Bahvricha Upanishad
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Bahvricha Upanishad | |
|---|---|
 The Upanishad states the universe began from the feminine | |
| Devanagari | बह्वृच |
| IAST | Bahvṛca |
| Title means | One conversant with Rigveda[1] |
| Date | 12th- to 15th-century CE[2] |
| Type | Shakta[3] |
| Linked Veda | Rigveda[4] |
| Chapters | 1 |
| Verses | 9[5] |
| Philosophy | Shaktism, Vedanta[6] |
The Bahvricha Upanishad (Sanskrit: बह्वृच उपनिषद्, IAST: Bahvṛca Upaniṣad) is a medieval era Sanskrit text and one of the minor Upanishads of Hinduism.[7] It is classified as one of the eight Shakta Upanishads and attached to the Rigveda.[4]
The Upanishad is notable for asserting that the Self (soul, Atman) is a Goddess who alone existed before the creation of the universe.[8][9] She is the supreme power, asserts the text, she is the ultimate reality (Brahman), from her being and because of her the universe was born, she is the knowledge, the consciousness and the soul (Atman) of every being.[8][10][11]
The philosophical premises of Bahvricha Upanishad assert the feminine as non-different, non-dual (Advaita) from transcendent reality, she is the primary and the material cause of all existence,[8] and the text belongs to the Shaktadavaitavada tradition (literally, the path of nondualistic Shakti).[12][13]
Neither the author nor the composition date of Bahvricha Upanishad is known. The text was likely composed, in the same period as other Shakta Upanishads, between the 12th- and 15th-century CE.[2] The text existed before the 14th-century, states Max Muller, as it was referenced by the 13th/14th-century Dvaita Vedanta scholar Madhvacharya.[14]
In 19th-century compilations of the Upanishads, a part of the Aitareya Aranyakas from the Rigveda was sometimes called Aitareya Upanishad, Atmasatka Upanishad and also Bahvricha Upanishad.[15] The Devi-related medieval era Bahvricha Upanishad is different from the ancient BCE era Aitareya Upanishad, but both discuss the nature of Atman (soul, Self).[16][17]
Manuscripts of this text are also found titled as Bahvrcopanisad.[5][18] In the Telugu language anthology of 108 Upanishads of the Muktika canon, narrated by Rama to Hanuman, it is listed at number 107.[19]
