11.18 thvam aksharam paramam vEdhithavyam

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Chapter 11

<< Chapter 11 verse 17

SlOkam – Original

thvam aksharam paramam vEdhithavyam thvam asya viSvasya param nidhAnam |
thvam avyaya: SASvathadharmagopthA sanAthanas thvam purushO mathO mE ||

word-by-word meaning

vEdhithavyam paramam aksharam – You are to be known as the supreme aksharam (imperishable) as pronounced in upanishaths
asya viSvasya – for this world
param nidhAnam – you are the shelter
thvam – you
avyaya: – indestructible (in all manners)
thvam – you
SASvatha dharma gOpthA – protector of the eternal vaidhika dharmam
thvam – you
sanAthana purusha – the primordial lord (who is pronounced in upanishaths)
thvam – you
mE matha: – are understood by me (in this way)

Simple Translation

You are to be known as the supreme aksharam (imperishable) as pronounced in upanishaths; you are the shelter for this world; you are indestructible; you are the protector of the eternal vaidhika dharmam; you are the primordial lord (who is pronounced in upanishaths); you are understood by me (in this way).

Rendering based on ALkoNdavilli gOvindhAchArya swAmy’s English translation of gIthA bhAshyam

‘You are to be known as the Supreme Imperishable; You are the great Shelter of this Kosmos; You are the Undecaying; the Shield of the Permanent Dharma; and I ken, You are the Primal Purusha.’

You are the Supreme Akshara, or the Imperishable (=Unchanging), declared as that which is to be known, in such Upanishad Texts as:—

‘There are two Vidyas (sciences) to be learnt’ etc.[1. Muṇd: Up: I-1-4: Dve vidye veditavye.]

Nidhānam=Shelter=Support=Prop (of the Universe).

Avyayah=That which can never exhaust, for in whatever aspect, or character, or manifestation, You will to be, so do You ever remain.

The Shield of the Permanent Dharma=The Protecter of the Eternal Laws of Virtue etc., embodied in the Vedas, by incarnating Yourself in any of the known ways (such as Rāma, Kṛishṇa etc).

You are the Primal Purusha or Ancient Spirit as declared in such Upanishad-passages as:

‘I understand this Purusha the Magnificent’ etc.[2. Tait: Araṇ III-12; and Purusha-Sūkta: Ved-āham etam Purusham Mahāntam &c.]

‘The Sublimer than the sublime, Purusha’.[3. Muṇd: Up: I-1-4: Dve vidye veditavye.]

That, this You are, I understand; i.e., You, the Ornament of the Yadu-race, have Yourself appeared to Me as such.

>> Chapter 11 verse 19

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