In Bhagavad Gita 15.17, Krishna says there is another, the highest Person, called the Supreme Self, who pervades and sustains the three worlds as the imperishable Lord.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
उत्तमः पुरुषस्त्वन्यः
परमात्मेत्युदाहृतः
यो लोकत्रयमाविश्य
बिभर्त्यव्यय ईश्वरः ॥ १५-१७ ॥
uttamaḥ puruṣastvanyaḥ
paramātmetyudāhṛtaḥ
yo lokatrayamāviśya
bibhartyavyaya īśvaraḥ
English transliteration uttamah purushastvanyah
paramaatmetyudaahritah
yo lokatrayamaavishya
bibhartyavyaya eeshvarah ॥ 15.17 ॥
Translation / Meaning
But different is the highest Person, called the Supreme Self, the imperishable Lord who, entering the three worlds, sustains them.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| उत्तमः uttamaḥ | highest |
| पुरुषः puruṣaḥ | Person |
| तु tu | but |
| अन्यः anyaḥ | different |
| परमात्मा paramātmā | the Supreme Self |
| इति iti | thus |
| उदाहृतः udāhṛtaḥ | called |
| यः yaḥ | who |
| लोकत्रयम् lokatrayam | the three worlds |
| आविश्य āviśya | entering |
| बिभर्ति bibharti | sustains |
| अव्ययः avyayaḥ | imperishable |
| ईश्वरः īśvaraḥ | Lord |
Word-wise Chanting
- ut–ta–maḥ pu–ru–ṣas–tvan–yaḥ 8 syllables ut-ta-mah pu-ru-shas-tvan-yah
- pa–ra–māt–met–yu–dā–hṛ–taḥ | 8 syllables pa-ra-maat-met-yu-daa-hri-tah
- yo lo–kat–ra–ya–mā–viś–ya 8 syllables yo lo-kat-ra-ya-maa-vish-ya
- bi–bhar–tyav–ya–ya īś–va–raḥ || 15-17 8 syllables bi-bhar-tyav-ya-ya eesh-va-rah
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 15 Verse 17
Context
Krishna describes the Supreme Person (15.16–15.18).
Meaning
Beyond both the perishable and the imperishable is the uttama puruṣa, the highest Person, called paramātmā, the Supreme Self. It enters and sustains the three worlds as the avyaya īśvara, the imperishable Lord.
The Supreme includes and transcends both changing and unchanging. It is the Lord of all.
In Practice
Contemplate the Supreme as the one who sustains everything, including both your changing life and your unchanging Self.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 15: Purushottama Yoga (The Supreme Person). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.