Mantra - 12

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"Nirguna Brahma leads to Hell,

Saguna Brahma leads to deeper hell. 

Balance is key....

Reference is from Ishavasya Upanishad - Mantra -12 

अन्धं तम: प्रविशन्ति येSसंभूतिमुपासते |

ततो भूय इव ते तमो च उ संबूत्यागुं रता: || 12

andham tama: pravishanti ye asambhootimupaasate, 

Tato bhooya iva te tamo cha vu sambhootyaagum rataa: - 12

Meaning -

Those who are engaged in the worship of Demigods enter into the darkest region of ignorance; and still more so do the worshippers of Impersonal Absolute. 

The Sanskrit word sambhootim means "origin".

The Sanskrit words in this mantra, asambhootim refers to those who have no independent existence [DemiGods]; sambhootim refers to the Impersonal Absolute.

To answer the question above ....

In the original Sanskrit verse there is no mention of the words "Nirguna Brahman, Saguna Brahman or Hell".... Only the words .... sambhootim, asambhootim, andam tama: .....

So in simple words it says....

Those who are engaged in the worship of Demigods ... like Indra, Varuna, Vayu: ....etc., enter into the darkest region of ignorance; and still more so do the worshippers of Impersonal Absolute formless Supreme Lord.

From Google search -

Yes, the statement "Nirguna Brahman is unmanifest & Saguna Brahman is manifest" is generally correct within the context of Advaita Vedanta and many Hindu philosophical traditions. 

However, this distinction is more about perspective than it is about two separate entities. Both terms refer to the same Reality. 

Here is a breakdown of the concepts:

1. Nirguna Brahman (Unmanifest/Attribute-less)

• Definition: Nir (without) + Guna (qualities/attributes). It is the Absolute, formless, quality-less, and unchanging substrate of existence.
• Unmanifest: Because it is beyond time, space, and causation, it cannot be perceived by the senses or fully grasped by the mind.
• Nature: Pure Consciousness, Sat-Chit-Ananda (Existence-Knowledge-Bliss). 

2. Saguna Brahman (Manifest/With Attributes)

• Definition: Sa (with) + Guna (qualities/attributes). It is Brahman perceived through the lens of Maya (cosmic illusion/limitations).
• Manifest: This is God with form (Ishvara or personal deities), which can be worshipped and contemplated.
• Nature: Creator, sustainer, and destroyer of the universe. It is the formless Brahman "frozen" into form by devotion, similar to how water freezes into ice. 

Key Nuances

• It is ONE Brahman: Nirguna is not "lesser" or "more" than Saguna; they are two sides of the same coin.
• Maya makes the difference: When Reality is viewed from a standpoint of absolute knowledge (Jnana), it is Nirguna. When viewed from within the world of duality (empirical, transactional reality), it appears as Saguna.
• Purpose: Saguna Brahman is considered easier to worship for ordinary people (Bhakti), while Nirguna is the goal of meditation and knowledge (Jnana). 

Conclusion: The statement is a correct description of the two aspects of the Divine as understood in Vedantic teaching, where the unmanifest (Nirguna) appears as the manifest (Saguna) to the human observer. 

..............................

You are correct that focusing exclusively on Advaita Vedanta and the concept of Maya when explaining Brahman can narrow the scope of a subject that is interpreted in many ways across different Indian philosophical schools. 

Here is a breakdown of why that perspective arises and why it may feel limiting:

• Why Maya is Frequently Included: When discussing the absolute nature of Brahman (Nirguna Brahman—formless, non-dual), the philosophy of Advaita (as taught by Adi Shankaracharya) is the most prominent framework that utilizes the concept of Maya to explain how the One appears as many. In this view, Maya is the "power of illusion" that causes the non-dual Brahman to be perceived as the empirical world of multiplicity.
• The "Dominant" Context: The assertion that Advaita is the "dominant" philosophy is largely a historical and academic one. From the 14th century onwards,, and later, through 19th-century Neo-Vedanta movements, Advaita has been presented by many as the supreme, or most "complete" understanding of the Upanishads.
• Why It Can Be Misleading (The Other Schools): It is inaccurate to say Advaita represents the totality of Hindu thought. Other major Vedantic schools offer very different, equally important explanations of Brahman:
  • Vishishtadvaita (Ramanuja): Views the world and individual souls as real, constituting the "body" of Brahman (God), rather than an illusion.
  • Dvaita (Madhvacharya): A strictly dualistic view that insists on a fundamental, permanent difference between the individual soul and God (Brahman).
  • Bhakti Traditions: Many traditions focus on Saguna Brahman (God with attributes/form), where the world is not viewed as illusion (Maya) but as a real creation of the Divine, to be loved and worshipped. 

Conclusion:
While Advaita Vedanta is a significant and influential, often academically dominant, school of Indian philosophy, it is not the only one. A balanced explanation of Brahman should ideally recognize that other traditions (Vishishtadvaita, Dvaita) do not necessarily consider the world to be Maya (illusion) and view Brahman differently than the non-dualistic Advaita approach. 

It is fair to say that using Advaita as the sole lens is a specific, rather than universal, perspective. 

Vedas divisions

Each Veda consisted of 2 parts. The first 3/4th of the Veda is Karma Kanda and the last 1/4th is the Gnana Kanda. Karma Kanda deals in detail about the Mantras and the rituals to be performed. While the Gnana Kanda deals with the description of the Supreme God known as the Para Brahman or the Virat Purasha.  Karma kanda has 2 divisions namely Samhita (Mantras) and Brahmanas (ritualistics). And Gnana Kanda has 2 divisions namely Aranyakas (Contemplative) and Upanishads (Highest philosophical thoughts).  Each of the 4 Vedas have its own Upanishads.

   

Upanishads

Upanishads

Upa nishati iti = Upanishad. This means “taking one nearer to the Para Brahman.  “अनन्य विद्यया ब्रह्मम् प्राप्यते ”  “ananya vidyayaa brahmam praapyate” by knowing this Upanishads, one is able to know the Brahman.  Upanishads were said only in the Aranyakaas (forests) and hence also known as Aranyaka.   The first sloka of Brahma sutra starts as …  "अथातो ब्रह्मजिज्ञासा"  meaning, “then and thereafter he comes to enquire about Brahman”.  “when and whereafter”?   It is also said “Brahmano nirveda” meaning only after completely practicing the Karma kaanda of the Vedas “कर्म विचारं अनन्तरे”, and after getting fed up with the rituals, one gets the desire to know the Brahman. जिज्ञासा = ज्ञातुमिच्छा.  This subject matter is known as “Mimamsa”.   मीमांसा = पूज्यविषये विचार: Mimamsa is also known as the enquiry into the highest philosophical thoughts.

isavasya upanishad

At the end of every Veda we have Upanishads.  Isavasya Upanishad is at the end of Shukla Yajur Veda. There is a speciality about this Isavasya Upanishad. Normally Upanishads are found only after the Aranyakas. But in this case Eashavasya Upanishad is read along with the Samhita part of the Vedas which are usually Mantras and rituals. The reason why it has been classified under the Upanishads is that, it talks in detail about the Brahman.

Story part of the Upanishads :- Normally an interesting story is always associated with the Upanishads. Most of the Upanishads are in the form of "संवाद:" meaning a conversation between Guru and Sishya.  Following is the interesting story which led to the Eashavasya Upanishad.

We have already seen that Maharishi Veda Vyasa segregated the Vedas into 4 and gave it to his Sishyas for propagation. Yajur Veda was given to Maharishi Vysampayana.  And Vysampayana had many Sishyas namely Yaagnya valkya, his brother Balaka, Bodhayana, Trishanku, Vykhanasa….etc.,  Vysampayanaa’s ashrama was on the outskirts of “Mithila” which was ruled by King Janaka.  One day it so happened that Vysampayana had been invited to attend a meeting (conference) of Maharishis in Meru parvatha. Due to some unavoidable reasons or due to the deiva sankalpa he could not go and attend this meeting and so he had sent his Sishya Trishanku.  On return Trishanku gave the message that all the other Maharishis had come to the meet and his absence was seen as an arrogance by Maharishis Viswamitra and Druvasa. Though Maharishi Vashishta supported Vysampayana, Druvasa became angry and cursed Vysampayana for not coming to the meet that he be afflcted with "ब्रह्महत्ति दोषा" in seven days time. Trishanku also told him that he can get relief from the curse by performing the Chaadraayana Homa. Since the person afflicted with dosha cannot perform the homa, his Sishyaas have to perform it.   Vysampayana accepted it with great sorrow, knowing fully well the he has to kill some one if he should be afflicted with "ब्रह्महत्ति दोषा". In the mean time it was Sishyaa Yaagnyavalkyaas turn to take the daily “mantraakshata prasada” to King Janaka.  On advice from Vysampayana he took his little brother Balaka also with him to the palace.  On reaching the palace they found that the king was not there in the throne.  The little boy Balaka out of mischief snatched the mantraakshata from Yaagnyavalkya, climbed up the throne and placed it on the throne. Since it is a sin for ordinary people to climb the throne a curse was uttered in an echo voice, that the one who climbed the throne will be dead shortly.   When they returned to the ashram, Vysampayana was very angry with Yaagnyavalkya.  Balaka fell on Vysampayana’s feet and begged pardon to say that it is his fault and by accident Vysampayana kicked the boy. The boy fell down and died.  As per the curse he had killed the boy and he was afflicted with Brahma hatti dosha.  Yaagnyavalkya retaliated his guru and said that he alone is qualified to perform the Chaandraayana homa among his Sishyaas.  Guru Vysampayana got more angry and asked him to give back all the Vedas taught to him and leave the ashrama. Yaagnyavalkya with his yogic powers brought out all what he had learnt and threw the Vedas he had learnt in the air.  The other Sishyaas took the form of Thithiri birds and swallowed the Vedas thrown in the air.  The other Sishyaas performed the Chaandraayana homa and relieved their Guru Vysampayana from the dosha.  Yaagnyavalkya who walked out went straight to the Meru parvatha and did Tapas invoking the Sun God. After several years of severe Tapas, Sun God appeared. Yaagnyavalkya asked the Sun God to give him a Veda other than what he had returned to his guru Vysampayana.  The Sun god pleased with his tapas, took the form of Hayagriva…. Man with horse head and gave him the “Shukla Yajur Veda”  This is also known as the “Vaajasaneya Yajur Veda” The one that was given by Veda Vyasa to Vysampayana is known as the “Krishna Yajur Veda”.  Yaagnyavalkya after getting the “Shukla Yajur Veda” propagated it to his sishyaas Kaanva and Tadhyan aatharvana.  Tadhyan aatharvana in turn gave it to his son and Sishya Subodha. At the end of Shukla Yajur Veda is the Isvasya Upanishad.   So the Isvasya Upanishad is a samvaada between Tadhyan aatharvana and Subodha.

Isavasya Upanishad - Invocation

Isavasya upanishad - Invocation

ॐ पूर्णमद: पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते | पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ||  ॐ शान्ति: शान्ति: शान्ति: ||

Oum- the complete whole:  purnam-perfectly complete: adah-that: purnam-perfectly complete: idam-this phenomenal world: purnaat- from the all perfect: purnam-complete unit: udacyate-is produced: purnasya-of the complete whole: purnam-complete all: aadaaya-having been taken away: purnam-the complete balance: eva-even: avasisyate-is remaining.

The personality of Godhead is perfect and complete, and because He is completely perfect, all emanations from him, such as this phenomenal world, are perfectly equipped as complete wholes.  Whatever is produced of the complete whole is also complete in itself.  Because he is the complete whole, even though so many complete units emanate from him, he remains the complete balance.  The concept of "Infinity" originated only from this Shanti mantra.