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Bhagavān, (alternate spellings including Bhagvān, Bhagwan or Bhagawan, from the Sanskrit nt-stem bhaga-vant- nominative भगवान् Bhagavān) is a term for God used in Hinduism particularly in the Vaisnava traditions where God is conceived as a caring, compassionate person concerned for the welfare of his creatures. This word is generally translated into English language as Lord. Bhagavān can also be an honorific title for a God-realized (i.e. fully enlightened) human being or an incarnation of God in human form (avatara) such as Rama and Krishna. In the Pali scriptures Gautama Buddha is referred to as Bhagavān Buddha (translated with the phrase 'Lord Buddha' or 'The Blessed One'[1]).
Bhagavān literally means - 'possessing fortune', 'prosperous' (from the noun bhaga, meaning "fortune, wealth", cognate to Slavic bog "god", Russian богатый (bogatyj) "wealthy"), and hence "illustrious, divine, venerable, holy", etc.[2]
Vishnu Purana (Sloka VI.v.78) defines Bhagavān as he:-
who is aware of the creation and dissolution of the universe, of the appearance and disappearance of beings, as well as of Vidyā ('wisdom') and Avidya ('nescience'), should be designated as Bhagavān. The same text defines Bhaga in the following words (Sloka.VI.v.74):-
which mean - 'entire glory', 'entire virtue', 'entire renown', 'entire prosperity', 'entire wisdom' and 'total dispassion' – these six are collectively known as Bhaga.[3] The Sanskrit dictionaries do not give a direct meaning of the word, Bhagavān (भगवान्), they indirectly indicate that it denotes God - यत्र भक्तः तत्र भगवान् meaning – 'where there is the faithful, there is God'.[4] The word, Bhagavat (भगवत्) means – 'glorious', 'illustrious', 'revered', 'venerable', 'holy' – an epithet applied to gods, demi-gods and other holy or respectable personages – Vāsudeva is addressed as Bhagavan Vasudeva (भगवान् वासुदेव). Both words are derived from the root भज् ('to honour', 'to adore') – भज् + घ = भगः which also means – 'omnipotence'.[5]
In Tamil, Bhagavān (Tamil: பகவன்) can find its roots in Pagu (பகு) meaning - 'skim', Pagir (பகிர்) meaning - 'share', and hence one skims and clears ultimate, one who shares his own with creation is Bhagavān. திருக்குறள் तिरुक्कुरल् Oldest available philosophic text roughly dated 2000 years begins with ஆதி பகவன் (आदि भगवान) (ādi bhagavn) as in அகர முதல எழுத்தெல்லாம் ஆதி பகவன் முதற்றே உலகு (अगर मुधल एज़ुथ्थेल्लम् आदि भगवन मुधत्त्रे उलगु) (Agara mudhala ezhuththellaam ādi bhagavān mudhattre ulagu)
In Hinduism, the word, Bhagavān, indicates the Supreme Being or Absolute Truth conceived as a Personal God.[6][7] This personal feature indicated by the word Bhagavān differentiates its usage from other similar terms[8] such as Brahman, the "Supreme Spirit" or "spirit", and thus, in this usage, Bhagavan is analogous to the Christian conception of God the Father. In Vaisnavism, a devotee of Bhagvān Krishna is called a Bhāgavata.
The Bhagavata Purana (1.2.11) states the definition of Bhagavān to mean the supreme most being:
The Learned Know the Absolute Truth call this non-dual substance Brahman, Paramatma or Bhagavan.[a]
Bhagavān used as a title of veneration is often directly used as "Lord", as in "Bhagavān Rama", "Bhagavān Krishna", "Bhagavān Shiva", etc. In Buddhism and Jainism, Gautama Buddha, Mahavira and other Tirthankaras, Buddhas and bodhisattvas are also venerated with this title. The feminine of Bhagavat is Bhagawatī and is an epithet of Durga and other goddesses. This title is also used by a number of contemporary spiritual teachers in India who claim to be Bhagavan or have realized impersonal Brahman.
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In place of the word Bhagavata, in Buddhist texts the word "Bhagavā" is used many times in the Pali suttas to refer to the Buddha, as the 'the fortunate one'.[10] The term "Bhagavā" has been used in Pali Anussati or recollections as one of the terms that describes the "Tathāgata" as one full of good qualities, as arhat, sammā-sambuddho and sugato (Dīgha Nikāya II.93).[11]
In the Buddha anussati, Bhagavan is defined the following way:
Iti pi so Bhagavā
Thus is Buddha,
Sākamunisa bhagavato is recorded in the kharoshthi dedication of a vase placed in a Buddhist stupa by the Greek meridarch (civil governor of a province) named Theodorus (Tarn, p391):
Bhagavan means - the possessor of Bhaga, and is used as an honourific; as is found in these two statements:-
Bhakti (devotion to God) consists in actions performed dedicated to the Paramatman, the individuated existence which has free-will and who is the final cause of the world; the Vedic Rishis describe the goals originated from God as Bhagavān, the Ananda aspect of God where God has manifested His personality is called Bhagavān when consciousness (pure self-awareness) aligns with those goals to cause the unified existence and commencement of works follow. [13] The available Vedic texts do not throw any light on the origination and development of the concept of Bhagavān; the Vedas do speak about Rudra deva as Shiva, which term actually means benevolent.[14]
In Bhagavata Dharma it denotes Narayana Vasudeva's four vyuha formations. Ishvara or God is called Bhagavan and the person consecrated to Bhagavan is called a Bhagavata. The Bhagavata Purana (I.iii.28) identifies Krishna as Narayana, Vāsudeva, Vishnu and Hari – Bhagavan present in human form.[15] Bhagavan is the complete revelation of the Divine; Brahman, the impersonal Absolute, is unqualified and therefore, never expressed; Paramatman is Bhagavan in relation to Prakṛti and the Jiva;[16] And, the Yoga of Devotion implies that if a Bhagavata, the devotee of Bhagavan, seeks and longs for Bhagavan, then Bhagavan too seeks his devotee in equal measure, for there can be no Yoga of knowledge without a human seeker of the knowledge, the supreme subject of knowledge and the divine use by the individual of the universal faculties of knowledge.[17]