Brahma Poem Analysis
"Brahma" is a poem by the American essayist and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson, first published in 1857 in the first issue of "The Atlantic Monthly." The poem is inspired by the Hindu concept of Brahma, the creator god in the Hindu pantheon, and explores themes of spirituality, transcendence, and the unity of all things.
The poem reads as follows:
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.
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.
They reckon ill who leave me out;
When me they fly, I am the wings;
I am the doubter and the doubt,
And I the hymn the Brahmin sings.
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 "Brahma," Emerson explores the concept of the divine as a unifying force that transcends dualities and contradictions. The poem is written in four quatrains, with an ABAB rhyme scheme and a trochaic meter.
The first stanza introduces the idea that the "red slayer" and the slain are both part of the same divine reality, suggesting that the distinctions between life and death, action and consequence, are illusory. This idea reflects the Hindu belief in the eternal cycle of life, death, and rebirth (samsara), as well as the interconnectedness of all things.
In the second stanza, Emerson further develops the theme of unity and transcendence, stating that "shadow and sunlight are the same" and that "the vanished gods" are all part of the same divine essence. He also suggests that concepts such as "shame and fame" are ultimately meaningless, as they too are part of the same eternal reality.
The third stanza emphasizes the omnipresence of the divine, as Brahma declares that "I am the doubter and the doubt, / And I the hymn the Brahmin sings." This statement highlights the idea that both the believer and the skeptic, the sacred and the profane, are all part of the same divine reality, as are the very expressions of devotion and doubt.
The final stanza addresses the reader directly, urging them to seek out and embrace the divine reality that underlies all things. The poem concludes with the provocative suggestion to "turn thy back on heaven," indicating that the true spiritual path lies not in the pursuit of an external, distant deity, but rather in the recognition of the divine essence within oneself and all things.
"Brahma" is a deeply philosophical and spiritual poem that engages with the Hindu concept of the divine as a unifying force that transcends dualities and contradictions. Through its exploration of the nature of reality, the poem invites readers to reconsider their assumptions about the divine and to recognize the interconnectedness of all things. As a work of American Transcendentalism, "Brahma" also reflects Emerson's belief in the innate goodness of humanity and the inherent divinity of the natural world.