Bhagavaan

BHAGWAN One who controls Creation, maintenance and annihilation, he is called Bhagwan. That object which possesses opulence, righteousness, fame, wealth, knowledge and dispassion in fullness, that is called ‘Bhaga’. The Supreme Lord is known as Bhagwan because he holds the ‘Bhag’. Otherwise one who simultaneously knows creation, annihilation and also the past and future birth, knowledge and ignorance of living beings, he is called as Bhagawan. Vishnu-Purana explains this name in details, giving meaning to each and every syllable of word ‘Bhagwan’— संभर्तेति तथा भर्ताभकारार्थो द्वयान्वितः। नेतागमयिता स्त्रष्टागकारार्थस्तथा मुने॥ ऐश्वर्यस्य समग्रस्य वीर्यस्य यशसः श्रियः। ज्ञानवैराग्ययोश्चैव षण्णां भग इतीरणा॥ वसन्ति तत्र भूतानि भूतात्मन्यखिलात्मनि। स च भूतेष्वशेषेषु वकारार्थस्ततोऽव्ययः॥ The syllable ‘Bha’ in the word Bhagwan means— maintainer and eternal support. ‘Ga’ means— the leader who grants the fruits of actions, the destiny who destroys at the time of annihilation, the creator who creates the material world in the beginning. ‘Va’ means one who resides in everything and everything resides in him. That is called Bhagwan. Furthermore, the purport of word ‘Bhagwan’ is given here according to Vishnu-Purana— उत्पत्तिं प्रलयं चैव भूतानामगतिं गतिम्। वेत्ति विद्यामविद्यां च स वाच्यो भगवानिति॥ ज्ञानशक्तिबलैश्वर्यवीर्यतेजांस्यशेषतः। भगवच्छ्ब्दवाच्यानि विना हेयैर्गुणादिभिः॥ One who knows the birth, death, appearance, disappearance, knowledge and ignorance of all, that is called Bhagwan. The aggregate of knowledge, strength, power, opulence, valor and luster, all these qualities without any mixture of inferior qualities rest in whom, that sustainer is called as Bhagwan. The thing which is used is called ‘Bhaga’. Aggregate of useful qualities is called Bhagwan. In this point of view, Shiva is the only Bhaga and scrutinizingly he is called a ‘possessor of Bhaga’ or Bhagwan. Otherwise if popular meaning is adopted then Mahamaya ( the divine potency) is the Bhag of entire creation. That means entire creation is originated from Mahamaya only. And Shankar is the master of that Mahamaya, so he is called Bhagwan. Another commendable meaning of Bhagwan is given here according to Shiv-Gita— सर्वभावान् निरीक्ष्येऽहमात्मज्ञानं निरीक्षये। योगं च गमये तस्माद्भगवान् महतो मतः॥ Purport: Bharga is called as Bhagwan because 1) it sees everything through self-realization, 2) it imparts the knowledge of Yoga, 3) it is pervaded in everything. According to Batukopnishad, there is a wonderful description of word ‘Bhagwan’ – अथ कस्मादुच्यते भगवान् महेश्वरो, यस्माद् भक्ता ज्ञानेन भजन्ति अनुगृह्णाति च वाचं संसृजति विसृजति च सर्वान् परित्यज्यात्मज्ञानेन योगैश्वर्येण महति महीयते तस्मादुच्यते भगवान् महेश्वरः। भुवनानि ना अवते तस्मादुच्यते भगवान् बटुकेश्वरः। According to Puranas there is a detailed explanation of word ‘Bhagwan’ – यत्तदव्यक्तमजरमचिन्त्यमजमव्ययम्। अनिर्देश्यमरूपं च पाणिपादाद्यसंयुतम्॥ विभुं सर्वगतं नित्यं भूतयोनिरकारणम्। व्याप्यव्याप्तं यतः सर्वं यद्वै पश्यन्ति सूरयः॥ तद्ब्रह्म तत्परं धाम तद्ध्येयं मोक्षकांक्षिभिः। श्रुतिवाक्योदितं सूक्ष्मं तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम्॥ तदेव भगवद्वाच्यं स्वरूपं परमात्मनः। वाचको भगवच्छ्ब्दस्तस्याद्यस्याक्षयात्मनः॥ Purport: One who is Avyakta (unmanifested), Ajar (free from old age), Avicharniya (inconceivable), Ajanma ( without birth), Akshin ( without decay), Anirdeshya ( inexplicable), and who is devoid of hands, legs, and who is absolute, unlimited, eternal, prime cause of all elements, causeless, all-pervading, inaccessible, empowering everything, known by scholars, he is Brahman, he is prime effulgence, he is the destiny of monks, he is sole aim of scriptures, he is subtle, he is the prime support and he is said to be Bhagwan. Assimilation of divine qualities is the true sense of worship of Bhagwan.