Acharya vaibhavam - 16- Brahman, Bhagawaan, Narayana, VishNu, Vaasudeva- what do these terms actually mean?

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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