BRAHMAN - SUPREME BEING

Brahmān (Sanskrit: ब्रह्मन्), or Supreme Being, or Cosmic Self, or Absolute, is beyond the cognition, description, and comprehension of a mortal embodied being. Brahmān is infinite, this universe is infinite, and It is the infinitude of the infinite. The infinite proceeds from the infinite; taking the infinitude of the infinite universe, it remains as the infinite Brahmān alone. Brahmān, or Ātman, or the Supreme Self, according to Swami Sivananda, is self-luminous. The doctrine of self-luminosity is one of the foundational tenets on which the entire edifice of Vedanta is constructed. Ātman gives light to the sun, the moon, the stars, the lightning, the fire, the intellect, and the senses. By the light of Ātman, all these shine, but they cannot illuminate and are self-luminous. Brahmān cannot be manifested as anything else. Brahmān manifests everything. He says that Ātman alone exists, and It appears as the objects that we cognise just as a rope appears as a serpent. Ātman puts on the appearance of these phenomenal objects. It shines by itself. It is self-luminous. All the objects shine after them, i.e., they borrow their light from the self-effulgent Ātman. Brahmān is the soul, or Ātman, of man. He is the soul of the universe. Brahmān alone is the infinite. This Ātman is the one infinite Brahmān. Everything else is its manifestation or expression. The Supreme Cosmic Spirit, or Absolute Reality, pervades every atom, being, and realm of the cosmos. It is beyond time-space-causation. It is eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. At best, it can be described as Sat-Chit-Anand (Existence-Consciousness-Bliss). It can be best described as infinite Being, infinite Consciousness and infinite Bliss. Brahmān is regarded as the source and essence of the material universe. It is pure being. Brahmān manifests as Hiranyagarbha (golden womb or universal womb), the "world soul", which can also take many forms or manifestations among the thousands of gods.

1. Outline

The best definition of Brahmān would be to give expression to its supra-essential essence and not to describe it with reference to accidental attributes, such as creatorship, etc., says Swami Krishnananda. The word 'Brahmān,' according to sage philosopher Swami Krishnananda, comes from a Sanskrit root, brhm—to expand, to be comprehensive, to include, and to be perfect. He says that It is also called bhuma, the All-comprehensive Absolute, Plenum, including everything.  The Absolute, according to the Yoga-Vasishtha, is Satchidananda Para Brahmān, who is non-dual, partless, infinite, self-luminous, changeless, and eternal. He is the ultimate substance. He is the unity behind the subject and the object of experience. He is one homogeneous essence. He is all pervasive. He is beyond description. He is nameless, colourless, odourless, tasteless, timeless, spaceless, deathless, and birthless.

The Imperishable Reality is called Brahmān. The spaceless, timeless, and Absolute Being is called the Imperishable Brahmān, so says the sage philosopher Swami Krishnananda. He reiterates that the only adequate way to express Brahmān's essence is a succession of negatives: "Not this, not this." After dismissing all things relational, what remains is Brahmān. This is one of the methods of Vedantic Meditation, the negative approach that leads to truth by denying the appearance of untruth. The positive technique of meditation, according to him, views Brahmān as Sat-Chit-Ānanda (Existence-Consciousness-Bliss), proclaims its absoluteness, and seeks to dissolve plurality, dualism, and individuality in the Glory of Eternity.

I am the basis of the formless Brahmān, the immortal and imperishable, of eternal dharma, and of unending divine bliss, as Sri Krishna emphatically says in the Srimad Bhagavad Gita.

brahmaṇo hi pratiṣhṭhāham amṛitasyāvyayasya cha

śhāśhvatasya cha dharmasya sukhasyaikāntikasya cha

The Upanisadik terms ‘Brahmān‘ (the Supreme Being) and ‘Ātman‘ (the Inner Spirit) indicate the highest Truth and Reality, which is non-dual. The Brahmān is nirguna (attributeless), nirākara (formless), and nirvisesa (traitless), that is, without the gunas or attributes, formless, without any special characteristics, immutable, eternal, and akarta (non-agent). Brahmān is above all needs and desires; it is always the witnessing subject; it can never become the object as it is beyond the reach of the senses. It is non-dual. Without a second, in Brahmān, there is no distinction between substance and attributes. Brahmān, the Absolute, is Existence (sat), Consciousness (chit), and Bliss (änanda). These form the svarupa of Brahman. The sage philosopher Swami Krishnananda brusquely says, It is apparently in front of us but is not capable of being grasped. It recedes as we proceed onward in its direction. It is inward, but it is also outward. Tad antarasya sarvasya: 'It is inside everything' and yet it is outside everything. It is inside everything because it is the Self of all beings; it is outside everything because it is beyond the limitations of the body-individuality. It is that which envelops the whole universe, and because of this universality of character, it is very distant to you. Who can know the boundaries of the cosmos? It is very far, yet very near. Because of its expanse, because of the largeness of its comprehension, because of its infinitude, and because of its omnipresence, it is very distant. But, because it is inseparable from what we ourselves are, it is the nearest.

Adi Shankaracharya tersely says in Vivekchudamani that Brahmān is Satya (Real) and Jagat (universe) is unreal.

brahma satyaṃ jaganmithyetyevaṃrūpo viniścayaḥ |

so'yaṃ nityānityavastuvivekaḥ samudāhṛtaḥ || 20 ||

A firm conviction of the mind to the effect that Brahmān is real and the universe is unreal is designated as discrimination (Viveka) between the Real and the unreal. Adi Shankaracharya says, Brahmān is not an object, as it is adrusya, beyond the reach of the eyes. Its nature cannot be defined in terms of any category; hence, the Upanisads declare: ‘neti, neti—not this, not this. This does not mean that Brahmān is a negative concept, a non-entity, or a contentless void. It is all—full, infinite, changeless, self-existent, self-delighting, self-knowing, and self-blissing. It is the essence of the knower. It is the seer (drsta), the transcedental truth (turiya), and the silent witness (Saksi). The Supreme Truth is that Brahmān is nondual and relationless. This world, according to Adi Shankaracharya is only relatively real (vyavaharika satta). He advocated vivarta-vada, the theory of phenomenal appearance or superimposition (adhyasa). Just as the snake is superimposed on the rope in the twilight, this world and body are superimposed on Brahmān, Ātman, or the Supreme Self. If we had knowledge of the rope, the illusion of the snake in the rope would automatically vanish. Similarly, if we realise Brahmān or the imperishable, the illusion of the body and the world will disappear.

2. Scriptures

The scriptures, the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the Srimad Bhagavad Gita of the Sanātana Dharma are the eternal knowledge source to guide human beings about the nature of Reality and to awaken consciousness about the ultimate Truth without ever being perturbed by the evanescent and ephemeral nature of existence.

2.1. The Vedas conceptualise Brahmān as the Cosmic Principle, the highest and ultimate principle of the universe. Brahmān is impersonal and all-pervading, and the Supreme Principle is mentioned in Shukla Yajurveda Samhita (32-1),

तदेवाग्निस्तदादित्यस्तद्वायुस्तदु चन्द्रमा :|

तदेव शुक्रं तद् ब्रह्म ता आप: स प्रजापति: ||1||

(Shukla Yajurveda Samhita (32-1))

Brahmān is all-pervading and self-born prajapati; His lustre is like Agni (Fire God) and Surya (Sun God) ; He is Aditya (belonging to Aditi, celestial mother goddess); all-prevasive Vāyu (Air); blissful moon; bright Shukra (Venus); pure, excellent, excellent guide Brahmān; and water, which is all-inclusive and sustainer of all the living beings.

यत्र लोकाच्श्र कोशांच्श्रापो ब्रह्म जना विदु: |

असच्च यत्र सच्चान्त: स्कम्भं तं ब्रुहि कतम: स्विदेव स : |

यत्र तप: पराक्रम्य व्रतं धारयत्युत्तरम् |

ऋतं च यत्र श्रद्धा चापो ब्रह्म समाहिता: स्कम्भं तं ब्रुहि कतम कतम: स्विदेव स : ||

यत्र देवा ब्रह्मविदो ब्रह्म जेष्ठमुपासते |

यो वै तान् विद्यात् प्रत्यक्षं स ब्रह्मा वेदिता स्यात् ||

(Atharva Veda Kanda (10.7.11,24))

Tell us that in Skambha, where people perform Tapas (deep meditation)and Vratas (vow or resolve), they become excellence, fame, and honour, and where Rita (order or truth), Shradhā (Fath or belief) and Apa (water), Brahmān are inclusive. Where "Brahmavetta" (one who has realised Brahma) worships Supreme Brahmān or the one who knows him, verily, the knower can be Brahmān.

2.2. In his commentary on the Brahma Sutras, Swami Sivananda observes that Brahmān is eternally pure, wise and free (Nitya, Buddha, and Mukta Svabhava) is the only cause, stay and final resort of this world. Hence He is Omnipotent and Omniscient Knowledge of Brahmān cannot come through mere reasoning. You can attain this knowledge through intuition or revelation. Intuition is the final result of the enquiry into Brahmān. The object of enquiry is an existing substance. You will have to know this only through intuition or direct cognition (Aparakosha- anubhuti or Anubhava - experience). Sravana (hearing of the Srutis), Manana (reflection on what you have heard), Nididhyasana (profound meditation) on Brahmān leads to intuition.

The Mahāvākyas in the Upanisadic inquiry are not to apprehend the Truth on an intellectual plane but rather to realise inwardly the Truth perceived by the mind or the intellect. The highest of these truths is that there is no difference between the atman (inner spirit) and the Brahmān (Supreme Being). The four Mahāvākyas axiomatically explain the nature of Brahmān, or the Self. The four Mahāvākyas are: (i) Prajnanam Brahmā: "Consciousness is Brahmān,' (ii) Aham Brahma Asmi: "I Am Brahmān,' (iii) Tat Tvam Asi: "That Thou Art,’ and (iv) Ayam Atma Brahma: "This Self is Brahmān.'

2.2.1. Prajnanam Brahmā (प्रज्ञानं ब्रह्म)– Consciousness is Brahmān, the Aitareya Upanishad, Rig Veda. It explains the nature of Brahman, which refers to its supra-essential essence, not its accidental attributes, as creatorship. The supra-essential essence is Consciousness, which is ultimately responsible for our sensory activities. Brahmān is that which is Absolute, fills all space, is complete in itself, to which there is no second, and is continuously present in everything, from the creator down to the lowest of matter.

2.2.2. Aham Brahmāsmi (अहम् ब्रह्मास्मि) - "I am Brahman", or "I am Divine," Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Yajur Veda. It emphasises the unity of Ātman and Brahmān. It proclaims that the ultimate reality of the universe is not separate from oneself. The ‘I' is that which is the One Witnessing Consciousness, standing apart from even the intellect, different from the ego-principle, and shining through every act of thinking, feeling, etc. This Witness-Consciousness, being the same in all, is universal and cannot be distinguished from Brahmān, which is the Absolute Existence. Hence the essential ‘I' which is full, super-rational, and resplendent, should be the same as Brahmān.

2.2.3. Tat Tvam Asi (तत्त्वमसि )– That Thou Art, Chandogya Upanishad, Sam Veda It affirms that Ātman and Brahmān are identical. That Reality is remote is a misconception, which is removed by the instruction that it is within one's own self. According to Swami Krishnananda, Sage Uddalaka mentions ‘Tat Tvam Asi," or ‘That thou art," nine times while instructing his disciple Svetaketu in the nature of Reality. That which is one alone without a second, without name or form, and which existed before creation as well as after creation as pure Existence alone, is what is referred to as Tat or That in this sentence. The term Tvam stands for that which is in the innermost recesses of the student or aspirant but which is transcendent to the intellect, mind, senses, etc. and is the real ‘I' of the student addressed in the teaching. The union of Tat and Tvam is called Asi. That Reality is remote is a misconception, which is removed by the instruction that it is within one's own self.

2.2.4. Ayam Atma Brahmā (अयम् आत्मा ब्रह्म) – This Self is Brahmān, Mandukya Upanishad, Atharva Veda. It gives expression to the inner intuitive experience of the aspirant. It declares that Ātman is not different from Brahmān. ‘Ayam' means ‘this', and here ‘thisness' refers to the self-luminous and non-mediate nature of the Self, which is internal to everything, from the Ahamkara or ego down to the physical body. This Self is Brahmān, which is the substance out of which all things are really made. That which is everywhere is also within us, and what is within us is everywhere. This is called ‘Brahmān', because it is plenum, fills all space, expands into all existence, and is vast beyond all measure of perception or knowledge.

bhṛgurvai vāruṇiḥ. varuṇaṃ pitaramupasasāra.

adhīhi bhagavo brahmeti. tasmā etatprovāca.

annaṃ prāṇaṃ cakṣuḥ śrotraṃ mano vācamiti.

tagͫhovāca. yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante.

yena jātāni jīvanti.

yatprayantyabhisaṃviśanti . tadvijijñāsasva . Tadbrahmeti .

sa tapo’tapyata. sa tapastaptvā .. 1.. iti prathamo’nuvākaḥ ..

(Taittiriya Upanishad – Bhrigu Valli – 3-1)

Bhrigu, the well known son of Varuna, approached his father, Varuna (God associated with sky, oceans and water) and requested, ‘O revered Sir, teach me Brahman.’ Varuna said thus to him (Bhrigu): Food, Prana, the eyes, the ears, the mind, and the speech are Brahmān. To him (Bhrigu), Varuna again said: ‘Crave to know well that from which these beings are born; that by which, having been born, these beings live and continue to exist; and that into which, when departing, they all enter. That is Brahmān.’ He, Bhrigu, performed penance, and after having done penance...

oṃ | pūrṇamadaḥ pūrṇamidaṃ pūrṇātpūrṇamudacyate |

pūrṇasya pūrṇamādāya pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate ||

oṃ khaṃ brahma | khaṃ purāṇam; vāyuraṃ kham iti ha smāha kauravyāyaṇīputraḥ; vedo'yaṃ brāhmaṇā viduḥ; vedainena yadveditavyam || 1 ||

iti prathamaṃ brāhmaṇam ||

Om. Brahmān is infinite, and the universe is infinite. The infinite proceeds from the infinite. Then, taking the infinitude of the infinite universe, it remains as the infinite alone.

The ultimate pathway to consciousness is to realise supreme consciousness, or Brahmān consciousness. The universe is not just conscious; it is consciousness, and this consciousness is Brahmān. Brahmān is Sat-Chit-Anand (Eternal Truth, Eternal Consciousness, and Eternal Bliss). 

Śrī Brahma-Saṁhitā (5.1) says

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ

sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam

Sri Krishna, who is known as Govinda, is Sat-Chit-Anand. He has an eternally blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all He has no other origin, and He is the prime cause of all causes. He is the exalted Supreme entity, having an eternal name, an eternal form, an eternal attribution, and eternal pastimes.

In his commentary on the Brahma Sutras (Tattu Samanvayat I.1.4 (4)), Swami Sivananda mentions the philosophical traditions of the Vedantic texts on Brahman: "The wise who knows the Ātman as bodiless within the bodies, as unchanging among changing things, as great and omnipresent, does never grieve" (Kathā Upanishad II-22). "He is without breath, without mind, pure" (Mundaka Upanishad II-1-2). "That person is not attached to anything" (Brihadaranyak Upanishad IV-3-15). All these texts establish the fact that the final emancipation differs from all the fruits of action and is an eternal and essentially bodiless state. Moksha is Kutastha Nitya, i.e., eternal, without undergoing any change. Brahman is omnipresent like ether (Akasavat Sarvagata), free from all modifications (Nirvikara), absolutely Self-sufficient Self-contained (Nirapeksha), and indivisible (Akhanda). He is not composed of parts (Nishkala). He is Self-luminous (Svayam Prakasa, Svayam Jyoti).

2.3. In the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna asks certain pertinent questions about Brahmān: What is Brahmān (the Supreme Being or Absolute Reality), what is adhyatma (the individual soul), and what is karma? What is said to be adhibhuta, and who is said to be Adhidaiva? Who is Adhiyajna in the body, and how is He the Adhiyajna? O Krishna, how are You to be known at the time of death by those of steadfast mind?

Sri Krishna says, "The Supreme Indestructible Entity is called Brahmān; one’s own self is called adhyatma. Actions pertaining to the material personality of living beings and its development are called karma, or fruitive activities. The physical manifestation that is constantly changing is called adhibhūta; the universal form of God, which presides over the celestial gods in this creation, is called Adhidaiva; and I, who dwell in the heart of every living being, am called Adhiyajna, or the Lord of all sacrifices. Sri Krishna says in the Srimad Bhagavad Gita:

akṣharaṁ brahma paramaṁ svabhāvo ’dhyātmam uchyate

bhūta-bhāvodbhava-karo visargaḥ karma-sanjñitaḥ

The Supreme Indestructible Entity is called Brahmān; one’s own self is called adhyatma. Actions pertaining to the material personality of living beings and its development are called karma, or fruitive activities. The Imperishable Reality is called Brahmān. The spaceless, timeless, and Absolute Being is called the Imperishable Brahmān, so says sage philosopher Swami Krishnananda.

Sri Krishna says Brahmān transcends the threshold of time-space-causation and reaches the level of supreme consciousness. It is beyond the manifest and unmanifest dimensions. The Srimad Bhagavad Gita is quite aphoristic on this dimension.

paras tasmāt tu bhāvo ’nyo ’vyakto ’vyaktāt sanātanaḥ

yaḥ sa sarveṣhu bhūteṣhu naśhyatsu na vinaśhyati

Transcendental to this manifest and unmanifest creation, there is yet another unmanifest eternal dimension. That realm does not cease even when all others do.

na tad bhāsayate sūryo na śhaśhāṅko na pāvakaḥ

yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama

Neither the sun nor the moon, nor fire can illumine that Supreme Abode of Mine. Having gone There, one does not return to this material world again.

Sri Krishna further says that all living beings are manifested by these two energies (jīva śhakti, the sentient soul energy, and Maya, the insentient material energy or matter) of Mine. I am the source of the entire creation, and into Me it again dissolves.

etad-yonīni bhūtāni sarvāṇītyupadhāraya

ahaṁ kṛitsnasya jagataḥ prabhavaḥ pralayas tathā

ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate

iti matvā bhajante māṁ budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ

I am the origin of all creation. Everything proceeds from Me. The wise who know this perfectly worship Me with great faith and devotion. 

na me viduḥ sura-gaṇāḥ prabhavaṁ na maharṣhayaḥ

aham ādir hi devānāṁ maharṣhīṇāṁ cha sarvaśhaḥ

Neither celestial gods nor the great sages know of My origin. I am the source from which the gods and great seers come.

sādhibhūtādhidaivaṁ māṁ sādhiyajñaṁ cha ye viduḥ

prayāṇa-kāle ’pi cha māṁ te vidur yukta-chetasaḥ

Sri Krishna says that those who know Me as the governing principle of the adhibhūta (field of matter) and the adhidaiva (the celestial gods) and as adhiyajña (the Lord of all sacrificial performances), such enlightened souls are in full consciousness of Me even at the time of death. Brahmān is the indestructible Supreme Soul. He enters the three worlds as the unchanging Controller and supports all living beings. Brahmān is Purusottama, as tersely stated in the Srimad Bhagavad Gita. It is because Brahman is transcendental to the perishable world of matter and even to the imperishable soul; hence, I am celebrated, both in the Vedas and the Smṛitis, as the Supreme Divine Personality. Sri Krishna says, I have shared this most secret principle of the Vedic scriptures with you, O sinless Arjuna. By understanding this, a person becomes enlightened and fulfils all that is to be accomplished.

iti guhyatamaṁ śhāstram idam uktaṁ mayānagha

etad buddhvā buddhimān syāt kṛita-kṛityaśh cha bhārata

3. Remarks

The Brahmān is all that is invisible. The Brahmān is all that is visible. The Hiranyagarbha was horned out of the Brahmān. When the Universe is absorbed into the Brahmān, the Brahmān alone remains.

According to Swami Krishnananda, 'This Supreme Purusha, who is conceived by the mind, meditated upon by the mind, and embodied as the Universal Mind on one side and the individual mind on the other side, is radiance and essence.' Bhāḥ means lustre, light, luminosity, and the characteristic of this Puruṣha, or Satya, or truth. Reality is the nature of this Puruṣha, which means to say that what you call the Puruṣha, within or without, is indestructible. That which is subject to transformation or destruction is not called Reality. So, when it is called Satya, or real, it is understood that it is free from the trammels of change of any kind. Now, this Puruṣha is 'the smallest of the small and the biggest of the big, the greatest of the great' – ano'raniān mahato mahiān. Nothing can be smaller than that, and nothing can be larger than that. Nothing is nearer than that, and nothing is more distant than that.

-Asutosh Satpathy