Brahma Samhita
Encyclopedia
The Brahma Samhita is a Sanskrit
Pancaratra
text, composed of verses of prayer spoken by Brahma
glorifying the supreme ord Sri Krishna] or Govinda at the beginning of creation. It is revered within Gaudiya Vaishnavism
, whose founder, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
(1486–1534), re-discovered a part of the work, the 62 verses of Chapter 5, at the Adikeshav Temple in Thiruvattur, Kerala, Southern India in the 16th Century which had previously been lost for a few centuries. Mitsunori Matsubara in his Pancaratra Samhitas and Early Vaisnava Theology dates the text at ca 1300 AD. The text contains a highly esoteric description, with the Kama-Gayatri
, of Krishna in His abode Goloka
.
In 1971 George Harrison
produced a modern recording of these prayers along with the Hare Om
devotees of the Radha Krsna Temple
in London entitled 'Govindam', taking its title from the main chorus line of the prayer "govindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajami" meaning "I worship Govinda
, the primeval Lord". This prayer was sung by a disciple of Srila Prabhupāda-Yamuna mataji.
Which translates to:
The text was first translated from Sanskrit into English by Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur in 1932 and is often sung or recited as a both devotional and philosophical text.
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
Pancaratra
Pañcaratra
Pāñcarātra are the Vaishnava Sanskrit texts dedicated to worship of Narayana and form part of the Agamas.Unlike Vaikhanasa tradition, the Pancaratric tradition of Agamas prescribe image worship in the place of rituals like Yajnas, mentioned in the Vedas...
text, composed of verses of prayer spoken by Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
glorifying the supreme ord Sri Krishna] or Govinda at the beginning of creation. It is revered within Gaudiya Vaishnavism
Gaudiya Vaishnavism
Gaudiya Vaishnavism is a Vaishnava religious movement founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in India in the 16th century. "Gaudiya" refers to the Gauḍa region with Vaishnavism meaning "the worship of Vishnu"...
, whose founder, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was a Vaishnava saint and social reformer in eastern India in the 16th century, believed by followers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism to be the full incarnation of Lord Krishna...
(1486–1534), re-discovered a part of the work, the 62 verses of Chapter 5, at the Adikeshav Temple in Thiruvattur, Kerala, Southern India in the 16th Century which had previously been lost for a few centuries. Mitsunori Matsubara in his Pancaratra Samhitas and Early Vaisnava Theology dates the text at ca 1300 AD. The text contains a highly esoteric description, with the Kama-Gayatri
Gayatri
Gayatri is the feminine form of , a Sanskrit word for a song or a hymn. Gayatri is a consort of Brahma and the goddess of learning. Brahma married her when there was a need for a companion during a yajna. Brahma had to start the yajna along with his wife...
, of Krishna in His abode Goloka
Goloka
Goloka is the eternal abode of Krishna, Svayam bhagavan according to some Vaishnava schools, including Gaudiya Vaishnavism and the Swaminarayan Sampraday....
.
In 1971 George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
produced a modern recording of these prayers along with the Hare Om
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness , known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava religious organization. It was founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada...
devotees of the Radha Krsna Temple
Radha Krsna Temple
The Radha Krishna Temple was the headquarters of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness in London from the late 1960s. The temple came to prominence when The Beatles and especially George Harrison started to publicly express their interest in Eastern philosophy and Krishna consciousness...
in London entitled 'Govindam', taking its title from the main chorus line of the prayer "govindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajami" meaning "I worship Govinda
Govinda
' and ' are names of Krishna, referring to his youthful occupation as a cowherd. He is regarded as the Supreme Godhead in the Vaishnava tradition and also by much of the pan-Hindu tradition...
, the primeval Lord". This prayer was sung by a disciple of Srila Prabhupāda-Yamuna mataji.
Recovered text
The recovered fragment of the Śrī Brahma-samhitā commences at the fifth chapter. verse 1 states:īśvarah paramah krsnah, sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahah
anādir ādir govindah, sarva-kārana-kāranam
Which translates to:
Om OmOm is a sacred syllable of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.OM and similar may also refer to:-Music:* Om , a stoner metal band* Om , a 1965 album* OM , a 2006 album* Om...
who is known as GovindaGovinda' and ' are names of Krishna, referring to his youthful occupation as a cowherd. He is regarded as the Supreme Godhead in the Vaishnava tradition and also by much of the pan-Hindu tradition...
is the Supreme God.
He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all.
He has no other origin and He is the prime cause of all causes.
The text was first translated from Sanskrit into English by Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur in 1932 and is often sung or recited as a both devotional and philosophical text.
See also
- Achintya Bheda AbhedaAchintya Bheda AbhedaAchintya-Bheda-Abheda is a school of Vedanta representing the philosophy of inconceivable one-ness and difference, in relation to the power creation and creator, , svayam bhagavan. and also between God and his energies within the Gaudiya Vaishnava religious tradition...
- Brahma SampradayaBrahma SampradayaThe Brahma Sampradaya refers to the disciplic succession of gurus starting with Brahma in Hinduism. The term is most often used to refer to the beliefs and teachings of Madhvacharya and his Dvaita philosophy. Sometimes it may also refer to the teachings of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and his Gaudiya...
- Jiva GoswamiJiva GoswamiJiva Goswami is one of the most prolific and important philosopher and saint from the Gaudiya Vaishnava school of Vedanta tradition, producing a great number of philosophical works on the theology and practice of Bhakti yoga, Vaishnava Vedanta and associated disciplines...
- SamhitaSamhitaSamhita may refer to"*the basic metrical text of each of the Vedas**specifically, these texts with sandhi applied *post-Vedic texts known as Samhitas:** Ashtavakra Gita...
- SatchitanandaSatchitanandaSaccidānanda, Satchidananda, or Sat-cit-ānanda is a compound of three Sanskrit words, Sat , Cit , and Ānanda , meaning Existence , Consciousness, and Bliss respectively...
Further reading
- Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati, Goswami, (trans.), Sri Brahma-Samhita, with commentary by Srila Jiva Goswami, Sri Gaudiya Math 1932, reprint BBT, Los Angeles, 1985.
- Matsubara, Mitsunori, Pancaratra Samhitas and Early Vaisnava Theology, Motilal Banarsidass, New Delhi, 1994.
- Narayana, Bhaktivedanta, Swami, (trans.), Sri Brahma Samhita, Fifth Chapter, with the full commentary by Srila Jiva Goswami, Gaudiya Vedanta Publications, Vrindavana UP, 2003.
- Otto Schrader, F., Introduction to the Pancaratra and the Ahirbudhnya Samhita, Adyar Library, Madras 1916. Second edition 1973.
- Sagar, B.A., Tridandi Bhiksu, (trans.), Sri Brahma-samhita, Quintessence of Reality the Beautiful, with the commentary by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, Nabadwip 1992.
External links
- Sri Brahma Samhita, Chapter 5: Hymn to the Absolute Truth (brahmasamhita.com)
- Foreword to Brahma Samhita by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati (vedabase.net)