General notion of the Brahman

The Philosophy of the Brahman is the most important concept of the Vedānta. The Vedānta is the source of knowledge of the Brahman. The original cause of the universe, ultimate reality, and indestructible principle at the origin of the universe is described by the Upaniṣads. The description of Vedic Brahman has been presented in the Mahābhārata.

Here Kapila says—

“There are two Brāhmaṇas namely Śabdabrahman i.e. the Vedas and the supreme self.^[1]

The Mahābhārata describes the Brahman as effulgent or Jyotih. M.B. also describes the Brahman as unmanifest.

The ultimate reality is Brahman. This is revealed in various definitions which are given in the Upaniṣads and other books. The Īśāvāsyopaniṣad says that,

pūrṇamadaḥ pūrṇamidaṃ pūrṇātpūrṇamudacyate |
pūrṇasya pūrṇamādāya pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate || iti |

This is full and so is that full comes out of the full taking away the full from the full, the full remains forever. The kaṭhopaniṣad says,

“aśabdamasparśamarūpamavyayaṃ tathārasannityamagandhavacca yat |
anādyanantammannataḥ parandhruvaṃ nicāyya tanmṛtyumukhātpramucyate || ”^[2]

The ever unchangeable is devoid of sound, touch, form, taste and smell. It is without beginning or end, ever beyond the prime cause of all evolution knowing that one escapes the all devouring jaws of death. According to Taittarīyopaniṣad:

“yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante yena jātāni jīvanti
  yatprayantyabhisaṃviśanti tadvijijñāsasva tadbrahma || ”

Try to realise that whence arise these beings by which they stand, sustain and unto which they return and become naught that indeed is Brahman.

Pañcadaśi discusses:

adṛṣṭvā darpaṇaṃ naiva tadantasthekṣaṇaṃ tathā |
amatvā saccidānandaṃ nāmarūpamatiṃḥ kutaḥ || Pañcadaśi–102.

Without the glass there is no possibility of a sight of the reflection whence then could there be any possibility of the knowledge of name and forms without assuming that which is existence, consciousness and bliss.

The great principle of manifestation is Brahman, that the Brahman was invested with concrete individuality and sacrifice was regarded as a cosmological force, the Brahman was assigned with the role of creative agency and there after the ideas culminated in to the role of Prajāpati or Svayambhu. This description of Brahman is consistent with the Mahābhārata When Vasiṣṭha states that the supreme self, which is unmanifest creates Brahma who is also called Hiraṇyagarbha. Brahma is the first born. This entire world is the manifestation of him. Brahma is also described as effulgent and the one who pervades this entire world.^[3] Brahama is omniscient, omnipolent and ubiquitous.

In the description of the Brahman given by Kapila the Brahman is the order, truth or existence, the known to be known, the soul of all movables, immovable’s excellent, benevolent, unmanifest, immutable, and effulgement. Thus the Brahman was ultimately regarded as the support of everything.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

vedāḥ pramāṇaṃ lokānāṃ na vedāḥ pṛṣṭhataḥ kṛtāḥ | dve brahmaṇī veditavye śabdabrahma paraṃ ca yat |
śabdabrahmaṇi niṣṇātaḥ paraṃ brahmādhigacchati || Śāntiparva , 262-1.

[2]:

Kaṭhopaniṣad I. 3.15

[3]:

sṛjatyanantakarmāṇaṃ mahānta bhūtamagrajam |
mūrtimantamamūrtātmā viśvaṃ śuṃbhuḥ svayaṃbhuvaḥ ||
aṇimā laghimā prāptirīśānaṃ jyotiravyayam | sarvataḥ pāṇipādāntaṃ sarvatokṣiśiromukham ||