त्वमक्षरं परमं वेदितव्यं त्वमस्य विश्वस्य परं निधानम् ।त्वमव्ययः शाश्वतधर्मगोप्ता सनातनस्त्वं पुरुषो मतो मे ॥
tvam akṣaraṃ paramaṃ veditavyaṃ tvam asya viśvasya paraṃ nidhānam |tvam avyayaḥ śāśvata-dharma-goptā sanātanas tvaṃ puruṣo mato me ||
- अक्षरम् · akṣaram
- the imperishable
- वेदितव्यम् · veditavyam
- to be known
- निधानम् · nidhānam
- resting place, refuge
- अव्ययः · avyayaḥ
- undecaying
- शाश्वतधर्मगोप्ता · śāśvata-dharma-goptā
- guardian of the eternal law
- सनातनः पुरुषः · sanātanaḥ puruṣaḥ
- the primeval Person
- मतः · mataḥ
- understood, deemed
“You are the imperishable, the supreme thing to be known, the final refuge of this universe. You are the undecaying guardian of the eternal law — I understand you to be the primeval Person.”
— Original plain-language translation
Wonder turns into theology: Arjuna names Krishna with the Upanishadic titles of the Absolute — akshara, nidhana, the ancient purusha. Seeing has become understanding; compare 8.3 and 10.12, where these same terms were only heard.
— Reader's notes (original)