Haṁsa

views updated Jun 27 2018

Haṃsa. Wild goose (the bar-headed goose), which migrates to India from Central Asia. Its purity of colour and gracefulness in flight led to its becoming a symbol, in the Upaniṣads, of the unity at the heart of all manifestation, e.g. one spirit in the midst of the world. It is also the vehicle (vāhana) of Brahmā.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions JOHN BOWKER

Haṁsa

views updated May 23 2018

Haṃsa. Indian mantra, often repeated, soʾham, ‘He am I’ (while breathing in), hamṣaḥ, ‘I am He’ (while breathing out). It expresses the unity of the devotee with God.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions JOHN BOWKER

More From encyclopedia.com

About this article

Hamsa

All Sources -
Updated Aug 08 2016 About encyclopedia.com content Print Topic

You Might Also Like