यस्मात्क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तमः | अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथितः पुरुषोत्तमः || १८ ||
yasmāt kṣaram atīto 'ham akṣarād api cottamaḥ ato 'smi loke vede ca prathitaḥ puruṣottamaḥ
yasmāt—because; kṣaram—the perishable; atītaḥ—transcending; aham—I; akṣarāt—beyond the imperishable; api—also; ca—and; uttamaḥ—the greatest; ataḥ—therefore; asmi—I am; loke—in the world; vede—in the Vedic literature; ca—and; prathitaḥ—celebrated; puruṣottamaḥ—as the Supreme Person.
“Because I transcend the perishable and am also higher than the imperishable, I am therefore celebrated both in the world and in the Vedas as the Supreme Person (Purushottama).”
Krishna here proclaims His identity as Purushottama—the Uttama Purusha who transcends both the conditioned souls and the impersonal Brahman. This is the basis of Vaishnava theology: the personal Supreme (Krishna/Vishnu) is greater than the impersonal Absolute. Both the world's traditions and the Vedas recognize this supreme status. This verse is the theological heart of the chapter.
This verse invites you to expand your conception of the divine beyond all categories you have known. Whether you conceive of God as impersonal Absolute, personal deity, or the Self—the Purushottama transcends and includes all these conceptions. Holding your spiritual understanding lightly, with openness to a reality greater than any concept, is the spirit of this verse.