(1) Transcendental (parã) – The illumining principle behind is the pure Self, the Consciousness, which is
one without a second upon which the universe of names and forms is an illusory projection. Hence Brahman is indicated in the philosophy of Vedãnta as transcendental.
(2) Real (Sat) – That which remains the same in all the three periods of time – past, present and future – is called ‘Real’.
(3) One without a second (advitiyam) – The one ultimate eternal Reality, without any otherness to limit or condition. It is the non-dual, the one without a second.
(4) Extremely pure (visuddham) – A thing is said to be pure when there is nothing other than it, in it. It is non-dual and, therefore It is extremely pure, that is, It has no vãsanã, dirt in it.
(5) Homogeneous mass of pure Knowledge (vijñana-
ghanam) – Knowledge of things varies according to the
things. This is the Knowledge because of which all other
knowledges are possible. This is objectless knowledge,
Knowledge Absolute.
(6) Without any taint (nirañjanam) – Vasanãs are said to
be the ‘taints’; the tman, the Self, is beyond all vãsanãs
and so is taintless.
(7) Supremely peaceful (prasantam) – There are no agitations in It because the mind and the intellect have been transcended. It is not a temporary cessation of thoughts as in deep sleep or when swooning, It is the realisation of That which is the witness of the very condition of peacefulness, hence supremely peaceful.
(8) Devoid of beginning and end (adi-anta-vihinam) – Eternal,immutable, changeless and limitless. That which is not conditioned by birth and death, no beginning, no end, no modification.
(9) Beyond activity (akriyam) – Because It is all-pervading, It cannot act; there is nothing other than It, for It to serve, no field for It to function in. Also, where there are no vãsanãs, there cannot be any desires and hence there is no activity in the all full Brahman.
(10) Of the nature of eternal Bliss (nirantarnandarasa-svarupam)
– It is not just happiness. Bliss is Its state, because when we are in that plane, we live beyond the tossings of the mind and intellect. Now this Bliss also is to be known. The man in samädhi rises above both his mind and intellect.
(11) Transcending all diversities created by mãyà (nirasta-mayā- krta-sarva-bhedam) – Mãya means the non-apprehension of Reality. Maya created confusions are the diversities caused by maya, they together constitute the world of plurality. They are the sum total of our misapprehensions created by the non-apprehension of Reality.
(12) Eternal (nityam) – That is eternal which is not conditioned by space, time or objects. It is that which is ever unconditioned by the three periods of time.
(13) The essence of pleasure (sukham) – Not the pleasure emotion as such, but that which illumines all sentiments of joy and emotions of pleasure in us.
(14) Without any parts (niskalam) – Unconditioned, limitless. That which is all-pervading and one without a second cannot have parts.
(15) Immeasurable (aprameyam) – Incomparable. That which cannot be reached or known through any means of measure (pramã), such as comparison or argument. How can we ever measure or compare the all-pervading, one without a second, infinite Reality? With what will we measure It? With what else will we compare It?
(16) Formless (arupam) – An unconditioned eternal thing cannot have any form. It is limitless, hence there can be no form for It.
(17) Unmanifest (avyaktam) – That which cannot be sensed by the sense organs, felt by the mind or comprehended by the intellect is ‘unmanifest’.
(18) Nameless (anäkhyam) – Since there is no form there can be no name to indicate It. Only that which has form and qualities can have a name to distinguish it from similar things.
(19) Immutable, Irreducible (avyayam) – That which is eternal and changeless is immutable too.
(20) Self luminous or Self effulgent (jyoti-svayam) – To know That no other medium, no other light is necessary. It is the light of Consciousness by which the whole world is illumined.