Why the name "Sarvatmabrahmastra"?

Many may be wondering about the significance of the name "Sarvatmabrahmastra".

In the Vedas, Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita the highest deity Brahman is identified as the indwelling Self of all. So the word 'Sarvatmabrahma" identifies or qualifies Brahman as the Self of all. That means the entire universe is the "body" of Brahman.

All physical weapons are called "shastra" in sanskrit. When a mantra or idea is used as a weapon then it is called "astra".

When this Brahman as the universal Self is used as a "weapon" as it were, to refute all kinds of particular views, then it becomes "Sarvatmabrahmastra".

Hope this clarifies.

Some Vaishnavas coming from Vishishtadvaita school have created  "http://narayanastra.blogspot.com" to show the Supremacy of Narayana or Vishnu over all other Vedic devatas including Shiva.

Similarly some Shaivas, have created "http://www.mahapashupatastra.com/" to establish the supremacy of Shiva.

They are all highly respectable scholars and devotees, but still are engaging in mudslinging acts against each other.

This is not a good development and is also not helpful for sincere truth seekers. Vedic Brahman as the universal ultimate absolute Self (paramatma) is the connecting reality that unites all the tattvas or reality. So all names/forms point to the same Brahman. Identifying and recognizing this all pervading and indwelling nature of Brahman manifesting as this very universe alone can unite all kinds of particular views. Whatever may be the deity that one wants to adore as supreme it cannot be anything other than this Vishwaroopi Brahman.

The Mandukya upanishad begins with the emphatic statement "Sarvam khalvidam brahma" and "AyamatmA brahma". Combining both we get SarvAtma brahman.

So Sarvatmabrahmastra is the only solution or "weapon" or "pradhana pratitantra" to overcome all kinds of petty mindedness among Hindus and Vedantins from all traditions. Hope sincere truth seekers will be able to appreciate this unifying universal truth.

Namaste
Suresh

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