Upanishads · Bhasmajābāla 2.23
॥
Devanāgarī
तस्मादहं रुद्रो यः सर्वेषां परमा गतिः । सोऽहं सर्वाकारः
Transliteration (IAST)
tasmādahaṃ rudro yaḥ sarveṣāṃ paramā gatiḥ | so'haṃ sarvākāraḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तस्मात् अहं रुद्रःtasmāt ahaṃ rudraḥtherefore I am Rudra
यः सर्वेषां परमा गतिःyaḥ sarveṣāṃ paramā gatiḥwho is the highest goal of all
सः अहं सर्व-आकारःsaḥ ahaṃ sarva-ākāraḥI am he, all-formed
Translation
«Therefore I am Rudra, who is the highest goal of all; I am he, all-formed».
Version
6d276ff0420a · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Paramā gati, «the highest goal», literally «the highest going», is named — that which is arrived at. The word gati is from gam, «to go»; it means «path», «refuge», and «destiny» all at once. That is, the highest is called that toward which one goes.
This definition is constant in these books and was discussed when reading Tripurā (7), where the ultimate was described with the verbs «dwell» and «enter». Worth noting the second word: sarva-ākāra, «all-formed», literally «having every appearance». The word ākāra means «form, appearance, shape»; and this definition again, as noted when reading Katharudra (8), places a form amid the abstractions.
And this combination of the two definitions — «goal» and «all-formed» — is, to my mind, what deserves holding onto. For a goal presupposes one who goes, and a form presupposes one who sees; and both words require a second party. The Vaishnava side uses the same word gati constantly, and the Gītā closes a chapter with the words: «He is refuge, gatiḥ, support, lord, witness, abode, shelter, friend» (9.18).
This list is worth citing in full, for it has nine words, and all nine are words of relationship: each requires someone whose refuge and whose friend it is.