Bhagavad Gita 15.18 — Why the Lord Is Called Purushottama, the Supreme Person
यस्मात्क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तमः ।
अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथितः पुरुषोत्तमः ॥ १५.१८ ॥
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Since I am beyond the perishable and even higher than the imperishable, I am celebrated in the world and in the Vedas as the Supreme Person.
Transliteration (IAST)
Word Separation
The Sanskrit verse is separated into individual words (Padched) for easier study.
Word Meanings
| Line 1 | |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| yasmāt | since, because |
| kṣharam | the perishable |
| atītaḥ | beyond, transcendent to |
| aham | I |
| akṣharāt | than the imperishable |
| api | even |
| cha | and |
| uttamaḥ | superior, greater |
| Line 2 | |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| ataḥ | therefore |
| asmi | I am |
| loke | in the world |
| vede | in the Vedas |
| cha | and |
| prathitaḥ | renowned, celebrated |
| puruṣhottamaḥ | the Supreme Person |
| Line 1 | Line 2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning | Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| yasmāt | since, because | ataḥ | therefore |
| kṣharam | the perishable | asmi | I am |
| atītaḥ | beyond, transcendent to | loke | in the world |
| aham | I | vede | in the Vedas |
| akṣharāt | than the imperishable | cha | and |
| api | even | prathitaḥ | renowned, celebrated |
| cha | and | puruṣhottamaḥ | the Supreme Person |
| uttamaḥ | superior, greater | ||
Detailed Meaning
Introduction
In this verse, Lord Krishna explains why He is called Puruṣottama, the Supreme Person. He is beyond the perishable and even higher than the imperishable, and this is why He is celebrated by this name in both the world and the Vedas.
Essence
Why Lord Krishna Is Called Puruṣottama
This verse is the heart of the chapter, since it gives the name by which the chapter is known: Puruṣottama Yoga.
Yasmāt kṣaram atīto 'ham (since I transcend the perishable): The Lord is beyond the world of change. Birth, decay, and death do not touch Him. He is the master of the realm of the kṣara, not its prisoner.
Akṣarād api cottamaḥ (and higher even than the imperishable): He is also greater than the akṣara. Even the changeless principle, the unmanifest source or the liberated soul, depends on Him. Many seekers stop at the realization of the unchanging Self; Lord Krishna says that the Supreme goes beyond even this, being the source and the goal of both.
Ato 'smi loke vede ca prathitaḥ puruṣottamaḥ (therefore I am known in the world and in the Vedas as Puruṣottama): The name Puruṣottama means the highest of all Puruṣas. This is not a title that He gives Himself casually; it is the testimony of tradition, found in both common worship and the Vedas.
The verse also helps us see the place of devotion in the Gita. The soul is not asked merely to realize an abstract, changeless principle, but to relate to the Supreme Person who is the source of everything, with love and surrender. Knowledge and devotion meet here.
Message for Everyday Life (Aiming at the Highest)
Do not settle for less: We often settle for partial goals, whether comfort, achievement, or even a temporary calm. This verse encourages us to look for the highest source of fulfilment.
Practical approach: Periodically review your life goals and ask whether they are leading toward something lasting. Make room for a daily practice, such as prayer or reflection, that connects you with the highest.
Why Lord Krishna Is Called Puruṣottama
This verse is the heart of the chapter, since it gives the name by which the chapter is known: Puruṣottama Yoga.
Yasmāt kṣaram atīto 'ham (since I transcend the perishable): The Lord is beyond the world of change. Birth, decay, and death do not touch Him. He is the master of the realm of the kṣara, not its prisoner.
Akṣarād api cottamaḥ (and higher even than the imperishable): He is also greater than the akṣara. Even the changeless principle, the unmanifest source or the liberated soul, depends on Him. Many seekers stop at the realization of the unchanging Self; Lord Krishna says that the Supreme goes beyond even this, being the source and the goal of both.
Ato 'smi loke vede ca prathitaḥ puruṣottamaḥ (therefore I am known in the world and in the Vedas as Puruṣottama): The name Puruṣottama means the highest of all Puruṣas. This is not a title that He gives Himself casually; it is the testimony of tradition, found in both common worship and the Vedas.
The verse also helps us see the place of devotion in the Gita. The soul is not asked merely to realize an abstract, changeless principle, but to relate to the Supreme Person who is the source of everything, with love and surrender. Knowledge and devotion meet here.
Message for Everyday Life (Aiming at the Highest)
Do not settle for less: We often settle for partial goals, whether comfort, achievement, or even a temporary calm. This verse encourages us to look for the highest source of fulfilment.
Practical approach: Periodically review your life goals and ask whether they are leading toward something lasting. Make room for a daily practice, such as prayer or reflection, that connects you with the highest.
Next Topic
Lord Krishna has explained why He is called Puruṣottama. In the next verse He describes the fruit of knowing this truth: the one who knows Him without delusion becomes all-knowing and worships Him with their whole being.
Hidden Messages In This Shloka
Reflect on this verse from different perspectives and see which deeper message opens up for you.
Wisdom Nuggets
Aim beyond the changing and the changeless.
The Supreme is not one among many but above all.
Some names are earned by being beyond comparison.
The highest truth invites reverence, not argument.
Look beyond categories to what contains them.
The heart finds peace in what is greatest.
Names point to the realities they carry.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'puruṣhottama' (the Supreme Person) mean?
Why is He called beyond 'kṣhara' (the perishable) and greater than 'akṣhara' (the imperishable)?
What does 'prathita' (renowned) tell us?
Why does the verse mention the Vedas?
How should one respond to this teaching?
Explore related topics
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