Brahma Samhita
The Brahma Samhita ( Sanskrit ब्रह्मा संहिता brahmā saṁhitā ) is a Hindu text ( Samhita ) of the Pancharatra . He gives the prayers of the four-headed Brahma at the beginning of creation, with which he pays homage to the Supreme Lord Krishna or Govinda .
History
The exact date of origin of the Brahma Samhita is unknown. The work was considered lost for several centuries until Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1534) rediscovered parts of the work (the 62 verses from chapter 5) in the south Indian Adikeshav temple in Thiruvattar in Tamil Nadu in the early 16th century . In his treatise "Pañcarātra Saṁhitās and the early Vaishnava theology" Mitsunori Matsubara dates the work to around 1300 AD.
content
In its Kama-Gayatri , the Brahma Samhita provides a very esoteric description of Krishna, the Supreme Lord ( īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kŗșṇaḥ ) and his whereabouts Goloka or Goloka Vrindavana. So it says in verse 5; 37, ( goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ ) that the Lord dwells forever in His highest kingdom, but at the same time pervades everything and directs the cosmic manifestation. This highest destination, from which there is no return, is described in the Brahma Samhita as ānanda-cinmaya-rasa - the place where everything is full of spiritual bliss. Another name is cintāmaṇi-dhāma - a place with countless palaces made of the philosopher's stone and where all wishes are fulfilled. The Lord is always busy in his spiritual world. This is stated in verse 5; 6 confirms: ātmārāmasya tasyāsti prakŗtyā na sumāgamaḥ - he always pursues His eternal, blissful, spiritual activities, but He has nothing to do with the activities of the material world. Material activities are carried out by His various energies. In order to be able to see this beautiful figure of Krishna in the heart as well as outside, the eyes of the beholder must be anointed with the balm of love (verse 5; 38). His expansion as Mahavishnu is described in verse 5. 47: yaḥ kāraṇārṇava-jale bhajati sma yoga-nidrām - Mahavishnu lies down in the cosmic ocean. He is the beginning of the universe, the sustainer of the universal manifestation and the end of all energy.
Verses
The found fragment of the Brahma Samhita begins with chapter 5 verse 1:
"Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva kāraṇa kāraṇam"
“Krishna, also known as Govinda, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He has an eternal, blissful and spiritual body. Everything emerged from him. However, he himself is without origin, although he is the cause of all causes. "
Verse 33 is significant for the philosophy of advaita :
"Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ
purāṇa-purușaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca
vedeșu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau
govindam ādi purușam tam ahaṁ bhajāmi"
“I worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda, who is the original person - absolute, infallible, without beginning. Though he expands into an infinite number of forms, He is nonetheless the same original, oldest Person and always appears in prosperous youth. These eternal, blissful and omniscient forms of the Lord are usually only understood by the best Vedic scholars, but they are always visible to pure, unadulterated devotees. "
Love for Krishna ( Prema - verse 38):
"Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena
santaḥ sadaiva hŗdayeșu vilokayanti
yaṁ śyāmasundaram acintya-guṇa-svārūpaṁ
govindam ādi-purușam tam ahaṁ bhajāmi"
"I venerate Govinda, the primordial Lord, whom the devotee whose eyes are anointed with the balm of love always sees in His eternal form as Śyāmasundara within his heart"
And verse 39 goes on to say:
"Rāmādi-mūrtișu kalā-niyamena tișṭhan
nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneșu kintu
kŗșṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ pumān yo
govindam ādi-purușam tam ahaṁ bhajāmi"
"I worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda, who always appears in multiple incarnations, such as Rāma and Nŗsiṁha, and also in many subordinate incarnations, but who is at the same time the original personality of God called Krishna and who also incarnates personally."
In verse 5; 48 Mahavishnu is described as an extension of Krishna:
"Yasyaīka-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya
jīvanti loma-vila-jā jagad-aṇḍa-nātāḥ
vișṇur mahān sa iha yasya kalā-viśeșo
govindam ādi-purușam tam ahaṁ bhajāmi"
“The Mahavishnu, into which all the innumerable universes enter and from which they emerge again, simply by breathing out and breathing in, is a complete extension of Krishna. Therefore I adore Govinda, the cause of all causes "
Verse 5; 52 gives a description of the movement of the sun , with the sun being regarded as one of the eyes of the Supreme Lord. She has immeasurable power to spread heat and light. Yet it moves in its prescribed path according to Govinda's command and supreme will.
"Yac-cakșur eșa savitā sakala-grahāṇaṁ
rāja-samasta-sura-mūrtir aśeșa-tejāḥ
yasyājñayā bhramati sambhŗta-kāla-cakro
govindam ādi-purușam tam ahaṁ bhajāmi"
Individual evidence
- ^ Matsubara, Mitsunori: Pancaratra Samhitas and Early Vaisnava Theology . Motilal Banarsidass, New Delhi 1994.