Bhagavad-gītā 11.38
Read once with your eyes. Read again aloud.
त्वमादिदेवः पुरुषः पुराण स्त्वमस्य विश्वस्य परं निधानम्। वेत्तासि वेद्यं च परं च धाम त्वया ततं विश्वमनन्तरूप।।11.38।।
tvam ādi-devaḥ puruṣhaḥ purāṇas tvam asya viśhvasya paraṁ nidhānam vettāsi vedyaṁ cha paraṁ cha dhāma tvayā tataṁ viśhvam ananta-rūpa
Thou art the Primal Deva, the Ancient Purusha; Thou art the Supreme Refuge of this universe, Thou art the Knower, and the One Thing to be known; Thou art the Supreme Goal. By Thee is the universe pervaded, O Boundless Form.
English rendering by Swami Swarupananda. Public domain first edition, 1909.
Build the sentence from its parts
Read across once, then cover the meanings and recover them from the Sanskrit forms.
| Sanskrit form | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| tvam | you |
| ādi-devaḥ | the original Divine God |
| puruṣhaḥ | personality |
| purāṇaḥ | primeval |
| tvam | you |
| asya | of (this) |
| viśhwasya | universe |
| param | Supreme |
| nidhānam | resting place |
| vettā | the knower |
| asi | you are |
| vedyam | the object of knowledge |
| cha | and |
| param | Supreme |
| cha | and |
| dhāma | Abode |
| tvayā | by you |
| tatam | pervaded |
| viśhwam | the universe |
| ananta-rūpa | posessor of infinite forms |
Read the Sanskrit as a connected thought built from tvam (you), asi (you are), and ananta-rūpa (posessor of infinite forms). Ask what changes between the first and last term, and how that movement contributes to the universal form and personal refuge. State the connection in your own words, then check it against Bhagavad-gita 11.38.
Original school explanation. Written independently from the Sanskrit word map. It is not a quotation, translation, or summary of a named modern commentary. Chapter lens: Sequence request, granted sight, description, response, revelation, fear, apology and return to the familiar form.
Five careful reading routes
The cards below are reading references, not claims about what an acharya says in this verse. Modern wording stays inside authorized editions. Classical commentary will appear only after an independent translation has passed scholarly and rights review.
Meaning map
Follow the thought
- 1
Thou art the Primal Deva, the Ancient Purusha
- 2
Thou art the Supreme Refuge of this universe, Thou art the Knower
- 3
the One Thing to be known
Look, link, cover, teach
Look
Picture the universal form.
Link
Use the line starts: tvam ādi-devaḥ / tvam asya / vettāsi vedyaṁ / tvayā tataṁ.
Cover
Hide the verse and rebuild one line at a time.
Teach
Explain the flow to another person without looking.
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A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Bhagavad-gita As It IsFor Bhagavad-gita 11.38, consult the authorized BBT edition. No purport, translation, or author-attributed summary is reproduced here.
Find the authorized editionBhaktivinoda Thakura
Rasika-ranjanaA verified independent rendering for Bhagavad-gita 11.38 has not yet passed scholarly and rights review. Modern translations are not copied here.
Independent rendering pending reviewBaladeva Vidyabhushana
Gita-bhushana-bhashyaThe original work is classical. A newly commissioned or independently prepared translation for Bhagavad-gita 11.38 must be verified before publication.
Independent translation pending reviewVishvanatha Cakravarti Thakura
Sarartha-varshini-tikaThe original work is classical. A newly commissioned or independently prepared translation for Bhagavad-gita 11.38 must be verified before publication.
Independent translation pending reviewOther Gaudiya acharyas
Authorized Gaudiya editionsFor Bhagavad-gita 11.38, later teachers remain a further-reading route. Their wording and distinctive teaching structures require permission or a separate rights review.
Use an authorized edition