| # Aitareya Upanishad (1.1.1-4) in the first few mantras mentions that the Atman thought (ईक्षते । Ikshata) "Let me create the worlds". Having deliberated, as an intelligent architect, He created these worlds, Ambhas (अम्भस्), marici (मरीतयः), prthvi (पृथिवी), apa (आपः). He further deliberated "Let me create the protectors (लोकपालान्) of the worlds". Further He shaped a human form from the water itself by endowing it with limbs, thus came forth the Virat. With His Tapas (austerity, in the sense of further deliberation) on Virat, there emerged the sense and all other organs.<ref>Swami Gambhirananda (1937) ''Eight Upanishads, Volume 2 (Aitareya, Mundaka, Mandukya and Karika, and Prasna) With the Commentary of Sankaracarya.'' Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama. (Pages 20-27)</ref> | | # Aitareya Upanishad (1.1.1-4) in the first few mantras mentions that the Atman thought (ईक्षते । Ikshata) "Let me create the worlds". Having deliberated, as an intelligent architect, He created these worlds, Ambhas (अम्भस्), marici (मरीतयः), prthvi (पृथिवी), apa (आपः). He further deliberated "Let me create the protectors (लोकपालान्) of the worlds". Further He shaped a human form from the water itself by endowing it with limbs, thus came forth the Virat. With His Tapas (austerity, in the sense of further deliberation) on Virat, there emerged the sense and all other organs.<ref>Swami Gambhirananda (1937) ''Eight Upanishads, Volume 2 (Aitareya, Mundaka, Mandukya and Karika, and Prasna) With the Commentary of Sankaracarya.'' Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama. (Pages 20-27)</ref> |
| # Taittriya Upanishad (2.6.1)<ref>Swami Gambhirananda (1989 Second Edition) ''Eight Upanishads, Volume 1 (Isa, Kena, Katha,and Taittriya) With the Commentary of Sankaracarya.'' Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama (Pages 325-327)</ref> mentions He (the Self) wished (सोऽकामयत । बहु स्यां प्रजायेतेति।) "Let me be many, let me be born". Having so deliberated, he created all this that exists. That Brahman, having created (that) entered into that very thing. This shows that Brahman has entered into the body as the individual Atman. Thus the cognizer, in his essential nature, is none other than the Brahman. Continuing this further the Upanishad in 2.7.1<ref>Swami Gambhirananda (1989 Second Edition) ''Eight Upanishads, Volume 1 (Isa, Kena, Katha,and Taittriya) With the Commentary of Sankaracarya.'' Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama (Pages 341-342)</ref> talks about the conditioned and unconditioned Brahman - In the beginning all this was but the unmanifested (brahman). From that emerged the manifested. That Brahman created Itself by Itself. Therefore It is called the Self-creator. | | # Taittriya Upanishad (2.6.1)<ref>Swami Gambhirananda (1989 Second Edition) ''Eight Upanishads, Volume 1 (Isa, Kena, Katha,and Taittriya) With the Commentary of Sankaracarya.'' Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama (Pages 325-327)</ref> mentions He (the Self) wished (सोऽकामयत । बहु स्यां प्रजायेतेति।) "Let me be many, let me be born". Having so deliberated, he created all this that exists. That Brahman, having created (that) entered into that very thing. This shows that Brahman has entered into the body as the individual Atman. Thus the cognizer, in his essential nature, is none other than the Brahman. Continuing this further the Upanishad in 2.7.1<ref>Swami Gambhirananda (1989 Second Edition) ''Eight Upanishads, Volume 1 (Isa, Kena, Katha,and Taittriya) With the Commentary of Sankaracarya.'' Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama (Pages 341-342)</ref> talks about the conditioned and unconditioned Brahman - In the beginning all this was but the unmanifested (brahman). From that emerged the manifested. That Brahman created Itself by Itself. Therefore It is called the Self-creator. |
| + | Madhavacharya, the propounder of Dvaita system of Vedanta, holds Brahman as a personality called Vishnu, having innumerable auspicious qualities and free from all impurities. Since Vishnu is a personality with attributes, this siddhanta advocates Saguna Brahma as against Advaita siddhanta which believes in Nirguna Brahma which is attributeless. |
| + | Nirguna Brahma according to Madhavacharya is not associated with the attributes of Prakrti, i.e., sattva, rajas, and tamas.<ref>Katti, Raghavendra ''Brahman, The Supreme Being in Brahmasutras.'' Bangalore: Sri Vyasa Madhva Samshodhana Pratishana (Pages 7-12)</ref> |