Shloka 17

Devanagari script

उत्तम: पुरुषस्त्वन्य: परमात्मेत्युदाहृत: । यो लोकत्रयमाविश्य बिभर्त्यव्यय ईश्वर:,इन दोनोंसे उत्तम पुरुष तो अन्य ही है," जो तीनों लोकोंमें प्रवेश करके सबका धारण-पोषण करता है एवं अविनाशी परमेश्वर और परमात्मा--इस प्रकार कहा गया हैः

Transliteration

uttamaḥ puruṣas tv anyaḥ paramātmety udāhṛtaḥ | yo lokatrayam āviśya bibharty avyaya īśvaraḥ ||

Translation

Namun, berbeda dari keduanya ada Pribadi Tertinggi, yang disebut Paramātman. Dialah Tuhan yang tak binasa; memasuki dan meresapi tiga dunia, Ia menopang serta memelihara semuanya.

Word by Word

उत्तमःsupreme

पुरुषःperson (Purusha)

तुbut/indeed

अन्यःanother, distinct

परमात्माthe Supreme Self

इतिthus (quotative)

उदाहृतःis said/declared

यःwho

लोकत्रयम्the three worlds

आविश्यhaving entered, entering

बिभर्तिsupports, sustains

अव्ययःimperishable

ईश्वरःLord, ruler

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Paramātman

Īśvara

lokatraya (three worlds)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Beyond the previously discussed categories of beings/principles, there is a distinct Supreme Person—Paramātman—who pervades the three worlds and sustains them as the imperishable Lord. The ethical implication is that ultimate refuge and moral orientation rest in the highest sustaining reality, not merely in transient or limited forms of existence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna, in dialogue, articulates a doctrinal clarification: he identifies the ‘other’ and ‘supreme’ Person as Paramātman/Īśvara, emphasizing this being’s cosmic role of entering the worlds and upholding them. The statement functions as a theological and philosophical conclusion within the discourse.