश्वमनन्तरूप ॥ ३८ ॥
tvam ādi-devaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇas
[tvam aadi-devah purushah puraanas]
tvam asya viśvasya paraṁ nidhānam
[tvam asya vishvasya param nidhaanam]
vettāsi vedyaṁ ca paraṁ ca dhāma
[vettaasi vedyam cha param cha dhaama]
tvayā tataṁ viśvam ananta-rūpa
[tvayaa tatam vishvam ananta-roopa]
Word-for-word
tvam — You ādi - devaḥ — the original Supreme God puruṣaḥ — personality purāṇaḥ — old tvam — You asya — of this viśvasya — universe param — transcendental nidhānam — refuge vettā — the knower asi — You are vedyam — the knowable ca — and param — transcendental ca — and dhāma — refuge tvayā — by You tatam — pervaded viśvam — the universe ananta - rūpa — O unlimited form .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tvam ādi-devaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇas
tvam
You
ādi - devaḥ
the original Supreme God
puruṣaḥ
personality
purāṇaḥ
old
tvam asya viśvasya paraṁ nidhānam
tvam
You
asya
of this
viśvasya
universe
param
transcendental
nidhānam
refuge
vettāsi vedyaṁ ca paraṁ ca dhāma
vettā
the knower
asi
You are
vedyam
the knowable
ca
and
param
transcendental
ca
and
dhāma
refuge
tvayā tataṁ viśvam ananta-rūpa
tvayā
by You
tatam
pervaded
viśvam
the universe
ananta - rūpa
O unlimited form .
Important Words
  • ādi - devaḥ — original God
    Compound: ādi (first) + deva (god). The first god — meaning no deva before, and all devas after. The same title used in Viṣṇu-sahasra-nāma.
  • puruṣaḥ — the Person
    Nominative. Even now, in the midst of cosmic vision, Arjuna's noun for the Lord is puruṣa — Person, not principle. The Gītā never lapses into the impersonal.
  • purāṇaḥ — the ancient one
    Adjective from purā — 'long ago.' The same root behind the genre called Purāṇa. The Lord is purāṇa not by being old-fashioned but by being prior to all that has ever been.
  • vedyam — the knowable
    Future passive participle of vid — that which ought to be known. Paired in the verse with vettā (the knower): the Lord is simultaneously the one to be known and the one who knows.
  • dhāma — abode, refuge
    Neuter noun — the high resting-place. Used in the Veda for the Lord's own residence; here Arjuna names the Lord Himself as the dhāma, not a place He inhabits.
  • tatam — pervaded
    Past participle of tan, 'to stretch.' The universe is stretched-through by the Lord — the verb behind tantra. Pervasion is described as a continuous taut weaving.
You are the original Personality of Godhead, the oldest, the ultimate sanctuary of this manifested cosmic world. You are the knower of everything, and You are all that is knowable. You are the supreme refuge, above the material modes. O limitless form! This whole cosmic manifestation is pervaded by You!
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
Arjuna identifies Kṛṣṇa with the Vedic ādi-deva and the Upaniṣadic puruṣa-purāṇa, then collapses the knower/known split into Him. The vocative 'ananta-rūpa' marks the gap between Kṛṣṇa's two-armed form he has always known and the infinity now before him.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
Echoes BG 8.9 ('purāṇam anuśāsitāram') and 9.17-18 ('pitāham asya jagataḥ'). 'Vettā/vedyaṁ/paraṁ dhāma' is the kṣetrajña-kṣetra synthesis later developed in ch. 13. 'Tvayā tataṁ viśvam' restates 9.4's 'mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam' — the chapter's vision confirms what ch. 9 declared.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
हे अनन्त-रूप! त्वम् आदि-देवः, पुराणः पुरुषः; त्वम् अस्य विश्वस्य परं निधानम्; (त्वं) वेत्ता असि, वेद्यं च (असि), परं च धाम (असि); त्वया विश्वं ततम् ।
he ananta-rūpa! tvam ādi-devaḥ, purāṇaḥ puruṣaḥ; tvam asya viśvasya paraṃ nidhānam; (tvaṃ) vettā asi, vedyaṃ ca (asi), paraṃ ca dhāma (asi); tvayā viśvaṃ tatam |
You are the original Divinity, the ancient Person; You are the ultimate resting-place of this universe. You are the knower, the knowable, and the supreme abode; by You this universe is pervaded, O infinite-form.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
त्वम् आदि-देवः पुरुषः पुराणः त्वम् अस्य विश्वस्य परं निधानम् । वेत्ता असि वेद्यं च परं च धाम त्वया ततं विश्वम् अनन्त-रूप ॥
tvam ādi-devaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ tvam asya viśvasya paraṃ nidhānam | vettā asi vedyaṃ ca paraṃ ca dhāma tvayā tataṃ viśvam ananta-rūpa ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
त्वम् tvam युष्मद् (pron. (pronoun)) nom.sg. (nominative singular) You
आदि-देवः ādi-devaḥ आदि (m.) + देव (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular), karmadhāraya cpd. (compound) primal Divinity
पुरुषः puruṣaḥ पुरुष (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) Person
पुराणः purāṇaḥ पुराण (adj.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. ancient
अस्य asya इदम् (dem. (demonstrative) pron. (pronoun)) gen.sg. (genitive singular)n. of this
विश्वस्य viśvasya विश्व (n.) gen.sg. (genitive singular) of the universe
परम् param पर (adj.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)n. ultimate, supreme
निधानम् nidhānam निधान (n.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) resting-place, treasure
वेत्ता vettā √विद् tṛc-agent noun, nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. the knower
असि asi √अस् pres. (present) 2sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) you are
वेद्यम् vedyam √विद् pot. pass. (passive) part. nom.sg. (nominative singular)n. the to-be-known
परम् param पर (adj.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)n. supreme
धाम dhāma धामन् (n.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) abode
त्वया tvayā युष्मद् (pron. (pronoun)) ins.sg. (instrumental singular) by You
ततम् tatam √तन् p.p.p. (past passive participle) nom.sg. (nominative singular)n. pervaded, stretched
विश्वम् viśvam विश्व (n.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) the universe
अनन्त-रूप ananta-rūpa अनन्त (adj.) + रूप (n.) voc.sg. (vocative singular), bahuvrīhi cpd. (compound) O infinite-formed one
Purport

Everything is resting on the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore He is the ultimate rest. Nidhānam means that everything, even the Brahman effulgence, rests on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. He is the knower of everything that is happening in this world, and if knowledge has any end, He is the end of all knowledge; therefore He is the known and the knowable. He is the object of knowledge because He is all-pervading. Because He is the cause in the spiritual world, He is transcendental. He is also the chief personality in the transcendental world.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
38. You are the original deva , the oldest person, the final place for the universe after destruction. You are the knower, the object of knowledge, the transcendental form. O infinite form! You pervade this whole universe.
Commentary

Nidhānam means the place of merging at the time of destruction. Paraṁ dhāma means the transcendental form of the Lord beyond the guṇas.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
38. You are the original deva, the oldest person, the shelter of the universe. You are the knower and the object of knowledge, the supreme abode. O infinite form! You pervade this whole universe.
Commentary

You are the supreme shelter (nidhānam) of the universe. Nidhānam means that in which things are placed. You alone are the knower in this universe and You alone are to be known by all within the universe. How is this? Because You spread throughout this universe by Your power of pervasion (tvayā tatam viśvam), [Note: Thus you know everything in the universe.] and You alone are also the spiritual world to be attained (param dhāma), since the spiritual world exists by the influence of Your superior energy.

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

COMMON THEME: Arjuna prays in faltering voice

In which mood – as a devotee in the mood of ‘wonder’ (11.35)

PLEASE NOTE: The mains points refer to Arjuna’s Prayers. The subpoints include all points of the purports; as such

there are no individual ‘Focus of Learning’ sections for these verses.

ARJUNA’S PRAYERS

(a) Arjuna recognizes Krishna’s action as All-good for everyone after hearing from Krishna the outcome of

battlefield and observing Universal form and response of demigods and demons (11.36)

The world becomes joyful on hearing Your name and everyone becomes attached to You
You are worshiped by great souls and demons are afraid and flee away

(b) Krishna is worshipable by everyone – “You rightly deserve the obeisances of everyone” (11.37)

because:

You are the God of all the Gods, the original creator, especially even greater than Brahma, secondary creator
Invincible source of all and cause of all causes
Transcendental to material manifestations
‘Aksaram’ – not perishable like material creation)
‘Mahatma’ – Most magnanimous and unlimited
‘Ananta’ – Nothing is not covered by Lord’s influence and energy
‘Devesa’ – He is the controller of demigods and is above them all

(c) You are the ultimate rest of everything and all knowledge (11.38)

‘Nidhanam’ – Ultimate rest even from Brahman.
Knower of everything in this world and You are all that is knowable
Object of all knowledge because You are All pervading

(d) You are the essence of everything (11.39)

You are air (Air being all-pervasive is the most important representation of the demigods)
You are fire, water, moon
You are Brahma (Pitamaha) / You are Prapitamaha (because He is the father of Brahmaji)
You are the Supreme controller

(e) I offer you obeisances from front, behind and from all sides (11.40)

Arjuna is offering obeisances out of loving ecstasy, accepting that ‘’He is the master of limitless power’’ and ‘’He is far superior to all the great warriors assembled on the battlefield’’ (Ref. Visnu Purana – All have been created by you, any demigod or anyone)

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF SECTION IV

Lord Krishna is the Supreme Lord of all. He is simultaneously

involved in an intimate relationship of love with His pure devotees

ARJUNA’S PRAYERS continued…

(f) Begs forgiveness for treating Krishna, the Infallible One, as an ordinary friend (11.41* – 11.42*)

Not knowing Krishna’s glories, Arjuna feels that he has offended Krishna in ‘madness’ or in ‘love’, and begs to be excused for many informal gestures like,
Called Krishna as Yadava or Krishna or dishonoured him many times.
Jesting as we relaxed
Lay on the same bed / sat / ate together
Never knew Krishna could accept such a Universal form
Cannot forget the relationship of a friend – The relationship between a living-entity and Krishna is fixed eternally, it cannot be forgotten, as evident from Arjuna’s behaviour

(g) You are the supreme father (11.43)

Supreme spiritual master – Gave this knowledge to Brahma / Arjuna
You are the greatest – No-one is greater than or equal to You nor can anyone be one with You. References for Lord’s Supreme greatness:
No difference between Krishna’s body and self (Ref. Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.8)
Senses are interchangeable
Birth and activities are transcendental (Bg. 4.9)
Krishna is one God – All the living entities are His servants, no-one can deny His order (Ref. CC “ekale ishvara...”)
Cause of all causes (Ref. Brahma Samhita 5.1)

(h) Falls to the ground and begs for mercy – Requests Him to tolerate all wrong-doings (11.44) just like –

Analogies:

Father – Tolerates the impudence of his son
Friend – Impertinence of a friend
“Krishna – Arjuna” relationship is that of friendship
Wife – Familiarity of her partner

(i) Requests to withdraw the fearsome Form and reveal the form as Personality of Godhead (11.45)

Indicates Arjuna is ‘afraid’ and ‘joyful’ simultaneously
Afraid because of so many offenses committed
Joyful because He is gladdened by knowing his Friend’s opulence as Supreme Personality of Godhead and His ability to show the Universal Form
It proves that Krishna can assume any form, as He is asked here to show His Narayana Form
Universal Form is a temporary Form; but Vaikuntha form is transcendental, four-handed and eternal.
Different Narayanas are named according to the different configurations of the four hands
Arjuna’s request to see the four-handed form indicates that All the forms are one with Krishna

(j) Wants to see the four-handed form (11.46)

Texts 11.45 & 11.46 indicate that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and He is the source of all forms and incarnations (Ref. Brahma Samhita 5.39)
This verse establishes without any doubt the statement of Srimad Bhagavatam that Krishna is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead
Constant feature in these forms – He is always fresh like a young man
He is non-different from His plenary expansions
He is God in any of His innumerable forms
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
11.38 You are the adi-devah, primal Deity, because of being the creator of the Universe; the puranah, ancient, eternal; purusah, Person-(derived) in the sense of 'staying in the town (pura) that is the body'. You verily are the param, suprem; nidhanam, Resort, in which this entire Universe comes to rest at the time of final dissolution etc. Besides, You are the vetta, knower of all things to be known. You are also the vedyam, object of knowledge-that which is fit to be known; and the param, supreme; dhama, Abode, the supreme State of Visnu. Anantarupa, O You of infinite forms, who have no limit to Your own forms; the entire visvam, Universe; tatam, is pervaded; tvaya, by You. Further,
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
11.38 You alone are all the knowers and all that must be known. You alone, abiding thus as the Self of all, are the 'Dhaman' (abode), namely, the goal to be attained. By You, O infinite of form, is the universe pervaded. By You the universe, composed of conscient beings and non-conscient matter, is 'Tatam', pervaded. You are the Primal God, the Ancient Person. You are the supreme resting place of the universe. The meaning is that You are the supreme foundation of the universe which constitutes Your body, as You are its Self. [It is to be noted how Ramanuja derives here the meaning of 'individual self' for the word Aksara, which helps him to explain 'Kutasth'oksara ucchyate' in 15.16] Arjuna says: 'Therefore You alone are expressed by the terms Vayu etc.'
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
11.38 Sri Abhinavagupta did not comment upon this sloka.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
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.
Commentary

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 --

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
11.38 You are the primal Deity, the ancient Person; You are the supreme Resort of this world. You are the knower as also the object of knowledge, and the supreme Abode. O You of infinite forms, the Universe is pervaded by You!
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
11.38 Thou art the Primal God, the Ancient, the Supreme Abode of this universe, the Knower, the Knowledge and the Final Home. Thou fillest everything. Thy form is infinite.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Dana (Charity / Generosity)Nishkama Karma (Selfless Action)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)Seva (Service / Selfless Action)Yajña (Sacrifice / Spirit of Offering)
Related verses
BG 15.15 BG 9.17 BG 13.13 SB 1.3.1 SB 11.19.1 SB 3.25.41 CC Ādi 2.23 CC Madhya 20.149 CC Madhya 20.156 Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.1.6Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 3.8
Concepts
BrahmanPurusha
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
You are the original Lord, the ancient person, the Supreme — the knower and the known; the highest abode; You pervade all.
Practical Applications
  • Cultivate the language: original, ancient, Supreme.
  • Use these terms as prayer-anchors.
  • Don't substitute generic God-language.
Reflection Questions
  • What specific terms do I use in prayer?
  • Are they sufficient or generic?
Analogy

A single tree is the sapling, the trunk, the canopy, the fruit — all at once, depending on where in time you stand. The Lord, Arjuna names, is the ādi-deva (sapling), the purāṇa (ancient trunk), the dhāma (the canopy under which all rest), and the vedyam (the fruit to be known).

Stories
Dhruva's Vision of the Eternal Person

When the boy Dhruva, after months of austerity in the forest of Madhuvana (SB 4.8–9), at last beheld the Lord, he recognised Him as the original Person — ādi-puruṣa — and addressed Him with a hymn echoing this verse: oldest of beings, knower and the knowable, ultimate refuge.

Arjuna's words in 11.38 — tvam ādi-devaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ — could be lifted from Dhruva's stuti. Two devotees in different settings reach for the same vocabulary because they have met the same Person.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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