The Great Sayings of the Vedas
The Great Sayings are called the four Mahavakyas of the Upanishads from each of the four Vedas of the Hindus. These are great in the sense that the truth about our real status is revealed.
All the four Vedas of Hindus are full of sayings which reveal the truth about life and beyond. But four sayings one from an Upanishad (Parts of Vedas which are the fundamental texts of Vedanta) of each Veda are termed as ‘The Great Sayings’ or in Hindi????????(Mahavakayas). These are as follows:
1. From Aitareya Upanishad of the Rig Veda:
Prajñanam Brahma
“Consciousness is Brahman”
2. From Mandukya Upanishad of the Atharva Veda:
Ayamatma Brahma
“This Self (Atman) is Brahman”
3. From Chandogya Upanishad of the Sama Veda:
Tat tvamasi
“Thou art that”
4. From Brhadaranyaka Upanishad of the Yajur Veda:
AhamBrahmasmi
“I am Brahman”
Wonderful Revelations
It is wrong to label the Vedantic knowledge as mere philosophy. The word ‘philosophy’ like many words of the English language are not appropriate for expressing the real knowledge contained in the Hindu scriptures. Only the Sanskrit language can do justice in expressing the deep truth of ancient Vedic knowledge. The western philosophy is ever changing with new developments whereas the Vedic or Vedantic knowledge has no need of development as it reveals the absolute Truth which is beyond change.
So the Mahavakyas or the four great sayings as mentioned above reveal the truth that the Brahman is our true or real or over self and we are not merely this physical body, which in fact is only an instrument or a puppet of the controlling entity viz. the Over-self.
How far is your Mukti (Emancipation)? …
Only as far or as near as the day when you realise this truth that “Tat tvamasi” Or “Thou art that”.
Article by: Jyotirvid Pawan Kumar
