Shrimad Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 15: Puruṣhottama Yogam, Verse 18:
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The Supreme Lord Is The Divine, Consider Him, Savour The Joy Of His Love, Honour Him And Serve Him
यस्मात्क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तम: |
अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथित: पुरुषोत्तम: || 15.18||
yasmāt kṣharam atīto ’ham akṣharād api chottamaḥ
ato ’smi loke vede cha prathitaḥ puruṣhottamaḥ|| 15.18||
Shloka Translation
BG – Ch. 15- Ver. 18:
I am transcendental to the perishable world of matter, and even to the imperishable soul; as a result, I am referred to as the Supreme Divine Personality in both the Vedas and the Smritis.
Explanation
So far in this chapter, Shree Krishna has explained that His richness is the source of all natural splendour, and that He does not deplete Himself in the process of creating the visible cosmos. He refers to Himself as Purushottama in this verse, the Heavenly Supreme Person who transcends the material world, which encompasses both perishable and imperishable divine souls.
Is this to imply that the Puruṣhottama He said and Lord Shree Krishna Himself are two distinct entities? To dispel any ambiguities, Shree Krishna refers to Himself in this verse using the term aham (I).
Verse & what we can learn
Shri Krishna reveals his ultimate identity as Purushottama, the uttama Purusha, the greatest person, a poetic term for the eternal essence, the pure brahman without restrictions. Purushottama is the highest being on the planet.
Because Prakriti is the cause and the world is its outcome, the imperishable, also known as Prakriti or Maya, could be deemed superior than the perishable world. Any cause is more important than its result, just as parents are more important than their offspring. Prakriti is bigger than anything else since he only lives as an abhyasa, a projection of Purushottama.
Let us also consider Puruṣhottama significance by delving deeper into the meaning of cause and consequence. There are two types of causes, according to Vedanta.
The substance that causes the effect is known as the material cause. This uttama Purusha, this preeminent being, is none other than ourselves, our “I.” In fact, the Sanskrit word uttama Purusha means “I” in the first person. He is greater than the perishable tree of samsara, as well as the seed of this tree, Prakriti.
To acquire knowledge and to implement that knowledge in life one needs to be mentally and physically active and healthy and for that daily meditation is a great tool.
There are various types of meditation like Buddhist meditation, heartfulness meditation, mindfulness meditation, meditation for stress, and each meditation benefits are countless. There is also numerous meditation techniques for beginners which help in practicing daily meditation so go ahead and start your journey towards a peaceful and balanced life.
What happens if you know uttama Purusha? In the following shloka, we’ll find out.
Let’s learn to live with “The Gita” via Meditation Affinity…