Saguna brahman

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Saguna Brahman (lit. "qualified absolute"^[1]) came from the Sanskrit saguṇa (सगुण) "with qualities" and brahman (ब्रह्मन्) "the Absolute."

[edit] Advaita view

While Nirguna Brahman ("the Absolute without qualities") refers to the holistic potency that animates the universe Saguna Brahman commonly refers to any of Its deitical manifestations such as Shiva, Vishnu, Ganesh, Rama, Krishna, Durga, Lakshmi, any other personal god or goddess, and even one's spiritual preceptor or Satguru.^[2]

According to Advaitic philosophy it is just the mind of the devotee that gives form and attributes to the otherwise pure and unqualifiable Absolute.

[edit] References

^ The Shambala Encyclopedia of Yoga (p. 247), by Georg Feuerstein, Ph.D., ISBN 1-57062-137-3
^ Meditation and Mantras, by Swami Vishnu-Devananda (p. 61-75), ISBN 81-208-1615-3