bhagavad-gitagitakrishnavishvarupa-darshana-yoga

Bhagavad Gita 11.38 — Tvam Adi-devah Purushah Puranah

श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ११.३८ — त्वमादिदेवः पुरुषः पुराणः in English · English

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

Read in your language / script

हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 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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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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tvam🔊You

ādi-devaḥ🔊the original, primal God

puruṣhaḥ🔊the (supreme) Person

purāṇaḥ🔊primeval; the most ancient

tvam🔊You

asya viśhvasya🔊of this universe

paraṁ nidhānam🔊the supreme resting place; final refuge

vettā🔊the knower

asi🔊You are

vedyam🔊that which is to be known; the object of knowledge

cha🔊and

paraṁ dhāma🔊the supreme abode

tvayā🔊by You

tatam🔊pervaded

viśhvam🔊the universe

ananta-rūpa🔊O Being of infinite forms

Benefits of Chanting श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ११.३८ — त्वमादिदेवः पुरुषः पुराणः

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

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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 श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ११.३८ — त्वमादिदेवः पुरुषः पुराणः

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

This page shows the complete श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ११.३८ — त्वमादिदेवः पुरुषः पुराणः written in the English script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

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.