Bhagavan

Bhagavan (Sanskrit: भगवान) is an honorific epithet meaning “revered one” or “blessed lord.” It derives from bhaga, meaning fortune or divine splendor, with the suffix -van, indicating ownership or possession. In classical Hinduism, Bhagavan is used as a title for a deity or for the supreme being, signaling divine status and authority. The term appears across scriptures and devotional literature as a respectful form of address to the divine.

In Vaishnavism and other devotional traditions, Bhagavan is often applied to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, with figures such as Krishna, Rama, Narayana, or Vishnu identified as Bhagavan in scriptures and liturgy. The Bhagavān is depicted as the source of all creation, the controller of the cosmos, and the object of devotion. The word also features in composite titles and works such as the Bhagavata Purana and the Bhagavad Gita, where it conveys scenes and teachings associated with the divine.

Beyond Hinduism, Bhagwan is used in Jainism as a title of reverence for the tirthankaras, and in broader Indian religious contexts as a general term for God or a revered teacher. In modern usage, the term may be applied to spiritual teachers or eminent figures, though it remains most closely associated with the divine in Hindu practice.

Thus, Bhagavan is a flexible honorific denoting divinity, revered status, or spiritual authority, applied to deities, enlightened beings, and respected individuals within a broader Indian religious and linguistic milieu.