Bhagavad Gita 11.18 — Tvam Aksharam Paramam
Bhagavad Gita 11.18 — Tvam Aksharam Paramam in English · English
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✦ Meaning
Beholding the cosmic form, Arjuna glorifies Krishna as the imperishable Supreme Reality that is the highest object of all knowledge. The Lord is the ultimate support of the universe, the changeless guardian of the eternal dharma, and the everlasting Supreme Person. This verse is a luminous declaration of Krishna's identity as the Absolute, uniting the philosophical 'imperishable' (akshara) with the personal Supreme Being.
Origin & Story
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11, Verse 18 · Sage Veda Vyasa (Mahabharata, Bhishma Parva) · Ancient (text compiled c. 5th–2nd century BCE)
In the eleventh chapter, Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga, after Krishna grants the divine eye and reveals His universal form, Arjuna pours forth a series of glorifications. Here he proclaims the Lord to be the imperishable Absolute, the support of the universe, the protector of eternal dharma, and the everlasting Supreme Person.
✦ As told in scripture
Devotees hold that to recognise and praise the Lord as the imperishable, eternal Absolute draws the soul toward that very changelessness, for the Gita assures that those who fix their minds on the imperishable Supreme attain Him.
The Mantra
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tvam akṣharaṁ paramaṁ veditavyaṁ tvam asya viśhvasya paraṁ nidhānam tvam avyayaḥ śhāśhvata-dharma-goptā sanātanas tvaṁ puruṣho mato me
Meaning:You are the imperishable, the Supreme to be realized; You are the ultimate resting place of this universe. You are the changeless protector of the eternal dharma; You are the everlasting Supreme Person — this is my conviction.
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting Bhagavad Gita 11.18 — Tvam Aksharam Paramam
Affirms the Lord as the imperishable Absolute and supreme goal of knowledge
A profound verse of praise (stuti) for meditation on the Supreme
Reveals Krishna as the protector of eternal dharma (sanatana dharma)
Strengthens faith in God as the changeless support of the universe
Unites the impersonal 'akshara' with the personal Supreme Person
Inspires steady devotion to the everlasting, eternal Lord
How to Chant Bhagavad Gita 11.18 — Tvam Aksharam Paramam
Chant this verse as a hymn of adoration while contemplating the eleventh chapter's cosmic vision. As you recite each phrase — imperishable, supreme to be known, the universe's resting place, protector of eternal dharma, the everlasting Person — let the words turn the mind toward the changeless reality behind all forms. It can be offered before an image of Krishna or in silent inner contemplation.
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