त्वमादिदेवः पुरुषः पुराण स्त्वमस्य विश्वस्य परं निधानम्। वेत्तासि वेद्यं च परं च धाम त्वया ततं विश्वमनन्तरूप।।11.38।।
tvam ādi-devaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ tvam asya viśvasya paraṁ nidhānam | vetti asi veḍyam ca param ca dhāma tvayā tatam viśvam ananta-rūpam ||
Translation
You are the primeval God and the original Divine Personality; You are the sole refuge of this universe. You are the knower and the knowable, the supreme abode; by You the whole universe is pervaded in its endless form.
Word Meanings
tvam — You; ādi-devaḥ — the original Supreme God; puruṣaḥ — personality; purāṇaḥ — old; tvam — You; asya — of this; viśvasya — universe; param — transcendental; nidhānam — refuge; vetti — the knower; asi — You are; veḍyam — the knowable; ca — and; param — transcendental; ca — and; dhāma — refuge; tvayā — by You; tatam — pervaded; viśvam — the universe; ananta-rūpam — O unlimited form.
Understanding the Verse
In this glorious declaration of the divine vision, Arjuna addresses Lord Krishna with the utmost reverence, recognizing Him as the source of all existence. The opening phrase "tvam ādi-devaḥ" identifies the Lord as the primordial deity, the one who existed before all creation, the origin of the cosmic order. By calling Him "puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ," Arjuna emphasizes not only the timeless nature of the divine personality but also its role as the ancient, eternal witness to the unfolding of the universe.
The expression "tvam asya viśvasya paraṁ nidhānam" portrays the Lord as the supreme refuge for the entire cosmos. In Vedic thought, "nidhānam" denotes a sanctuary or treasure. Here it signifies that every particle of creation finds its ultimate shelter in the divine presence. This reinforces the idea that the material world, with all its fleeting joys and sorrows, rests upon the immutable reality of God.
Arjuna then proceeds to acknowledge Krishna as both "vetti asi" (the knower) and "veḍyam" (the knowable). This duality captures the paradoxical nature of the Supreme: He is the ultimate subject who perceives all, yet He is also the object of all knowledge, the very essence that seekers strive to understand. By coupling "ca param ca dhāma," the verse highlights that the divine abode is not only a place of shelter but also the highest destination for spiritual aspirants, the ultimate goal of all yogic practice.
Finally, the line "tvayā tatam viśvam ananta-rūpam" declares that the infinite form of the Lord pervades the entire universe. The term "ananta-rūpam" evokes the boundless, formless aspect of the divine that cannot be confined by any material limitation. It underscores the omnipresence of the Supreme, whose manifested and unmanifested aspects together constitute the totality of existence. In this way, the verse encapsulates the core Vedantic principle that the finite world is a reflection of the infinite divine reality, urging the devotee to see beyond appearances and recognize the singular, all-encompassing presence of God.
