Bhagavan - God

ऐश्वर्यस्य समग्रस्य वीर्यस्य यशसः श्रियः।

ज्ञान-वैराग्ययोश्चैव षण्णां भग इतीरणा॥

aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ |

jñāna-vairāgyayoścaiva ṣaṇṇāṁ bhaga itīraṇā ||

All of say the word “God” without thinking much about it. We vaguely think of some super human being. But the Sanatana Dharma, which always pinpoints everything in a scientific manner give us the qualification of God.

Bhagavan is the term used in the Santana Dharma to refer to God. The ultimate Power according to Hindus is the Brahman which is beyond space, time and causality and which cannot be known by the human mind. It can only be experienced. But the word Bhagavan is used to refer to God or the Ultimate Reality as a personal God. Hindus believe that if Brahman is like the sun, Bhagavan is like the sunlight that is experienced on Earth.

उत्पत्तिं प्रलयं चैव भूतानामागतिं गतिम् |
वेत्तिं विद्यामविद्यां च स वाच्यो भगवानिति ||

He who understands the creation and dissolution, the appearance and disappearance of beings, the wisdom and ignorance, should be called Bhagavān. — Vishnu Purana, VI.5.78

The same text defines Bhaga and provides the etymological roots as follows.

“Bhaga” in Sanskrit means opulence and “vat” means “one who possesses”. So, we say the Bhagavan is a Being who possesses these six types of opulence.

These six are explained thus by Parasara Muni, the father of Vyasa.

"ऐश्वर्यस्य समग्रस्य धर्मस्य यशसरिश्रयः। ज्ञानवैराग्ययोश्चैव षण्णां भग इतीरणा ।।"

Complete splendour, virtue, glory, opulence, knowledge, dispassion - these six are known as bhaga. So only one who has all these six can be called Bhagavan.

Anyone who claims to be God or Bhagavan, must have at least these basic qualifications. They may have other qualifications as well but these six are basic and have to be there. So, many people who claim to be God-men can be checked against this list!

  Knowledge is of two kinds, that which is derived from the scriptures, and that which is derived from meditation. Brahma, the creator, is a word coming from the scriptures; Brahman, the supreme which is described as “Sat, chid and Ananda” – ‘Existence, Knowledge and Bliss” is something which we can know only through experience. It is not something we can know through the senses since it is beyond space, time and causality – (desha, kaala and nimitta). It is imperceptible, un-decaying, inconceivable, unborn, inexhaustible, indescribable; It has no form. It is almighty, omnipresent, eternal; the cause of all things but without cause; permeating all, itself unpenetrated, and from which all things proceed. That is known as Brahman, which is the supreme state, which is the subject of contemplation to all those who desire liberation, which is spoken of in the Vedas.

 However, essence of the supreme is defined by the term Bhagavat. The word Bhagavat is the denomination of that primeval and eternal god which is the sum and substance of the Vedas. The word Bhagavat is a convenient form to be used in the adoration of that Supreme Being or Brahman to which no term is applicable; and therefore Bhagavat expresses that Supreme Spirit, which is individual, almighty, and the cause of all things.

The letter bh implies the cherisher and supporter of the universe. By ga is understood the leader, impeller, or creator. The syllable bhaga indicates the six properties, dominion, might, glory, splendour, wisdom, and dispassion. The purport of the letter va is that elemental spirit in which all beings exist, and which exists in all beings. And thus this great word Bhagavan is the name of Vaásudeva, who is one with the supreme Brahman. This is what is said in the Vishnu Purana which equates Bhagavan with Vishnu. The Shiva Purana equates Bhagavan with Shiva and the Devi Purana equates Bhagavati with the Goddess!

This word therefore, which is the general denomination of an adorable object, is not used in reference to the Supreme in a general fashion but has a special significance. As mentioned before the Supreme in the Sanatana Dharma is “the Brahman”. Whereas the word Bhagavan denotes the personal deity which has form and the six bhagas mentioned above. It denotes one who knows the origin and end and evolution of all things.

In Sanskrit these six qualifications are known as “Aishwarya, Samagra, Virya, Yasshas, Sri, Jnana-vairagya.

“Riches, fame, bodily strength, total influence, knowledge, beauty and renunciation.”

Supreme knowledge, jnana; total dispassion, vairagya; the capacity to create, sustain, and resolve, virya; absolute fame, yasas; all wealth, sri; and overlordship, aisvarya.

To have all knowledge, jnana, is to be free from all ignorance. Thus, the one who has all jnana does not require a mind, perception, or a means of knowledge with which to know. If we require a mind to know, there is always ignorance. Thus, whoever is endowed with a mind in order to know cannot be Bhagavan.

The one who has total, absolute dispassion, vairagya, has no longing, no insecurity. He or she is full. Virya is absolute power or sakti which means the capacity to create, to sustain, and to resolve. The one who has this absolute power is called the Almighty. Absolute fame, yashas, means all fame, including your own or anyone else’s. This is also a bhaga. One who is endowed with the ability to sing, for example, may gain some fame, a ray of glory, but that fame belongs to the Lord, the one who has all fame. The Lord also has all wealth, all resources - Sri. Any wealth you may have really belongs to Bhagavan, the Lord, and you are only a trustee of whatever resources you happen to have.

Finally, the one who is not caused, who is not ruled by anyone, who is not subject to the laws of someone else, has the bhaga called aisvarya - overlordship. We, as individuals have to go by the laws of nature; we cannot go against them. Even an engineer who is responsible for planning, commissioning, and running a thermal plant cannot touch a live wire without facing the consequences. Thus, Bhagavan denotes one who is not subject to any law and possesses the six absolute virtues.

Hari Aum Tat Sat