Talk:Saguṇa Brahman as Antaryāmī:Brahman as Antaryāmī in Vishishtadvaita Vedānta

By Sri Vishal Agarwal

The doctrine of Brahman as the Antaryāmī is a central principle in the Hindu philosophy of Viśiṣṭādvaita Vedānta. A defining feature of the Viśiṣṭādvaita school, as propounded by Śrī Rāmānuja, is the teaching that Brahman is the inner indwelling Self of both the jīva-s (individual conscious beings) and the jaḍa (inanimate Universe). Śrī Rāmānuja makes extensive use of this concept to interpret the monistic statements of the Upaniṣads.

In his Vedārthasaṅgraha, he examines the satvidyā section of the Chāndogya Upaniṣad and its famous mahāvākya "tat tvam asi" ("That thou art") in great detail. He explains that just as in common speech, we refer to a living person by naming their body — for instance, saying "Rāma is coming" even though it is the body of Rāma we perceive — likewise, the jīva can be referred to by its indwelling soul, which is Brahman. Therefore, when the Upaniṣads equate all beings with Brahman, there is no contradiction, as He is the inner Self (antaryāmī) of all.

Śrī Rāmānuja defines a śarīra (body) as that which is completely controlled and supported by an intelligent Self, and whose very nature is for the sake of that Self. Based on this definition, the entire Universe — composed of both conscious beings and inert matter — is the body of Brahman. He further clarifies that the imperfections of the Universe or the jīva-s do not contaminate Brahman. The karmas of the jīva-s do not affect Him, and the fact that all these entities are His body only adds to His grandeur and supreme lordship.

The entirety of Śrī Rāmānuja's position is encapsulated in his own words from his commentary on the ''Brahmasūtra 1.1.18:

"Thus the entire group of intelligent and non-intelligent entities, which are different from Him, constitute His body, and He alone is the unconditioned Self, ensouling that body. For this very reason, competent authorities (abhiyuktaiḥ) call this doctrine concerning the Supreme Brahman by the name 'Śārīraka' – the doctrine of the embodied Self." – ''Śrībhāṣya 1.1.18

Relationship of Brahman with the Jīva-s and the Universe

Since Brahman is the indwelling Soul (antaryāmī) of all conscious and non-conscious entities, His relationship with the world is multifaceted. Śrī Rāmānuja employs several terms to describe these relationships:

• Śeṣa–śeṣi–bhāva: The relation of servant and master. All entities are śeṣa (subordinate, existing for the sake of) to Brahman who is śeṣi (the One they exist for).

• Niṣṭhā: Steadfast dependence. All entities are rooted and sustained in Brahman.

• Ādhāra–ādheya–bhāva: The relation of supporter and supported. Brahman is the substratum (ādhāra) of all that exists (ādheya).

• Ruler–ruled relationship: Brahman is the sovereign Lord, controller of the entire creation.

These relationships are not metaphorical but real and ontological, expressing the essential nature of the bond between the Supreme Self and all other entities.

In Viśiṣṭādvaita Vedānta, this understanding upholds the non-dual vision of reality where the unity of all things is affirmed through the presence of Brahman as the indwelling Lord, yet the distinctness of jīva and prakṛti is preserved to assert a qualified non-dualism.

1. Ādhāra and Ādheya: The former means a support, substratum, or container, and the latter means that which is supported or contained. Brahman is the ādhāra of the jīva-s and the Universe, as all finite beings are completely dependent on Him for their essential nature, continued existence in the phenomenal realm, and actual functioning or activity.

2. Niyantā and Niyamya: The second aspect of the self-body relationship is that between the ruler or controller and that which is ruled. This conception clearly expresses the personal and dynamic character of God’s relationship to the Universe.

3. Antaryāmī: Since God abides in finite beings, He may be called the inner ruler or the Antaryāmī. The Antaryāmī Brahman section of the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad plays an important role in the theology of Śrī Rāmānuja, and he gives it great attention in his commentary on ''Brahmasūtra 2.1.15.

4. Jīva-s and the Universe as Vibhūti-s of Brahman: For Śrī Rāmānuja, the term Vibhūti connotes both the material Universe and the jīva-s. These are vibhūti-s of Brahman since He abides in them, controls them, fashions them, enjoys them, and since their very existence is eternally dependent on Him. It is important to note, however, that while Rāmānuja designates Śiva, Brahmā, Indra, etc., as vibhūti-s of Brahman (equated with Nārāyaṇa), he is clear that Śrī Rāma and Śrī Kṛṣṇa are not mere manifestations but are identical with and the very same as Nārāyaṇa. To justify calling finite selves and the Universe as vibhūti-s of Brahman, Rāmānuja states that these are possessed by Brahman and therefore are manifestations of His glory (vibhūti). He thus integrates the word vibhūti—meaning "glory"—into the framework of Viśiṣṭādvaita Vedānta.

5. The Śeṣa–Śeṣī relationship: Another pair of terms used by Rāmānuja to describe the relationship between Brahman on one hand and the finite selves and the Universe on the other is śeṣa and śeṣī. He writes:

"The śeṣa–śeṣī relationship in any situation means just this: the śeṣa is that whose essential nature consists solely in being useful to something else by virtue of its intention to contribute some excellence to this other being, and this other is the śeṣī."

Thus, in Śrī Rāmānuja’s system, Brahman is the śeṣī and everything else is śeṣa, since the finite selves and the Universe are subservient to the will and lordship of Brahman. God is the master; the jīva is His dependent. Yet, God is an ocean of compassion and actively delivers His devotees from bondage. He is not only the grantor of liberation but assumes full responsibility for the devotee’s salvation.

By defining these terms thus, Rāmānuja clears the path for the doctrine of Prapatti—total surrender—which is elaborated in Śrī Vaiṣṇava texts such as Yatīndramatadīpikā by Śrīnivāsadāsa. These terms also correlate with the ādhāra–ādheya pair, and Rāmānuja draws this connection in his interpretation of the Sadvidyā section of the Chāndogya Upaniṣad in the Vedārthasaṅgraha.

He also responds to objections, such as the idea that jīva-s desire freedom from all control. Rāmānuja asserts that such scriptural glorification of independence actually refers to liberation from bodily bondage, not freedom from Brahman's will. Since Brahman is the embodiment of all auspicious qualities, no rational being would seek total separation from Him.

This definition of śeṣa–śeṣī allows Rāmānuja to integrate the act of worship harmoniously into Vedānta, something Śrī Śaṅkarācārya could not do within his strict Advaita system. Śaṅkara, therefore, had to speak of a twofold Brahman—Saguṇa and Nirguṇa—stating that only the lower Brahman can be worshipped, whereas the higher one is beyond all attributes and worship.

A modern teacher beautifully illustrates this doctrine through a biological analogy:

"The all-comprehensive dominance of the Divine will can be illustrated also by the example of a living body. The living body of a man has several millions of cells. Each cell has an individuality and a function. The cells of the heart, the cells of the digestive system, the cells of the brain, the cells of the muscles etc., all carry on different activities individually and collectively. But in spite of the distinctiveness in entity and function of the cells, they are all sharers of the total energy of the organism, and they function for the ego tenanting that organism. They live and function by, and for, that ego, and separated from it they have no meaning and they perish. If any of these cells considers its individuality as independence and seeks to function independently, it becomes a cancerous cell and perishes. The individuality of the jīva and its freedom are only like this. The Divine will alone functions in the whole universe, which is His body, as it were, and all individuals derive their power from His will, and exist and function for His purpose. The recognition of this is to become a mere instrument or occasion – nimitta mātram – for His functioning."