Svayam Bhagavan (; roughly: "God Itself") is a Sanskrit concept in Hinduism, referring to the absolute representation of Bhagavan (the title "Lord" or "God") as the Supreme God in a monotheistic framework. The concept is most commonly (but not always) associated with a male deity, for instance in Hindu sub-movements like Krishnaism and Gaudiya Vaishnavism, in which Krishna is regarded as Svayam Bhagavan.
Description Svayam Bhagavan is a term most often used in Gaudiya Vaishnava and other Krishna-centered traditions, where it is used to designate Krishna. Other usages of the term appear in the Bhagavata Purana and in different Vaishnava traditions. Traditions of Gaudiya Vaishnavas, the Nimbarka Sampradaya and followers of Vallabha consider him to be the source of all avatars, and the source of Vishnu and Narayana."Early Vaishnava worship focuses on three deities who become fused together, namely Vasudeva-Krishna, Krishna-Gopala, and Narayana, who in turn all become identified with Vishnu. Put simply, Vasudeva-Krishna and Krishna-Gopala were worshiped by groups generally referred to as Bhagavatas, while Narayana was worshipped by the Pancaratra sect." This belief is drawn primarily from the "famous statement" of the Bhagavatam (1.3.28).Essential Hinduism S. Rosen, 2006, Greenwood Publishing Group p.124
A different viewpoint differing from this theological concept is the concept of Krishna as an avatar of Narayana or Vishnu. It should be however noted that although it is usual to speak of Vishnu as the source of the avatars, this is only one of the names of the God of Vaishnavism, who is also known as Narayana, Vasudeva-Krishna, and just Krishna, and behind each of those names there is a divine figure with attributed supremacy in Vaishnavism.
Meaning The theological interpretation of differs with each tradition, and the literal translation of the term has been understood in several distinct ways. Translated from the Sanskrit language, the term means "Bhagavan Himself" or "directly Bhagavan". Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition often translates it within its perspective as primeval Lord or original Personality of Godhead; it also considers the terms such as Supreme Personality of Godhead and Supreme God as an equivalent to the term Svayam Bhagavan, and may also choose to apply these terms to Vishnu, Narayana and many of their associated avatars. "Krishna is the primeval Lord, the original Personality of Godhead, so He can expand Himself into unlimited forms with all potencies." page 161..."Bhakti, the highest path, was that of surrender to Lord Krishna, the way of pure devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead".
The term 'Bhagavān' consists of Bhaga and vān. The suffixes vān and mān are Sanskrit male-denoting words, meaning 'possessor of' which are used as a suffix to nouns like Bhaga (blessed attributes), Śrī (splendour), Kīrti (fame) etc. According to Viṣṇu Purāṇa, bhaga refers to the six attributes of the Lord – aiśvaryam (wealth), vīryam (valour), jñānam (wisdom), balam (prowess), śaktī (power) and tejas (splendour). Thus, Bhaga-vān means the possessor of the six divine qualities, ṣadguṇa.
Another interpretation of Bhagavān as per Viṣṇu Purāṇa is bha denotes aiśvaryam and vīryam, ga denotes jñānam and balam and va denotes śaktī and tejas, and an which is etymoligically na, means 'none', symbolising that he is devoid of inauspicious or evil qualities.
As the etymology of Bhagavān is perfectly illustrated in the Vishnu Purana, referring to the Vishnu Purana on who is Bhagavan too is perfect. Vishnu Purana clearly states that Bhagavan denotes none but Vāsudeva alias Narayana-Krishna.
Svayam means Himself, thus Svayam Bhagavān refers to one who is Bhagavān (Vāsudeva) Himself. As Śrī Kr̥ṣṇa, the most perfect descent (avatāra) of Narayana (Vāsudeva), He is no different from the latter, and hence, the Bhāgavata states kr̥ṣṇastu bhagavān svayam – Kr̥ṣṇa is the Supreme, Blessed Lord (Nārāyaṇa) Himself.
Early commentators of Bhagavata Purana such as Madhvacharya translated the term Svayam Bhagavan as "he who has bhagavata"; meaning "he who has the quality of possessing all good qualities". page 132 Others have translated it simply as "the Lord Himself". p.109 Klaus Klostermaier translates it simply as "the Lord Himself" Followers of Vishnu-centered Vaishnava sampradayas rarely address this term, but believe that it refers to their belief that Krishna is among the highest and fullest of all Avatars and is considered to be the "paripurna avatara" (complete manifestation), complete in all respects and the same as the original. Parashara Maharishi, Vyasa's father had devoted the largest Amsa (part) in Vishnu Purana to the description of Sri Krishna Avatara the Paripoorna Avatara. And according to Lord Krishna's own (instructions) upadesha, "he who knows (the secrets of) His (Krishna's) Janma (birth) and Karma (actions) will not remain in samsara (punar janma naiti- maam eti) and attain Him after leaving the mortal coil." (BG 4.9). Parasara Maharishi ends up Amsa 5 with a phalashruti in an identical vein (Vishnu Purana .5.38.94)
Perspectives
Supporting views Some Krishna centered traditions accept views that subordinate Krishna to Vishnu. This view has been explained as a way to accommodating Krishna's human story within the composite Vaishnava theological perspective. However inclusion of Krishna in the list of avataras does not necessarily subordinate him to Vishnu as one of the Vishnu's expansions. Early authors, such as 12th century Jayadeva considered dasavatara to be principal incarnations of Krishna, rather than Vishnu.
Krishna-centered traditions such as Gaudiya Vaishnavas and followers of the Vallabha Sampradaya and Nimbarka Sampradaya, use the Gopala Tapani Upanishad, Vedanta Sutras and other Hindu scriptures such as the Bhagavata Purana verse 1.3.28, and the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, among others to support the view that Krishna is Svayam Bhagavan. This interpretation was summarized by the 16th century author Jiva Goswami in some of his works, such as Krishna-sandarbha.
In the sixth book of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata, the Bhishma Parva (where the Bhagavad Gita is part of), Krishna offers numerous quotations that reaffirm the belief that he himself is the Svayam Bhagavan. Verse 7.7 of the Bhagavad Gita, is often used to support the opinion that Krishna himself is the Svayam Bhagavan, and that no impersonal form of Brahman supersedes his existence, as it is a common view that Bhagavad Gita was propounding Krishna-theism before first major proponents of monism.
Other pervading understandings of the position of Svayam Bhagavan asserted in the Gita are connected to, non-Krishna-centered, traditions. One tradition follows predominately the views of Sankaracharya commentary on Brahma Sutras and is referred as maya-vad which justifies Svayam Bhagavan supremacy by a concept of power, wisdom or illusionary maya.
The second alternative understanding of the evident supremacy of Svayam Bhagavan in the Gita, is a popular view on Krishna being the highest and fullest Avatar of the Lord, Vishnu or Narayana.p. 31: Shree Krishna stands at the top of this series. He is therefore called by his votaries as Purna Avatara or the highest and fullest incarnation of the Lord. "The Bhagavad Gita depicts Krishna not only as Brahman but also as an 'Avatar of Vishnu' and the friend of Arjuna."Panjab University Journal of Medieval Indian Literature. Page 56 Panjab University Sheikh Baba Farid Dept. of Medieval Indian Literature In summary in accordance with this view Svayam Bhagavan Krishna is considered to be the purna-avatara (full incarnation) of Vishnu or, according to some, the universal Narayana who transcends even Brahman.' Swaminarayan bicentenary commemoration volume, 1781–1981. p. 154: ...Shri Vallabhacharya [and] Shri Swaminarayan... Both of them designate the highest reality as Krishna, who is both the highest avatara and also the source of other avataras. To quote R. Kaladhar Bhatt in this context. "In this transcendental devotion (Nirguna Bhakti), the sole Deity and only" is Krishna. New Dimensions in Vedanta Philosophy – Page 154, Sahajānanda, Vedanta. 1981 p. 24
Supremacy or a concept of originality is often referred to in the words of Krishna himself, as for example, the theologian Abhinavagupta, in another tradition of Hinduism, introduces a quotation from the Bhagavad-gita of 'I', Krishna referencing Himself as the highest Self who transcends the perishable and imperishable.
Sri Vaishnava tradition
The Sri Vaishnavas identify Vishnu with the Brahman, while Krishna-centered traditions will associate Para Brahman with Krishna as Svayam Bhagavan. According to Ramanujacharya, Brahman is personal. Indeed, he is the supreme person, creator and Lord, who leads souls to salvation. Far from having no (positive) attributes, as some Advaita Vedanta followers maintain, Brahman is the sum of all "noble attributes"—i.e. omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, and all-merciful, all qualities attributed to Vishnu by all Vaishavas. According to South Indian traditions he is also advitya (Sanskrit meaning without rival). To such Vaishnavas, Shiva, Brahma, and the other gods of the Hindu pantheon are viewed as Brahman's agents or servants, created and commissioned by him. Some Vaishnavas consider them to be or see that they have the same status that of angels have in the western religious traditions.
"The entire complex of intelligent and non-intelligent beings – is viewed as real and constitutes the form, i. e., the body of the highest Brahman".Ramanuja (1962) p. 88 A soul-body relationship, according to Ramanujacharya, is "entirely subordinate" to its soul, having no independent reality or value.Ramanuja (1962) p. 424 However Ramanujacharya himself did not stress a subordination of the 'puravatara' Krishna to Vishnu.
Other views However, Vaishnava traditions do not adhere to the concept of Svayam Bhagavan with the same views as those who support the concept.Page xxvi To support their view they quote the 149th chapter of Anushāsanaparva in the epic Mahabharata, Bhishma which states, with Krishna present, that mankind will be free from all sorrows by chanting the Vishnu sahasranama, which are the thousand names of the all-pervading supreme being Vishnu, who is the master of all the worlds, supreme over the devas and who is one with Brahman.see, Ganguli English translation of Mahabharata, Chapter 148, at http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m13/m13b113.htmFor Sanskrit text and translation, see: Tapasyananda, Vishnu Sahasrnama, Ramakrishna Mission pp. 3–4. This seems to indicate that Krishna is identical with Vishnu. Indeed, Krishna himself said, "Arjuna, one may be desirous of praising by reciting the thousand names. But, on my part, I feel praised by one shloka. There is no doubt about it."
Many Vaishnava schools have different interpretation of the concept as for example followers of the Swaminarayan Sampraday believe that Lord Narayana manifested himself as Swaminarayan. This view is only supported within their particular tradition.
Comparison
Some early schools of thought, such as Pancaratra in particular, refer to Vasudeva-Krishna (Krishna, the son of Vasudeva) as the source of all incarnations and as no different from the ultimate and absolute reality, and as non-distinct from Vasudeva and any other manifestations of the supreme self. p.102-105 - describes Vasudeva-Krishna, (Krishna son of Vasudeva) as the source of all or as the same the ultimate reality, non-distinct from Vasudeva and other manifestations. Having a hundred-fold radiance of fire from whom all other forms of Purusha, Achuta and Satya emanate.
Krishnaism
The term Krishnaism has been used to describe the devotees of Krishna, reserving the term "Vaishnavism" for devotees focusing on Vishnu in which Krishna is an Avatar, rather than a transcended being.Flood p. 117