Brahma (poem)
"Brahma" is a poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson, written in 1856. It is named for Brahman, the universal principle[1] of the Vedas.
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BRAHMA is one of the poems composed by Ralph Waldo Emerson, an American transcendentalist of the nineteenth century. The poem is composed in the form of a dramatic lyric. The central speaker of the poem is Brahma Himself, who according to Hindu philosophers of India, is Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent. The impact of the Vedantic philosophy, the Gita and the Katha Upanishad is remarkable. Body is for some certain period of time but within the body of man there is soul that is the divine spark, eternal, everlasting and never ending. It is a part of the Over-Soul Who is the supreme God, the Super Power of the Universe.
The first group of American thinkers who observed the Non-western philosophy was the Transcendentalist.Emerson was the leader and other prominent members of this group were Thoreau, Margaret Fuller, Alcott & Elizabeth Peabody.Transcendentalism opposed the dogmatic concept of belief & urged to think freely.Transcendentalism has the oriental principle, Hinduism is the dominating one as the leader of the group was highly impressed by the Indian Philosophy from the very outset.The terrific concept of Hinduism urged Emerson to jot down the theme for the West which was new for them. In this way he wrote poems "Brahma", "Self-Reliance" & an essay "Oversoul", a versified prose. In the poem there is the concept of Brahman: para & apara (formed & formless); Atman (a little part of Brahma) and Maya (transient,Physical beauty of the world). In the Upnisads,the 'formed' is described as unreal & the formless as real.Actually,the formed Brahma is the creation of Human mind to concentrate themselves as the human mind is very fickle & concentration ( linking of Atman to the Brahm) is the first way or condition to achieve salvation (Hinduism);salvation is the main objective of human life.
Different religions have different belief about their deity but the core concern of all is the Brahma,the super power.Thus,the theme of the poem is universal: The Brahma, the super power, has many little parts Atman,the human,who has to achieve salvation (linkage of Atman to the Brahma),but entrapped in Maya,transient one, the physical beauty of the world.One who can overcome the Maya will certainly understand the Brahma i.e the achievement of salvation.