15.18 Why the name is highest Krishna speaks
यस्मात्क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तमः
अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथितः पुरुषोत्तमः
yasmāt kṣharam atīto ’ham akṣharād api chottamaḥ
ato ’smi loke vede cha prathitaḥ puruṣhottamaḥ
Because I am beyond the perishable and higher even than the imperishable, I am celebrated in the world and in the Vedas as the highest person.
Explanation
The name is explained rather than asserted.
Because he is beyond the perishable and higher even than the imperishable, he is called the highest person — in the world and in the Vedas both.
Note the structure: the title is derived from the position established in 15.16 and 15.17, not claimed and then justified. For a chapter this metaphysical, the argument runs in a surprisingly ordinary direction.
Word by word
- yasmāt
- hence
- kṣharam
- to the perishable
- atītaḥ
- transcendental
- aham
- I
- akṣharāt
- to the imperishable
- api
- even
- cha
- and
- uttamaḥ
- transcendental
- ataḥ
- therefore
- asmi
- I am
- loke
- in the world
- vede
- in the Vedas
- cha
- and
- prathitaḥ
- celebrated
- puruṣha-uttamaḥ
- as the Supreme Divine Personality
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