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The Sanskrit word, Tajjalan, is an Adjective whose meaning the Sanskrit Dictionary gives as – absorbed and breathing in that, produced.[1] It is a compound word interpreted as equivalent to taj-ja, tal-la and tad-ana.[2]
Badarayana defines Brahman as – Janamadi asaya yatah – meaning, "That (is Brahman) from which (are derived) the birth etc. of this (universe)" in which regard Adi Shankara states that the phrase, janmadi is a bahuvrihi compound where the subject presented is apprehended along with its attributes.[3] This definition of Brahman is called, Tatasthalakshana.
Taittiriya Upanishad (Second Valli First Anuvaka) defines Brahman as the source etc. of all that which exists, but it is the Chandogya Upanishad III.14 that by the following statement of Sandilya :-
- Sarvam khaluidam Brahman tajjalan iti shanta upasite
reveals Tajjalan, the secret name of Brahman, by which Brahman should be worshipped.
Adi Shankara gives the meaning of Tajjalan as – From this tad Brahman the universe has arisen ja, on dissolution it disappears li into this identical with Brahman; in the same way finally it is Brahman in whom the universe, after it is created, breathes an and lives - Tat-Ja-Li-An. Thus, "Tajjalan" is the mysterious name of the universe as identified with Brahman which word summarises the three attributes of Brahman as creator, preserver and destroyer of the universe, and presents the universe as non-different from Brahman in all three periods , past, present and future [4][5] which also means that the individual soul is non-limited in its essential nature even though owing to ignorance acquires various names and forms. The phrase, tajjalan, supplies the reason to explain the Mahavakya, "All this is Brahman".[6]
References
- ^ "Spoken Sanskrit Dictionary".
- ^ Monier Williams. Indian Wisdom or Examples of …. Kessinger Publishing. p. 112.
- ^ Adi Shankara. Brahma-Sutra-Bhasya. Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama. p. 13.
- ^ Swami Parmeshwaranand. Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Upanishads:S-Z. Sarup & Sons. p. 73.
- ^ Swami Nikhalananda. The Principal Upanishads. Courier Dover Publications. p. 47.
- ^ George Thibaut. The Vedanta Sutras with the commentary by Ramanuja Part 3. Kessinger Publishing. p. 157.