4. Akṣarabrahman (Introduction)

As we noted that in the Svāminārāyaṇa Vedanta School, its five eternal entities (or realities) are its important and unique contribution to the philosophical world; Parabrahman, Brahman, māyā, īśvara, and jīva. This section highlights the second-165

highest entity Akṣarabrahman’s nature and form and its ontological distinctness and significance. Akṣarabrahman is also known as Akṣara and Brahman. Moreover, through this section, we will get the answer that why Akṣarabrahman is so significant in the Vedanta studies.

The Bhāṣyakāra reveals:

vedavedāntaśāstreṣu pracchannaṃ gūḍhamakṣaram |
prathamamujjughoṣātra svaminārāyaṇo bhuvi || Svāminārāyaṇa Siddhāntasudhā Kārikā 13 ||

“The entity of Akṣarabrahman was esoteric-almost as if concealed–within the Vedas and Upaniṣads. It was revealed to the world for the first time by Svāminārāyaṇa.”

The entity of Akṣarabrahman uniquely stands amid all eastern and western philosophy. As we get into the profound discussion, firstly, we should keep this point in our mind that it is not Parabrahman.

As we mentioned, next to Parabrahman, in the order of being an ontological reality is Akṣarabrahman. Parabrahman-Puruṣottama is higher than Akṣarabrahman; and Akṣarabrahman is higher than māyā-prakṛti, īśvara, and jīvas. Akṣarabrahman is frequently addressed merely as ‘Akṣara’ or ‘Brahman’ in the Svāminārāyaṇa tradition.

Just as Parabrahman, the highest reality, is one, unique and matchless, so is Akṣarabrahman one, unique and matchless by his distinctive characteristics and glory, in comparison to other mats subservient to him. Of course, both Akṣara (Brahman) and Puruṣottama (Parabrahman) are distinct realities, of which the former is eternally dependent on Parabrahman while later is ever the only independent; nevertheless, Akṣarabrahman shares eternal togetherness with Puruṣottama on account of his highest love, devotion, and servitude unto Him. Besides Parabrahman, he alone is eternally free from the trace of three guṇas of māyā-prakṛti and was never in bondage, and hence free eternally. Thus, Akṣarabrahman is one and unique. It is a class by itself. It is a one-membered class, totally self-same. Akṣarabrahman is always referred to as uniquely one and only one.

The Śruti declares that the knowledge of Akṣarabrahman is the paravidyā.

“Para yaya tad Akṣaram adhigamyate”

“And the higher than that (all other arts and sciences is the knowledge) by which the imperishable Akṣarabrahman is apprehended.

Similarly, the importance of Akṣarabrahman is implied, according to Svāminārāyaṇa in the opening verse of the Bhāgavatam thus:

“Dhamna svena sada nirasta kuhakam satyam param dhimalhi.” (Bhāgavata-purāṇa 1/1/1)

“God is the Supreme Truth/Reality, who through His abode, the Akṣarabrahman (i.e., by making a seeker similar to Akṣarabrahman/ dhāma) has dispelled the darkness (ignorance) born of māyā enveloping them.

More or less on the same line, the Śruti also asserts that–

“Pranavo dhanuh saro hyhatma brahma tallaksyamucyate. Apramattena veddhavyam garavattanmayo bhavet.” (Mundaka-upaniṣad 2/2/4)

Pranava (AUM/ mystic syllable) is the bow. The ātman is the arrow and Brahman is the target. It is to be hit, i.e., meditated upon by a man who is undistracted, and then as the arrow becomes one with the target, he will get lost in the (Para)Brahman. Here, the word ‘Brahman’ as target refers to Parabrahman resting in an abode called Akṣarabrahman, Thus, it refers to both, because it speaks of becoming one with Akṣarabrahman (becoming like Akṣara) and getting lost lovingly in Parabrahman.

Brahman and Parabrahman, for the attainment of brahmavidyā both, are necessary. Akṣarabrahman is the most powerful medium to be eligible in the service of Puruṣottama. One who becomes like Akṣarabrahman alone can find a place at the feet of Parabrahman. In this way, both Brahman and Parabrahman are essential as the goal of brahmavidyā. Akṣarabrahman is unchanging (nirvikara) and indivisible (i.e., partless = niraṃśa), Akṣarabrahman is the substratum of everything including Mūlapuruṣa, Mūlaprakṛti, and the products thereof, and he is immanent in them by his power of permeation. Therefore. very often, Akṣarabrahman is described as everything (sarvarūpa). Akṣara is smaller than the smallest, and (but for Puruṣottama) is immanent in everything. Save Puruṣottama, Akṣara is bigger than the biggest. These two respectively are the nirguṇa and the saguṇa aspects of the same Akṣarabrahman.

Svāminārāyaṇa narrates elaborately that, Akṣarabrahman is steady (acala), stable (kūṭastha), unwaning (avyaya), steadfast (dhruva), and unmanifest (avyakta). Akṣarabrahman indwells in the hearts of all sentient selves (jīvas and īśvara) as the micro-abode wherein Puruṣottama (Parabrahman) resides as the witness and the Inner Self of all, and hence, he too, at times, is described as witness and antaryāmīn.

Akṣarabrahman is of the nature of the truth-existence-consciousness, unlimited, infinite, all-pervading, partless, imperishable, and eternal. It is the abode, the divine residence of Parabrahman. In its formful-personal aspect, he is eternally in the service of God, and in its formful-personal aspect, it is the abode of God. Akṣarabrahman is pure, eternally accomplished, unchanging-stable, illuminator of māyā, etc., and the support of all the abodes and universes, therefore, this Akṣarabrahman ought to be known. The scriptures also endorse the view that the same Akṣarabrahman has four forms, with which it expresses variously. Akṣarabrahman is spoken of as one full of consciousness, of the nature of knowledge. Eternal in character, of the nature of bliss and has the capacity to present (itself) in different forms.