Mahāvākyas
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The Mahavakyas are the four "Great Sayings" of the Upanishads, the religious texts of Hinduism. Each of the Mahavakyas belongs to one of the four Vedas and is said to condense the essence of the entire Veda in one statement.
These sayings encapsulate the central Truth of Hinduism.
The Mahavakyas are:
- Prajnanam Brahma - "Consciousness is Brahman" (Aitareya Upanishad 3.3 of the Rig Veda)
- Ayam Atma Brahma - "This Self (Atman) is Brahman" (Mandukya Upanishad 1.2 of the Atharva Veda)
- Tat Tvam Asi - "Thou art That" (Chandogya Upanishad 6.8.7 of the Sama Veda)
- Aham Brahmasmi - "I am Brahman" (Brhadaranyaka Upanishad 1.4.10 of the Yajur Veda)
All four of these great statements indicate the unity of the individual Atman (Self) with Brahman (God). Brahman is the Absolute Reality, Cosmic Consciousness, the fundamental God-stuff from which all divinities and all worlds arise and Hinduism asserts that each human being, in her or his innermost Self, is this ultimate transcendent God-Reality. It is through practices like yoga, and meditation that the individual can realize her or his unity with the Divine and escape the bonds of this world.
The Kanchi Paramacharya says in the book "Hindu Dharma" [1]:
| “ | It is to attain this highest of states in which the individual self dissolves inseperably in Brahman that a man becomes a sannyasin after forsaking the very karma that gives him inward maturity. When he is initiated into sannyasa he is taught four mantras, the four [principal] mahavakyas. | ” |
The Kanchi Paramacharya (ultimate guru) is also called Jagadguru which means NON-sentient (matter)guru, which explains his focus upon 'dissolving into NON-consciousness'. Not realising that this is only one third of the aspects or attributes of the Self/Brahman.
