Srutis emphatically declare Brahman is eternal, pure,
self-luminous, undecaying, existence absolute, knowledge absolute, bliss
absolute. This is possible only if Brahman be the witness of all states of
consciousness. The knowledge that the Atman is the witness of all states of
consciousness gives immortality.
Brahman is not an object of perception. Knowledge of Brahman
is intuitive self-awareness. Of everything which may become an object of
knowledge, a perfect or definite knowledge is possible; but not so of a thing
which cannot become such an object. This is Brahman for he is the knower and
the knower may well know other things, but not make himself the object of his
knowledge. The subject of knowledge 'I who know' can never become its object;
for having become object, it ceases to have the nature of subject, in the same
way as fire can burn other things, but not itself. Nor it be said that Brahman
may be made the object of the knowledge of another; for beside him, none that
knows exists.
If it is further said, the nature of everything is that, by
which it is defined; Brahman is especially defined by consciousness, which does
neither refer to the external senses, nor to the internal sense, but merely
refers to Brahman; therefore, Brahman is consciousness. There is no knower
other than that.
In reality Brahman has no forms. The attributes by which
Brahman is defined may be said to be its form. Srutis says, Brahman is
knowledge and bliss Brahman is dense with knowledge, Prajnana Ghana, Vijnana
Ghana, Chid Ghana, Brahman is existence, knowledge, infinity, Satyam, Jnanam,
Anantam. The form of Brahman has thus been defined. Those attributes are the
prop in the beginning. You will have to fix the mind on these attributes in the
beginning of your spiritual practice. These attributes will drop by themselves
gradually and you will merge yourself in Brahman eventually. The preceptor can
make his disciples understand Brahman through these attributes only. Brahman is
defined in these attributes not on account of its own essence but for the sake
of the above two purposes. According to its essence it is unknown to those who
know and known to those who do not know.
You cannot know Brahman just as you know an object. Brahman
is known or realised not as an object but as pure self-consciousness through
intuition or direct inner experience or illumination. In this spiritual
experience there is no objective consciousness. Subject and object are one in
the spiritual experience.
- Swami Sivananda