What is the difference between saguna and nirguna brahman

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What is Saguna and Nirguna Brahman? By Dr. Harsh K. Many Savikalpa Samadhis give rise to the living form of the Ishta Devata. Nirvikalpa Samadhi reveals the Nirguna nature of the Self. There are a number of books on Hinduism that discuss Saguna and Nirguna Brahman.

All of such concepts and topics of discussion can also be found in the conversations Sri Ramana had with various visitors, scholars, and yogis for over 50 years. In addition, the recollections of various devotees given in many books are quite good. One sees that Sri Ramana was very flexible and open to people who came with a sincere desire for self-knowledge. In his acceptance of all, even the monkeys and squirrels and animals who were always around him, Sri Ramana emanated a perpetual aura of kindness.

Like this: Like Loading Why ask for philosophical proof of concepts? It is the idea that Brahman has no particular form and is present within all living beings and everywhere.

The Taittiriya Upanishad tells Hindus that:. Another way that Brahman is perceived is as Saguna Brahman. This means that Brahman has a form, identity and purpose, which may vary over time. These deities help Hindu worshippers to focus on images or statues, also known as murtis.

This type of devotion is known as bhakti and is one of the ways identified by Lord Krishna in the Hindu text Bhagavad Gita to achieve union with Brahman. He is the object of worship. He is worshipped in different names and forms such as Rama, Krishna, Shiva or Jesus. It is God as Saguna Brahman which has such qualities as love, kindness and mercy.

In short, Saguna Brahman is personal God. From the absolute point of view, however, the world is realized to be unreal, and hence God ceases to be regarded as any real creator, or possessed of any qualities like omniscience, omnipotence etc. He can be neither worshipped nor prayed to. Even these descriptions cannot directly convey the idea of Brahman.

They only serve to deny its unreality, unconsciousness, and finiteness. This distinction is the product of ignorance avidya. Due to ignorance, the world we live in seems real, but when ignorance is replaced by knowledge, reality is seen to be different from it.

To the ignorant person, the atman appears as the individual ego under the limitations of body and mind. Similarly, Nirguna Brahman appears as Saguna Brahman to him.

It is obvious that it is only with respect to God as Saguna Brahman that we can talk about omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence and omnibenevolence and accordingly hold him responsible for the good and evil in the empirical world. On the other hand, God as Nirguna Brahman, being the sole reality is beyond good and evil. Sankara realizes the need for the concept of Saguna Brahman as it develops genuine religious consciousness in unenlightened persons.

It is necessary for the cultivation of moral virtues and practices necessary for the realization of Nirguna Brahman. However, Sankara stresses that the knowledge of reality cannot be attained unless one goes beyond the Saguna Brahman.

Only knowledge of Nirguna Brahman is liberating knowledge.