Shloka 18

Devanagari script

यस्मात्‌ क्षरमतीतो5हमक्षरादपि चोत्तम: । अतोड<स्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथित: पुरुषोत्तम:,क्योंकि मैं नाशवान्‌ जडवर्ग-क्षेत्रसे तो सर्वधा अतीत हूँ और अविनाशी जीवात्मासे भी उत्तम हूँ,“ इसलिये लोकमें और वेदमें भी पुरुषोत्तम नामसे प्रसिद्ध हूँ

Transliteration

yasmāt kṣaram atīto ’ham akṣarād api cottamaḥ | ato ’smi loke vede ca prathitaḥ puruṣottamaḥ ||

Translation

நான் அழிவுறும் ஜட-க்ஷேத்ரத்தை முற்றிலும் கடந்தவன்; அழிவில்லா ஜீவாத்மாவினும் மேலானவன். ஆகையால் உலகிலும் வேதத்திலும் ‘புருஷோத்தமன்’ எனப் புகழப்படுகிறேன்.

Word by Word

यस्मात्from which; because of which

क्षरम्perishable (entity/class)

अतीतःgone beyond; transcended

अहम्I

अक्षरात्from the imperishable (entity/class)

अपिalso; even

चand

उत्तमःsupreme; higher

अतःtherefore; hence

अस्मिI am

लोकेin the world

वेदेin the Veda

चand

प्रथितःwell-known; renowned

पुरुषोत्तमःthe Supreme Person (Puruṣottama)

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Puruṣottama

Veda

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?

The Supreme (Puruṣottama) transcends both the perishable (kṣara) domain of change and the imperishable (akṣara) individual self; hence ultimate devotion and refuge are directed to the Supreme who is acknowledged by both worldly tradition and the Veda.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the teaching dialogue on the battlefield, the speaker is defining the highest divine identity as Puruṣottama, distinguishing it from both mutable nature and the enduring self, to clarify why this Supreme is the final object of knowledge and devotion.