When, however, his ignorance is destroyed, he discovers that his true nature is Brahman and he is said to have attained Brahman. Thus, though Brahman is the real self of the embodied creature, It remains, as it were, un-attained by him. Though the individual soul is one with Brahman, on account of ignorance it identifies itself with the limited physical body and thus regards itself as other than Brahman. The reply is that the word attains is here used in a figurative sense. Only a limited entity can attain another limited entity. 9.)ĪTTAINS THE SUPREME.: It may be asked how, if Brahman is the all-pervading Reality and the inmost essence of all, It can be attained or reached. Compare: "He who knows the Supreme Brahman verily becomes Brahman." (Mu. The knower of Brahman attains Brahman because through knowing a certain thing the knower does not attain something else. Etymologically, the word Brahman means greatest. : The word Supreme denotes Brahman Itself.
This indeed is his head, this is his right wing, this is his left wing, this is his body (atman), this support is his tail.
He, that man, verily consists of the essence of food. he, being one with the omniscient Brahman,įrom that Atman (Brahman) was born akasa from akasa, air from air, fire from fire, water from water, earth from earth, herbs from herbs, food from food, man. On the above, the following mantra (Rik) is recorded:
He who knows Brahman attains the Supreme.