श्रीमद् भगवद्गीता

मूल श्लोकः

यस्मात्क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तमः।

अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथितः पुरुषोत्तमः।।15.18।।

English Commentary By Swami Sivananda

15.18 यस्मात् as, क्षरम् the perishable, अतीतः transcend, अहम् I, अक्षरात् than the imperishable, अपि also, च and, उत्तमः best, अतः therefore, अस्मि (I) am, लोके in the world, वेदे in the Vedas, च and, प्रथितः declared, पुरुषोत्तमः the Highest Purusha.

Commentary:
Purushottama is a wellknown name of the Lord. The name is ite appropriate as He is the supreme Purusha.Kshara The perishable -- the tree of Samsara.Akshara The imperishable -- the seed of the tree of Samsara.Because I excel the perishable (the tree of illusory Samsara) and am more excellent also than the imperishable (the seed of the tree of the illusory Samsara) and because I am thus superior to the perishable and the imperishable, I am proclaimed in the world and in the Vedas as the highest Purusha. Devotees know Me as such. Poets also describe Me as such.I am beyond all limitations. There is no trace of dualism in Me. Therefore, I am called by all and by the scriptures the highest Purusha.

Hindi Translation By Swami Ramsukhdas

।।15.18।।मैं क्षरसे अतीत हूँ और अक्षरसे भी उत्तम हूँ, इसलिये लोकमें और वेदमें पुरुषोत्तम नामसे प्रसिद्ध हूँ।

English Translation By Swami Adidevananda

15.18 Because I transcend the perishable Person and am also higher than the imperishable person, therefore I am styled in the Smrti and the Veda as the Supreme Person (Purusotama).

English Translation By Swami Gambirananda

15.18 Since I am transcendental to the mutable and above even the immutable, hence I am well known in the world and in the Vedas as the supreme Person.

English Translation By Swami Sivananda

15.18 As I transcend the perishable and am even higher than the imperishable, I am declared to be the highest Purusha in the world and in the Vedas.

English Translation Of Sri Shankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary By Swami Gambirananda

15.18 Yasmat, since; aham, I; am atitah, transcendental; ksaram, to the mutable-I am beyond the Tree of Maya, called the Peepul Tree, which this worldly existence is; and uttamah, above, most excellent or the highest; as compared with api, even; the akasarat, immutable, which is the seed of the Tree of worldly existence; atah, hence, by virtue of being the most excellent as compared with the mutable and the immutable; aham, I; am prathitah, well known; loke, in the world; and vede, in the Vedas; as purusottamah, the supreme Person. Devoted persons know Me thus, and poets also use this name 'Purusottama' in their poetry etc.; they extol Me with this name. Thereafter, now is stated this result attained by one who knows the Self as described:

English Translation of Abhinavgupta's Sanskrit Commentary By Dr. S. Sankaranarayan

15.16-18 Dvav imau etc. upto Purusottamah. What has been stated in the passage 'There are two persons in the world etc.', is this : The body organism is made of the earth and other elements. In the world every person, unitelligent by nature, takes the body for the Self and [hence] views the Soul to be of perishing nature. Hence, the sense of duality does not come to an end with regard to the worldly persons, because of their delusion. But I am (the I-consciousness is) the One favouring all, and by cutting the daulity-knot I am to be realised as the One pervading all. (I) have transcended the perishing : Since the elements are insentient. (I) have transcended the nonperishing : Since the omnipresence [of the Self] is cut off (not comprehended) when the Self is not properly realised. In the world and in the Veda too I am acclaimed as the Highest of Persons : The Self same Supreme Self, admitting no duality, is described in this manner with the sentences 'He is he Highest Person' and the like.

English Translation of Ramanuja's Sanskrit Commentary By Swami Adidevananda

15.18 Inasmuch as I transcend the perishable (i.e., bound) Person of the aforesaid nature, and I am higher, for reasons stated earlier, than the imperishable Person or liberated self, therefore I am styled the Supreme Person in the Smrti and Srutis. The Smrti is called Loka by reason of its leading to the meaning of the Vedas. The meaning is that I am famous in the Srutis and in the Smrti. In the Sruti for instance; 'Reaching the Supreme Light, it appears in its own nature. He is the Supreme Person' (Cha. U., 8.12.3). In the Smrti we have texts like 'I will approach Him (Sri Krsna), the Supreme Person who is the incarnation of a portion of Visnu, who is without beginning, middle or end' (V. P., 5.17.33).

English Translation By By Dr. S. Sankaranarayan

15.18. Becuase, I have transcended the perishing and also the nonperishing, therefore I am acclaimed in the world as well as in the Veda as the Highest of persons.

English Translation by Shri Purohit Swami

15.18 Beyond comparison of the Eternal with the non-eternal am I, Who am called by scriptures and sages the Supreme Personality, the Highest God.