Paramahamsa

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The swan is a symbol of purity and transcendence in Vedantic teaching.

Paramahamsa (

Hindu spiritual teachers who have become enlightened. The title literally means "supreme swan". The swan is equally at home on land and on water; similarly, the true sage is equally at home in the realms of matter and of spirit. To be in divine ecstasy and simultaneously to be actively wakeful is the paramahamsa state; the 'royal swan' of the soul floats in the cosmic ocean, beholding both its body and the ocean as manifestations of the same Spirit. The word 'Paramahamsa' signifies one who is Awakened in all realms.[1] Paramahamsa is the highest level of spiritual development in which a union with ultimate reality has been attained by a sannyasi.[2]

Etymology

A Beautiful painting of Swan.

Paramahamsa is a Sanskrit word translated as 'supreme swan'. The word is compounded of Sanskrit परम parama meaning 'supreme', 'highest', or 'transcendent' (from

Parameshwara, a title for God. In Hindic tradition, swans are noted for characteristics of discipline, stamina, grace, and beauty.[4] "Hamsa" may be spelled "hansa." As described by Paramahansa Yogananda, author of "Autobiograhy of a Yogi" in which he states that hansa literally means "swan." "The white swan," he clarifies " is mythologically represented as the vehicle or mount of Brahma the Creator. The sacred hansa, said to have the power of extracting only milk from a mixture of milk and water, is thus a symbol of spiritual discrimination."[5] Yogananda adds "Ahan-sa or ‘hansa (pronounced hong-sau) is literally “I am He.” These potent SANSKRIT syllables possess a vibratory connection with the incoming and the outgoing breath. Thus with his every breath man unconsciously asserts the truth of his being."[6]

In keeping with the construct of Sanskrit, which often layers multiple meanings upon or within words,

Advaita philosophy, which advocates the oneness of jivatma and paramatma.[8] The word aham is common to many Eastern religions. From aham is derived ahamkara or ego.[clarification needed
]

Mythology

The hamsa (swan) is the vahana, the mount or vehicle, of the god Brahma. In the Vedas and the Purânas it is a symbol for the soul/Soul. The hamsa is said to be the only creature that is capable of separating milk from water once they have been mixed; symbolically this is the display of great spiritual discrimination. It is symbolic for a spiritually advanced being who is capable of controlling the breath energy in such a way that he only absorbs pure vibrations from all the different energies the world contains. To the Paramahamsa (the supreme celestial Swan) on the other hand, the whole of creation is God himself, there is nothing else but God alone. This person is a fully realized soul, completely liberated from all bonds with the world, who knows no obligations, no likes or dislikes. He is without any needs because he is completely immersed in God.

Theology

Paramahamsa, as a religio/theological title, is applied to an adept class of Hindu renunciates, liberated, realized masters who, having attained the supreme yogic state, or

samādhi
, can always distinguish between the Real (sa) from the unreal (ham).

The hamsa mantra indicates the sound made by the exhalation ("ha") and inhalation ("sa") of the breath.

Privileged use

Some followers believe title cannot be assumed by oneself, but must be conferred by a recognized authority, either another individual swami who is himself esteemed as enlightened, or by a committee of spiritual leaders.[citation needed]

Other meaning

Paramahaṃsa is also the title of one of the

Upanishads.[note 1]

Paramahamsa title personalities

Notes

  1. ^ In Sanskrit, a pre-consonantal nasal is written with a diacritic dot (the Anusvara) above the preceding character. The exact realization of the nasalization must be inferred from the context. Thus, we have Paramahaṃsa, Paramahamsa, Paramahaṇsa, and Paramahansa as equivalent transliterations.

References

  1. ISBN 0-87612-030-3
    .
  2. ^ "Merriam-Webster Dictionary". Retrieved 2012-06-21.
  3. ^ Yoganandasite (2016-03-02). "The Meaning and Spelling of the Title "Paramahansa"". Yogananda Site. Retrieved 2021-04-30.
  4. ^ Yoganandasite (2016-03-02). "The Meaning and Spelling of the Title "Paramahansa"". Yogananda Site. Retrieved 2021-04-30.
  5. OCLC 220261.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link
    )
  6. S2CID 214405893
    , retrieved 2021-04-30
  7. ISSN 1531-2054
    .
  8. ^ "What Is Advaita or Nonduality?". endless-satsang.com. Retrieved 2021-04-30.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Paramahamsa.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paramahamsa&oldid=1215935260"