ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>BRAHMGI&#256N&#298 (Skt. brahmajñ&#257n&#299n)</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background:#EAF1F7 url('../images/gtbh.jpg') no-repeat fixed center; color: #0066CC} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="BRAHMGIN*"> <META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279BRAHMGI&#256N&#298 (Skt. brahmajñ&#257n&#299n), lit. the knower of Brahman or one possessing the knowledge of Brahman. The knowledge (<i>gi&#257na, j&#7749&#257na</i>) of the Universal Spirit (Brahman) consists not in the mere recognition of His existence, but in a continuous consciousness about Him - His realization in the heart or rather the realization of a total identity of the individual soul (<i>&#257tman</i>) with that Universal Soul (Brahman), which makes the former transcend joy and sorrow and life and death. This total identity signifies, in essence, the oneness of the Universe with that Universal Soul and of the latter with the individual souls which a Brahmgi&#257n&#299 realizes as the Ultimate Reality. The concept of Brahman in Sikhism delineates the Universal Spirit in theistic terms as the Absolute, the Creator and the Ordainer of the Universe which is, as it were, His visible form. The concept of Brahmgi&#257n&#299 in Sikhism is elaborated in sublime poetry of Gur&#363 Arjan, N&#257nak V, in his <i>Sukhman&#299</i> (GG, 272-74). According to him Brahmgi&#257n&#299 is one who has realized, in his life, the One Supreme Spirit as well as his identity with the individual selves. Such a person has also been called <i>gurmukh, s&#257dh&#363</i> or <i>sant</i>. The Brahmgi&#257n&#299 enjoys the highest spiritual status and he is accorded the highest veneration. The Brahmgi&#257n&#299 in <i>Sukhman&#299</i> is postulated as being unattached (<i>nirlep</i>) like the lotus in water. He is endowed with Divine realization; he is deeply humane and compassionate. To all is he gracious casting an equal glance on all like the sun, and indifferent to praise or dispraise like the earth. He has humility and is ever anxious to do good to others. In a moment of exaltation, Gur&#363 Arjan pronounces him the Supreme Being Himself-such is his merit, such his Holiness : "<i>N&#257nak Brahmgi&#257n&#299 api parmesur</i>" (GG, 273). He is compared to the earth to whom he who is digging it with the shovel and he who is plastering it with sandalwood are alike. Brahmgi&#257n&#299 is gracious, compassionate to all. From all bonds is he free. On God is solely his reliance and on Him are all his hopes centred. Ever is he awake in Spirit. To all does he bring liberation by his counsel.</p> <blockquote class="C1"><p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Brahmgi&#257n&#299 is the creator of all, immortal, dying never.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Brahmgi&#257n&#299 is the conferrer of the way of liberation, the perfect being, rewarder of deeds.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Brahmgi&#257n&#299 is the succourer of the helpless;</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Brahmgi&#257n&#299 affords protection to all.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;All creation is Brahmgi&#257n&#299's image;</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Brahmgi&#257n&#299 himself is the Supreme Being.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Brahmgi&#257n&#299 alone is deserving of his high repute;</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Of all is Brahmgi&#257n&#299 the overlord, sayeth N&#257nak.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (GG, 273-74)</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</blockquote></p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Brahmgi&#257n&#299 looks on all beings equally and impartially - <i>Brahmgi&#257n&#299 sad&#257 samdars&#299</i> (GG, 272). He showers the nectar of love and affection of all (GG, 373). An embodiment of compassion, he does good to others and helps those in distress. A model of piety and righteousness, he is the repository of all ethical virtues and a shunner of all vices and sins (GG, 272, 273). He is unaffected by the pleasures and enjoyments of the world just as the lotus leaf remains untouched by water. He is fully in control of his mind and is pure and blemishless (GG, 272-73). He takes pleasure and pain, profit and loss alike. A Brahmgi&#257n&#299 leads others to the path of holiness and piety. He commands their spontaneous respect and reverence by virtue of his great glory and profound spiritual influence over them (GG, 273). He is a serene and sublime soul and an ideal human entity of ineffable greatness, who, in his supreme spiritual attainment, eminently commands the vision of the Universal Soul in himself and who has even been exalted by Gur&#363 Arjan to the position of the Supreme Being, in the eighth a&#7779&#7789pad&#299 or canto of <i>Sukhman&#299 : "Brahmgi&#257n&#299 P&#363ran Purakhu bidh&#257t&#257. . . Brahmgi&#257n&#299 &#257pi nira&#7749k&#257ru</i> (GG, 273-74).</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Winternitz, M. , <i>History of Indian Literature</i>. Tr. S. Ketkar. Calcutta, 1927<BR> <li class="C1"> Sher Singh, <i>The Philosophy of Sikhism</i>. Lahore, 1944<BR> <li class="C1"> Nripinder Singh, <i>The Sikh Moral Tradition</i>. Delhi, 1990<BR> <li class="C1"> Jodh Si&#7749gh, Bh&#257&#299, <i>Gurmati Nir&#7751aya</i>. Lahore, 1932<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Dharmendra Kum&#257r Gupta<br></p><BR> </font> <img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""> </HTML></BODY>