DEFINING GOD (Nov )
By Swami Sarvapriyananda
Summary
In "Defining God (Nov 2017)," Swami Sarvapriyandanda explores the Vedantic conception of Brahman, the term used for God in Vedanta. The article distinguishes between Saguna Brahman, the manifest form of Brahman with attributes, and Nirguna Brahman, the absolute, attribute-less reality. The primary focus is on defining Nirguna Brahman, which the Upanishads describe as "Reality-Knowledge-Infinity" (Satyam-Jnanam-Anantam). The author elaborates on the concept of infinity (Anantam), explaining that Brahman is limitless in space (omnipresent), time (eternal), and object-ness (non-dual). These qualities are derived from the Taittiriya Upanishad and Adi Shankaracharya's commentary. The article addresses potential contradictions, such as the apparent absence of Brahman in the perceived world, by introducing the concept of "implied meaning" (lakshana) to reconcile the finite world with the infinite Brahman. The journey to understanding Brahman involves three steps: memorizing Upanishadic texts, intellectual comprehension, and experiential realization. The article emphasizes that self-realization is possible because the individual self (Atman) is identical with Brahman. This identity allows one to transcend conceptualization and experience God as a living reality. The discussion underscores the balance between profound philosophical reasoning and direct spiritual experience in Vedantic thought.
Conclusion
The Vedantic exploration of Brahman as defined through the Taittiriya Upanishad and Shankaracharya’s commentary reveals God as an absolute reality transcending conventional attributes. By dissecting Brahman into *satyam* (existence), *jnanam* (knowledge), and *anantam* (infinity)—qualified by omnipresence (*sarvavyapi*), eternality (*nityam*), and non-duality (*advaitam*)—Vedanta reorients theistic and atheistic frameworks toward a unified metaphysical truth. This definition dissolves perceived contradictions between finite existence and infinite divinity, asserting that the self (*atman*) and Brahman are identical. The synthesis of intellectual rigor and experiential insight challenges dualistic perceptions, proposing that recognizing Brahman’s limitless nature—beyond space, time, and objecthood—is both the means and the end of spiritual attainment.