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SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00051 Dec 2006

 
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SrI:
SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya nama:

Dearest all,

Let us now understand the terms, Brahman, Bhagawaan..
and other wonderful names Narayana, VishNu, Vaasudeva.


Brahman is referred to and is used to denote Supreme
Lordhsip or Iswara. 

It means etymologically [taking the root ?brh?] as the
One who grows and causes to grow. 

Brhatvaat brhamaNatvaaccha tad brahmEthyabhidheeyathE?


This meaning is upheld by the Scriptures [Atharvasiras
Upanishad] and Smrithis [VishNu purANam]. These two
derivatives convey the import of the term Brahman i.e.
that which possesses infinite greatness both in
respect of its intrinsic nature [swaroopa] and also
its attributes [GunAs] is Brahman. These two
attributes are thus only applicable to the Supreme
Personal Being [SarvEshwaran] and no to
undifferentiated Being [nirvisEsha Brahman]. In view
of this Sri Ramanujacharya states that the term
Brahman denotes PurushOtthaman or Supreme Personal
Being who by its [His] very nature is Free from all
imperfections [nirasta- nikhila dhOsha] and possesses
infinite most auspicious attributes of unsurpassable
excellence [ananta kalyANa guNa gaNa:] 

This concept of Purushotthama as qualified by the two
specific attributes [of Kalyana guNas and devoid of
all imperfections] distinguishes Brahman from every
other being such as Chathur Mukha Brahma and Rudra,
the individual souls including those who are eternally
free and also the nirguNa and saguNa Brahman of the
advaita Vedanta because none of these is totally free
from defects and possesses unsurpassable infinite
qualities.

Bhagwawaan- This term is used often in Agamas.
Ahirbudhnya Samhitha explains this term how it implies
the eternal characteristics of the Supreme Reality.
Bhagawaan means the Supreme Being who is endowed with
the six attributes, namely, knowledge [jnAnam], Power
[shakthi], Strength [Bhalam], Lordship [Aiswaryam],
Virility [Veeryam], Splendour [thEjas] and who is free
from all defects. 

The Taittriya Narayana Upanishad states: We endeavor
to know Narayana, we meditate on Vasudeva and let
VishNu bestow wisdom on us. This vedic statement
evidently reveals the identity of all the three names
VishNu, Narayana and Vaasudeva. 

Narayana is a more comprehensive term implying all the
characteristics of the Ultimate Reality. This compound
word is interpreted in two ways on the basis of
etymology. Naaraas stand for the sentient and
non-sentient beings [narasambandhinO naaraa:] and nara
means the Supreme Being [Purushotthama] ayana means
abode or ground. So Naaraayanaa means one who is the
ground of abode of all sentient and non-sentient
entities [naaraanaam ayanam]. It can also mean one who
is immanent in all [naaraa: ayanam yasya sa: ].  The
term thus signifies all the important characteristics
of Brahman of the Upanishads that ?Narayanan is the
ground and primary cause of the Universe; that he is
the all-pervasive and immanent in all. [anthar
bahischathassarva vyaapya naaraayaNasthitha: - thus
emphasizing the all-pervasiveness of the Reality, as
stated in the Taittriya Upanishad] 

Vaasudeva name [derived from the root vas meaning to
reside] is interpreted as One who abides everywhere
and who is also the source of everything; The suffix
deva added to vasu implies that He shies forth
[dhivyathi] untouched by any imperfections or defects,
though he abides in everything. He is untouched by the
entities in whom or which He resides in. It also
signifies that He enjoys Himself with the creation of
the Universe which is a sport to Him and that devas
sing His glories. Besides, it offers a significant
meaning to every letter of the term bringing out the
essential characteristics of the ultimate reality.

VishNu- Taking the root verb visir meaning
pervasiveness [visir vyaaptau], the term VishNu is
defined as One who is all-pervasive. Among the
scriptural texts, the Nrsimhatapantya Upanishad says:
the Highest reality is called VishNu because He
pervades all the worlds, all the celestial deities,
all the living beings, all the entities in the
Universe. Yashka the author of Niruktha pvedic
etymology] defines the word VishNu as One who pervades
everything and he also interprets it as One who enters
into all. 

There are four meanings of the term VishNu:

1.VishNu as the One pervading space, time and all
entities. 

2.He enters into all sentient as well as non-sentient
entities, the greatest as well as the smallest,
emphasizing the immanent character of the Reality.

3.VishNu is s-called because He possesses all the
greatest attributes such as knowledge, power etc., 

4.He is Supreme Being because He is always desired by
all the souls. 

[Reference material: Sri SMS Chari's book on
Vaishnavism] 
Thus it is natural and obvious that there is only One
God and His name is Narayana, VishNu and Vaasudevaa-
and the names are derivatives of His qualities;
functions; and Supremacy...  

asmadhAchArya paryanthAm vandhE Guru paramparaam
Regards
Namo Narayana
dAsan


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