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'''Brahmā''' (devanāgarī: ब्रह्मा) is the [[Hinduism|Hindu]] god of creation and one of the [[Trimūrti]], the others being [[Viṣṇu]] and [[Śiva]]. This Sanskrit word derives from the verbal root ''bṛh'' "to expand, grow, fructify", because "Brahma ‘expands’ and becomes the Universe woven out of his own substance" <ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Secret Doctrine'' vol. I (London: The Theosohpical Publishing House, 1978), 83</ref> In one of his [[Mahatma Letter No. 44|letters]], [[Morya|Mahatma M.]] says it is "the vivifying expansive force of nature in its eternal evolution." <ref>Vicente Hao Chin, Jr. ''Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in chronological sequence'' No. 44 (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 118</ref>
'''Brahmā''' (devanāgarī: ब्रह्मा) is the [[Hinduism|Hindu]] god of creation and one of the [[Trimūrti]], the others being [[Viṣṇu]] and [[Śiva]]. This Sanskrit word derives from the verbal root ''bṛh'' "to expand, grow, fructify", because "Brahma ‘expands’ and becomes the Universe woven out of his own substance" <ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Secret Doctrine'' vol. I (London: The Theosohpical Publishing House, 1978), 83</ref> In one of his [[Mahatma Letter No. 44|letters]], [[Morya|Mahatma M.]] says it is "the vivifying expansive force of nature in its eternal evolution." <ref>Vicente Hao Chin, Jr. ''Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in chronological sequence'' No. 44 (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 118</ref>


In her ''Theosophical Glossary'' [[H. P. Blavatsky]] says:
In [[The Theosophical Glossary (book)|''The Theosophical Glossary'']] [[H. P. Blavatsky]] says:


<blockquote>The student must distinguish between Brahma the neuter, and Brahmâ, the male creator of the Indian Pantheon. The former, Brahma or Brahman, is the impersonal, supreme and uncognizable Principle of the Universe from the essence of which all emanates, and into which all returns, which is incorporeal, immaterial, unborn, eternal, beginningless and endless. It is all-pervading, animating the highest god as well as the smallest mineral atom. Brahmâ on the other hand, the male and the alleged Creator, exists periodically in his manifestation only, and then again goes into pralaya, i.e., disappears and is annihilated.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Theosophical Glossary'' (Krotona, CA: Theosophical Publishing House, 1973), 62</ref></blockquote>
<blockquote>The student must distinguish between Brahma the neuter, and Brahmâ, the male creator of the Indian Pantheon. The former, Brahma or Brahman, is the impersonal, supreme and uncognizable Principle of the Universe from the essence of which all emanates, and into which all returns, which is incorporeal, immaterial, unborn, eternal, beginningless and endless. It is all-pervading, animating the highest god as well as the smallest mineral atom. Brahmâ on the other hand, the male and the alleged Creator, exists periodically in his manifestation only, and then again goes into pralaya, i.e., disappears and is annihilated.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Theosophical Glossary'' (Krotona, CA: Theosophical Publishing House, 1973), 62</ref></blockquote>

Revision as of 20:00, 2 April 2012

Brahmā (devanāgarī: ब्रह्मा) is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimūrti, the others being Viṣṇu and Śiva. This Sanskrit word derives from the verbal root bṛh "to expand, grow, fructify", because "Brahma ‘expands’ and becomes the Universe woven out of his own substance" [1] In one of his letters, Mahatma M. says it is "the vivifying expansive force of nature in its eternal evolution." [2]

In The Theosophical Glossary H. P. Blavatsky says:

The student must distinguish between Brahma the neuter, and Brahmâ, the male creator of the Indian Pantheon. The former, Brahma or Brahman, is the impersonal, supreme and uncognizable Principle of the Universe from the essence of which all emanates, and into which all returns, which is incorporeal, immaterial, unborn, eternal, beginningless and endless. It is all-pervading, animating the highest god as well as the smallest mineral atom. Brahmâ on the other hand, the male and the alleged Creator, exists periodically in his manifestation only, and then again goes into pralaya, i.e., disappears and is annihilated.[3]

In Theosophical literature Brahmā is usually identified with the manifested Logos.

Notes

  1. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, The Secret Doctrine vol. I (London: The Theosohpical Publishing House, 1978), 83
  2. Vicente Hao Chin, Jr. Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in chronological sequence No. 44 (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 118
  3. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Theosophical Glossary (Krotona, CA: Theosophical Publishing House, 1973), 62