Brahmavid is the knower of Brahman (the ultimate reality or cosmic consciousness). To know Brahman is to realize Brahma. It is not a perception by the sense organs, nor comprehension by the mind or recognition by the intellect; rather it is the direct experience of, or revelation of Supreme Reality or Absolute Truth or atman. Thus, the knower of Brahma attains the Supreme (Brahmavidapnoti param – Taittiriya Upanishad 2/1). Mundaka Upanishad says that one who comes to know Brahma, becomes Brahma himself (Sa yo ha vai tatparamain Brahma veda Brahmaiva bhavati – Mundaka Upanishad. 3/2/9).
The jiva (individual soul), owing to avidya (ignorance)
feels alienated from the omnipresent Brahman and is bandha (bound) but when it
comes to experience the Supreme dwelling in the nihitam guhayam (heart cave),
he destroys the worldly knot of avidya – saovidyagranthim vikiratiha – Mundaka Upanishad
2/1/10). Time and again it has been reiterated in the Upanishads that on
knowing Brahma, one loses all bonds (jinatva devam mucyate sarva pasaih etc. –
Svetasvatara Mundaka Upanishad etc.) and one recognizes himself as Brahma and
becomes all (ya evam vedaham Brahmasmiti sa idam sarvam bhavati – Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad 1/4/10). The atma is one with Brahma, therefore to know Brahma means
to know one’s own self. Brahmavid is he who has realized the non-duality of
self with Supreme Being; Brahmvid and Atmavid are synonymous words.
One who knows Brahma or atma, sees atma or Brahma everywhere
and in everything (Chandogya Upanishad 7/25/2, Mundaka Upanishad 2/11/10-11,
Bhagavad Gita 6/29, 7/19). He rises above all desires, attachments, passions
and worldly pleasures and remains satisfied and pleased in atma only (Bhagavad
Gita 5/24; Mundaka Upanishad 3/1/4).
After bodily death, the Brahmavid soul passes through the
agni (fire) to the jyoti (light rays), to the deity of day, the full moon (fortnight)
to the (six months) uttarayana (north oriented) Sun, to the lightning and ultimately
to the supreme abode forever, i.e., Brahma. He is liberated from the cycle of birth
and death and becomes one with Brahma (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 6/2/15;
Chandogya Upanishad 4/15/5, Bhagavad Gita 8/24). This is called videhamukti (liberation
after leaving the body). While alive, the Brahmavid soul lives a live of
jivanmukta (life emancipated self). To be a Brahmavid is the Supreme goal of
Hindu philosophy.