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The Mahavakyas (sing.: mahāvākya, महावा य; plural:mahāvākyāni, महावा या न) are "The Great Sayings" of
the Upanishads, as characterized by the Advaitaschool of Vedanta.

Contents [hide]
1 The four principal Mahavakyas
1.1 Other Mahavakyas
1.2 Prajñānam Brahma
2 See also
3 Notes
4 References
5 Sources
5.1 Published sources
5.2 Web-sources
6 External links

The four principal Mahavakyas [edit]

Though there are many Mahavakyas, four of them, one from each of the four Vedas, are often mentioned as "the
Mahavakyas".[1] According to the Vedanta-tradition, the subject matter and the essence of all Upanishads is the
same, and all the Upanishadic Mahavakyas express this one universal message in the form of terse and concise
statements.[citation needed] In later Sanskrit usage, the term mahāvāk ya came to mean "discourse", and specifically,
discourse on a philosophically lofty topic.[w eb 1]
According to the Advaita Vedanta tradition the four Upanishadic statements indicate the ultimate unity of the
individual (Atman) with Supreme (Brahman).[citation needed]
The Mahavakyas are:
1. prajñānam brahma - "Prajña[note 1] is Brahman"[note 2], or "Brahman is Prajña"[w eb 3] (Aitareya
Upanishad 3.3 of the Rig Veda)
2. ayam ātmā brahma - "I am this Self (Atman) that is is Brahman" (Mandukya Upanishad 1.2 of the Atharva
Veda)
3. tat tvam asi - "Thou art That" (Chandogya Upanishad 6.8.7 of the Sama Veda)
4. aham brahmāsmi - "I am Brahman", or "I am Divine"[5] (Brhadaranyaka Upanishad1.4.10 of the Yajur Veda)
People who are initiated into sannyasa in Advaita Vedanta are being taught the four [principal] mahavakyas as four
mantras, "to attain this highest of states in which the individual self dissolves inseparably in Brahman".[6]

Other Mahavakyas [edit]

Brahma satyam jagan mithya - Brahman is real; the world is unreal - Vivekachudamani
Ekam evadvitiyam brahma - Brahman is one, without a second - Chāndogya Upaniṣad
Soham - You are the same as I am - Soham (Sanskrit)
Sarvam khalvidam brahma - All of this is brahman - Brahman

Prajñānam Brahma [edit]

See also: Prajna
Several translations, and word-orders of these translations, are possible:
Prajñānam:
jñā can be translated as "consciousness", "knowledge", or "understanding."[7]
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10/17/13 Mahāvākyas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pra is an intensifier which could be translated as "higher", "greater", "supreme" or "premium",[8] or "being born or
springing up"[9], referring to a spontaneous type of knowing.[9][note 3]
Prajñānam as a whole means:
ान, "prajJAna",[w eb 7]
Adjective: prudent, easily known, wise[w eb 7]
Noun: discrimination, knowledge, wisdom, intelligence. Also: distinctive mark, monument, token of
recognition, any mark or sign or characteristic, memorial[w eb 7]
"Consciousness"[2][w eb 2]
"Intelligence"[3][4]
"Wisdom"[w eb 3]
Related terms are jnana, prajna and prajnam, "pure consciousness".[10] Although the common translation
of jnanam[10] is "consciousness", the term has a broader meaning of "knowing"; "becoming acquainted
with",[w eb 8] "knowledge about anything",[w eb 8]"awareness",[w eb 8] "higher knowledge".[w eb 8]
Brahman:
"The Absolute"[2][w eb 2]
"Infinite"[w eb 2]
"The Highest truth"[w eb 2]
Most interpretations state: "Prajñānam (noun) is Brahman (adjective)". Some translations give a reverse order, stating
"Brahman is Prajñānam",[w eb 3] specifically "Brahman (noun) is Prajñānam (adjective)": "The Ultimate Reality is
wisdom (or consciousness)".[w eb 3]
Sahu explains:
Prajnanam iti Brahman - wisdom is the soul/spirit. Prajnanam refers to the intuitive truth which can be
verified/tested by reason. It is a higher function of the intellect that ascertains the Sat or Truth in
the Sat-Chit-Ananda or truth-consciousness-bliss, i.e. the Brahman/Atman/Self/person [...] A truly wise
person [...] is known as Prajna - who has attained Brahmanhood itself; thus, testifying to
the Vedic Maha Vak ya (great saying or words of wisdom):Prajnanam iti Brahman.[11]

And according to David Loy,

The knowledge of Brahman [...] is not intuition of Brahman but itself isBrahman.[12]

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