Bhagavad Gita 11.18
त्वमक्षरं परमं वेदितव्यं त्वमस्य विश्वस्य परं निधानम् | त्वमव्ययः शाश्वतधर्मगोप्ता सनातनस्त्वं पुरुषो मतो मे ||
tvam akṣaraṁ paramaṁ veditavyaṁ tvam asya viśvasya paraṁ nidhānam | tvam avyayaḥ śāśvata-dharma-goptā sanātanas tvaṁ puruṣo mato me ||
Translation
You are the imperishable, the supreme to be known. You are the supreme abode of this universe. You are the unchanging guardian of eternal dharma. You are the ancient person, so I hold.
Reflection
Which old titles have become yours by seeing rather than by repetition?
Read this verse in its chapter: Chapter Eleven
A theological summary breaks in. You are the imperishable, the supreme to be known. You are the supreme abode of this universe. You are the unchanging guardian of eternal dharma. You are the ancient person, so I hold. Mato me, this is my conclusion. Arjuna is no longer describing what is in front of him. He is naming what the seeing has confirmed. The titles compress what the prior chapters have been teaching. Akshara, imperishable. Param nidhanam, supreme repository. Shashvata-dharma-gopta, guardian of eternal dharma. Sanatana purusha, ancient person. The seer reaches for the established names because the vision has made him sure of them. The conviction is reported in the first person. He is not citing scripture. He is consenting to it.