अव्यक्तोऽक्षर इत्युक्तस्तमाहुः परमां गतिम् ।यं प्राप्य न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम ॥
avyakto 'kṣara ity uktas tam āhuḥ paramāṃ gatim | yaṃ prāpya na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṃ mama ||
- अव्यक्तः · avyaktaḥ
- the unmanifest
- अक्षरः · akṣaraḥ
- the imperishable
- इति उक्तः · iti uktaḥ
- thus called
- तम् · tam
- that
- आहुः · āhuḥ
- they call
- परमाम् गतिम् · paramām gatim
- the supreme goal
- यम् प्राप्य · yam prāpya
- having reached which
- न निवर्तन्ते · na nivartante
- they do not return
- धाम · dhāma
- abode
- मम परमम् · mama paramam
- my supreme
“Called the unmanifest and imperishable, that is named the supreme goal. Reaching it, none return — that is my supreme abode.”
— Original plain-language translation
The eternal unmanifest is identified as both goal and dwelling — Krishna's own abode. Non-return is repeated as its defining mark. Cosmology resolves into devotion: the highest place is a person.
— Reader's notes (original)