Swami teaches... Brahman and humanity - one of the aspects of Its expression

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Sai Ram

Light and Love

 

Swami teaches.... (31 January 2005)

Brahman and Humanity - One of the Aspects of Its Expression

 

 

For the Vedas and the Vedic religion, the word Brahman is synonymous with

all the contents thereof. However, many historians who have given the meaning

of this from time to time have adopted an alternate path and have also inserted

into the commentary their own notions and ideas and have thus made available a

distorted version to the people. Although, this word Brahman has got an

infinite number of meanings and could be interpreted in an infinite number of

ways, these commentators have given it a colour and meaning which, in each

case, depended on the individual taste and individual experiences.

 

There is no escape from accepting that the meaning of the word Brahman

contained in the Vedas is the authoritative meaning. Veda is something which

does not have its origin in human beings. It has come from sources other than

human beings. All history is something that is created by experienced people.

But there is no such possibility in the case of the Vedas which have not had

their origin in human beings. Because Veda has been obtained merely by

listening to sound, it has been referred to as Sruthi. This is something which

is directly connected with the Lord taking in and giving out His breath. Such

divine breath which constitutes the Vedas is our life. Therefore, any citizen

who has faith in the Vedas can really be described as one who has life in him.

We have to examine where and how this word Brahman occurs in the Vedas and

what meaning is conveyed by the word in that context. This has been mentioned

in the Sama Veda by equivalents like Brahma and Veda Rupa. Sama Veda has

established that the form of Veda is Brahman. In the Rig Veda, it has also been

said that the song of Brahman is the essence of Vedas. Again, when we look at

this word from the point of view of the Bhagavad Gita, we come to the

conclusion that everything in the creation is filled with Brahman.

 

Vedas have not stopped at this point by merely giving a form and a meaning

to this word Brahman. They have also given a more distinctive and special

significance for this word Brahman. It has been taught to us that an aspect of

the word Brahman means that it is something which has no discernible dimensions

and which is limitless. If in this world, we have things that can grow, then the

aspect of Brahman has the capacity to grow. The growth capacity of whatever is

signified by the word Brahman exceeds the growth capacity of everything that we

can comprehend. That aspect which is not discernible and which is beyond our

comprehension and which is infinite has been described by the word Brahman.

This Brahman which represents complete growth in all respects has been

represented as the characteristic or Purusha. The word Purusha refers to one

who has experienced completeness or fullness. Our Purushasuktha has described

this aspect of Purusha as something which has one thousand heads, one thousand

eyes and one thousand feet. The word 'Sahasra Sirshaha Purushaha' should not be

interpreted in a limited way by thinking of only one thousand heads. This really

means that thousands and thousands of heads are contained in this aspect of

Purusha. When we use the word head, it connotes 'Prajna' or wisdom in this

context. The totality of Prajna or the wisdom that is present in all the heads

represents the concept of Purusha here.

We also describe him as 'Sahasrapad' or one who has a thousand feet. What is

it that we mean by describing God as one who has a thousand eyes, a thousand

feet, and a thousand heads and what benefit do we get by describing him in this

manner?

The totality of the capacity to understand or Prajnana and the totality of

brightness and the effulgence and the capacity of locomotion have been given

the name Brahman. The ability by which we have our vision and we see, the

ability by which we are able to hear, and the ability by which we can have our

mind functioning, and the ability by which we can bear the weight of the

material body are given to us by God and because all these strengths are given

to us by God, God is also referred to as Prajnanam Brahma or the embodiment of

wisdom.

Whether we talk of the Veda or we use the word Brahman or the word Purusha,

these are only different names given to the same aspect and to propagate the

same idea that is contained in all these words. The words are different but

they describe one and the same idea. All the energy that is present in the

gross form and also in the minutest and infinitesimally small thing represents

the aspect of Brahman.

 

Brahma has also been described as the carrier of the Brahman. The word

Brahma has been understood to connote Manthra.* In this place, the meaning is

that the Purusha who is the embodiment of Vedas has the Manthra as his carrier.

This is the reason why people in our country have relied on such great men who

achieved their greatness on the basis of Manthra. They started learning these

Manthras and getting purification for themselves with the help of these great

people.

 

A Manthra has two aspects. The first is 'Manana' or what has been learned

has to be taken into your mind. The second is the aspect of 'Trana' that is

what has been taken into your mind has to be established firmly therein. By

taking the divine into your mind and firmly establishing it therein, if you can

carry on your life and do the work that is ordained for you, then your life will

be full of happiness.

 

Brahma as carrier of the Brahman may also to consider as the Divine power.**

The Divinity is the power behind the creation, sustenance and dissolution of

every Yuga (aeon).

The Lord is expressed by four forms as expressions of the different

qualities of the Divinity.

1. Vasudeva.

This name signifies that the Lord is immanent in everything in creation and

bears within Himself everything in the Cosmos. He is omnipotent. He is

resplendent. He remains unmoved in any condition, in any circumstance, while

being present in every limb and every cell. Thus, everything is permeated by

God and there is nothing outside Him.

2. Sankarshana.

This is the One, who at the time of Pralaya (the Great Dissolution), absorbs

within Himself the entire Cosmos. The Sankarshana principle is the one which

removes misery and confers joy. It is a Divine quality which is present in

every human being.

3. Aniruddha.

This refers to one who has a unique quality. He confers this quality -

Sampada (wealth) on whoever prays to Him. He is the Lord who confers both

material and spiritual benefits on those who adore Him. In this aspect, He

shines through His effulgence. He Himself is the source of His light and also

the light that illumines everything. This principle of Aniruddha is essential

for every human being.

4. Pradyumna.

He represents the invincible Divine power, which cannot beovercome by

anyone. The Pradyumna principle is all-pervading and omnipresent.

 

It is the combination of all these four principles which constitute

humanness. God (Brahman)is not different from human being. Vasudeva is

Paramatma (the Omni-Self). Sankarshana is Jivatma (the individual Soul).

Pradyumna is the mind. Aniruddha is Aham (the ego). The union of these four is

Manavatva (humanness). If any one of these four constituents is absent, a

person cannot live in the world. If it is asked whether Ahamkara (egoism) is

also essential, the answer is: Aham (the ego) should be present but not

Aham-kara (the feeling of egoism, the sense of separate identity associated

with the body consciousness). Aham means "I." The "I" should not be identified

with the physical form. "Aham Brahmaasmi" (I am the Brahman). "Aham na

Dehaasmi" (I am not the body). "Na AhamJivaasmi" (I am not the jiva - the

individual soul). "Aham Aham" (I am I). This Aham is theessence of everything.

This is the significance of the Vedic pronouncements: "Aham Brahmaasmi,"

"PrajnanamBrahma" (Prajnana Constant Integrated Awareness--is Brahmam),

"Thath-thwam-Asi" (Thatthou art).

In the world there are many people. Some of them are believers, some of them

are nonbelievers and some of them are believing nonbelievers. There are

multifarious people, different religions and faith. Truth is something that is

common to all of them. People of all countries and all religions must

understand that Vedas are something which establish the authority of truth.

(Reet's compilation from the Divine Discourse of Sathya Sai Baba, "Brahman

Denotes The Totality Of Prajna In The World," Summer Course in Spirituality and

Indian Culture. May/June 1974, Brindavan. and Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 22. "Make

every moment holy," Chapter 8).

*Spelling of names as in original texts.

** My additions not directly concern to the compilation in black.

 

Namaste - Reet