The first of the basic four is from BRIHADA-
RANYAKA UPANISHAD I. 4. 10: “Aham brahmasmi”
(I [aham] am [asmi] the ultimate reality [the
brahman]). In other words, the individual self
is identical to the ultimate reality of the brah-
man. From the CHANDOGYA UPANISHAD VI. 8. 7
is the second phrase, “Tat tvam asi” that [tat]
(is what) you [tvam] are [asi]. That refers to the
brahman, while you refers to the AT M A N, the indi-
vidual soul or self within every human being. In
Vedanta the atman as ultimate self and the brah-
man are seen to be one. This particular phrase
is used in succession eight times in chapter 6
of the Chandogya Upanishad, and once each in
sections 8 through 16, when Aruni, the father,
is teaching his son the truth of the Atman, the
Ultimate Self.
The third mahavakya is “ayam atma brahma”
(This [ayam] self [atma] is brahma.) This means
that the individual self is the Ultimate Reality, the
All, the brahman. This phrase is found verbatim
in MANDUKYA UPANISHAD I. 2 and is the logical
conclusion of statements made by YAJNAVALKYA
to two different questioners in Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad, II.4. 1; II.4.2 and II. 5.1. The fourth
phrase is taken from AITAREYA UPANISHAD, III.3.13:
“prajnanam brahma.” The Ultimate Reality is wis-
dom (or consciousness [prajnanam]).
Another mahavakya from the Upanishads
that is sometimes cited is “sarvam khalu idam
brahma” (All indeed is that [60]) (CHANDOGYA
UPANISHAD III.14.1 and Maitri Upanishad IV.6 2).
Other mahavakyas commonly cited are from the
commentaries of specific Vedanta philosophers
such as SHANKARA or from still other sources.
The word can be used generically to refer to the
“Great Sayings” of any particular person, for
example, SAI BABA OF SHIRDI.
Further reading: Jan Gonda, Notes on Brahman (Utre-
cht: J. L. Beyers, 1950); M. P. Pandit, Gleanings from the
Upanishads (Pondicherry: Dipti, 1969). R. Puligandla,
“That Thou Art”: The Wisdom of the Upanishads (Fre-
mont, Calif.: Asian Humanities Press, 2002).
Mahavira (c. 599–527 B.C.E.) Jain Arhat
(omniscient being)
Mahavira (great spiritual hero) is considered by
Jains to be the last of the great disseminators of
their faith in this half-era (see JAINISM). His life is
celebrated in legends and festivals and is consid-
ered a model for all Jains to imitate.
He was born in 599 in Kundagrama, a large
city near the modern city of Patna. His father,
Siddhartha, belonged to the Jnatri clan, and his
mother, Trishala, was the sister of the king of the
area. The texts say they were followers of the earlier
Jain TIRTHANKARA and teacher PARSHVANATH. They
named their child Vardhamana, “he who brings
prosperity.” The SHVETAMBARA Jains believe that
Mahavira was originally conceived by a Brahmin
couple, Rishabhadatta and Devananda, and that the
embryo was transferred into Trishala’s womb magi-
cally. DIGAMBARA Jains do not accept this story.
Before Mahavira’s birth Trishala had a series of
auspicious dreams. Of the two major Jain sects,
the SHVETAMBARAS say there were 14 dreams; the
DIGAMBARAS say 16. In these dreams she saw (1) a
white elephant, (2) a white bull, (3) a lion, (4) the
Goddess Sri, (5) garlands of mandara flowers, (6)
the full Moon, (7) the rising Sun, (8) a large and
beautiful flag, (9) a vase of fine metal, (10) a lake
full of lotuses, (11) an ocean of milk, (12) a celes-
tial house in the sky, (13) a huge heap of gems,
and (14) a blazing fire. Digambaras add (15) a
lofty throne and (16) a pair of fish cavorting in a
lake. Jains today recall and reenact these dreams
when they celebrate the five auspicious moments
of Mahavira’s life.
It is said that Vardhamana remained very
quiet inside the womb, exhibiting the Jain virtue
of AHIMSA or noninjury. He only moved when by
his powers he learned that his mother worried
he was not alive. His birth was accompanied by
many marvels as all beings celebrated the birth
of the Tirthankara, the karmically special unique
teacher, of this half-era.
Not much is known of his childhood. There
is a story of his subduing a ferocious snake by hisK 270 Mahavira