bhagavad-gitagitakrishnavishvarupa-darshana-yoga

Bhagavad Gita 11.38 — Tvam Adi-devah Purushah Puranah

श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ११.३८ — त्वमादिदेवः पुरुषः पुराणः

🕉️ hindu·📿 11× repetitions·🕐 During morning or evening worship, while offering praise and prayer to the Lord·📜 Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11, Verse 38

Also known as: tvam adi devah purushah puranah · tvam asya vishvasya param nidhanam · bhagavad gita 11.38 · gita 11 38 · ananta rupa · arjuna praise of krishna

📜 Complete Lyrics 📖 Word-by-Word Meaning ✨ Benefits & How to Chant ⬇️ PDF Download

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हिन्दी / देवनागरीతెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

Beholding the overwhelming universal form, Arjuna breaks into rapturous praise of Krishna. In this verse he hails the Lord as the original God, the most ancient Person, the supreme refuge and resting place of all that exists. Krishna is both the knower and the known, the highest abode, and the one who pervades the entire universe — an exquisite summary of the Supreme Being's all-encompassing nature.

Origin & Story

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11, Verse 38 · 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 is filled with awe and devotion. In a series of verses he glorifies the Lord; here he proclaims Krishna to be the primal God, the supreme refuge, the knower and the known, and the all-pervading Being of infinite forms.

✦ As told in scripture

Devotees hold that to glorify the Lord with these words — recognising Him as the origin, refuge and final abode of all — draws the soul ever closer to Him, for the Gita promises that those who praise and remember Him with devotion are never lost.

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The Mantra

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त्वमादिदेवः पुरुषः पुराण स्त्वमस्य विश्वस्य परं निधानम्। वेत्तासि वेद्यं च परं च धाम त्वया ततं विश्वमनन्तरूप॥

tvam ādi-devaḥ puruṣhaḥ purāṇas tvam asya viśhvasya paraṁ nidhānam vettāsi vedyaṁ cha paraṁ cha dhāma tvayā tataṁ viśhvam ananta-rūpa

Meaning:You are the primal God, the most ancient Person; You are the supreme resting place of this universe. You are the knower and that which is to be known, and the supreme abode. O Being of infinite forms, by You the whole universe is pervaded.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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त्वम्🔊tvamYou

आदिदेवः🔊ādi-devaḥthe original, primal God

पुरुषः🔊puruṣhaḥthe (supreme) Person

पुराणः🔊purāṇaḥprimeval; the most ancient

त्वम्🔊tvamYou

अस्य विश्वस्य🔊asya viśhvasyaof this universe

परं निधानम्🔊paraṁ nidhānamthe supreme resting place; final refuge

वेत्ता🔊vettāthe knower

असि🔊asiYou are

वेद्यम्🔊vedyamthat which is to be known; the object of knowledge

च🔊chaand

परं धाम🔊paraṁ dhāmathe supreme abode

त्वया🔊tvayāby You

ततम्🔊tatampervaded

विश्वम्🔊viśhvamthe universe

अनन्तरूप🔊ananta-rūpaO Being of infinite forms

Benefits of Chanting Bhagavad Gita 11.38 — Tvam Adi-devah Purushah Puranah

✦

A perfect verse of praise (stuti) for contemplating the Supreme Lord

✦

Affirms that God is the original source, refuge and final abode of all

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Deepens devotion by recognising the Lord as both the knower and the known

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Reminds the seeker that the entire universe is pervaded by the Divine

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Cultivates surrender to the Lord as the ultimate resting place of the soul

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Inspires reverence for the infinite forms (ananta-rupa) of the one Supreme Being

How to Chant Bhagavad Gita 11.38 — Tvam Adi-devah Purushah Puranah

Repetitions11times

Best TimeDuring morning or evening worship, while offering praise and prayer to the Lord

Chant this verse as a hymn of adoration to the Supreme. As you recite each phrase — primal God, most ancient Person, supreme refuge, knower and known, supreme abode — pause to let the meaning awaken devotion. It can be offered while gazing at an image of Krishna or in silent meditation on the all-pervading Divine, allowing the heart to rest in the Lord as its final abode.

Frequently Asked Questions

Beholding the cosmic form, Arjuna praises Krishna as the original God, the most ancient Person, the supreme refuge of the universe, the knower and the known, the supreme abode, and the one who pervades all of existence.

'Ananta-rupa' means 'O Being of infinite forms'. Arjuna addresses Krishna this way after seeing the universal form, recognising that the Lord manifests in endless shapes while remaining the one Supreme Being.

As the supreme consciousness, the Lord is the ultimate knower of all; and as the highest reality and goal of all wisdom, He is also that which is to be known. This shows that God is both the seer and the seen, the source and the goal of all knowledge.

It is a beautiful verse of praise that can be chanted during worship or meditation. Reciting it helps the devotee contemplate the all-pervading, all-encompassing nature of the Lord and rest the mind in Him as the supreme refuge and abode.