Brahma by Ralph Waldo Emerson

The poem, Brahma by Ralph Waldo Emerson, shows a strong influence of Hinduism, particularly Advaita on Ralph Emerson.

First Verse

If the red slayer think he slays,
Or if the slain think he is slain,
They know not well the subtle ways
I keep, and pass, and turn again.

In describing atman, Adi Shankara sings in Nirvana Shatakam “aham bhojanam naiva bhojyam na bhokta”; meaning “I am not the enjoyer, enjoyed, or the experience of enjoyment”. The first three lines in the poem concur. The doer (slayer) is not the doer and the affected person (slain) is not affected. The last line refers to the never-ending cycle of birth and death, which all Hindus want to come out of.

Second Verse

Far or forgot to me is near;
Shadow and sunlight are the same;
The vanished gods to me appear;
And one to me are shame and fame.

The first and third lines indicate the closeness of the Atman. The Atman is not far, but within one’s self. The second and fourth lines show that from Atman’s standpoint, there are no differences. Dark and light and success and failure are all the same to Atman.

Third Verse

They reckon ill who leave me out;
When me they fly, I am the wings;
I am the doubter and the doubt,
I am the hymn the Brahmin sings.

This verse shows the universal truth that Atman is the substratum of everything. It is the “Turiya” for the “walking”, “dream”, and “deep-sleep” states mentioned in Mandukya Upanishad. Atman is the wings we fly with. The last line clearly shows his inspiration from the mantras the Brahmins in Hinduism chanted.

Fourth Verse

The strong gods pine for my abode,
And pine in vain the sacred Seven;
But thou, meek lover of the good!
Find me, and turn thy back on heaven.

In the last verse, he mentions the ultimate goal in Vedanta – to know how you are (Atman) instead of trying to attain the abode of the seven heavens.

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