Nirguna

Nirguna, or nirguṇa in Sanskrit, means "without qualities" or "attributeless." In Hindu philosophy, it is used to describe the ultimate reality as formless and beyond discernible attributes, forms, or limitations.

In Vedanta and related schools, nirguna Brahman denotes the impersonal absolute that underlies all phenomena. It is described as eternal, pure existence, consciousness, and bliss, beyond time, space, causation, and sensory experience. By contrast, saguna Brahman refers to the same ultimate reality manifested with attributes and form, worshiped as a personal deity such as Krishna, Rama, Shiva, or Devi. This personal, relatable aspect is central to many devotional traditions, while still considered a manifestation of the one, formless source.

Different traditions treat nirguna and saguna as complementary possibilities within the same framework. Advaita Vedanta emphasizes nirguna Brahman as the only real, with the world of multiplicity arising from maya; true knowledge is the nondual realization of Atman-Brahman. Many bhakti lineages prioritize saguna forms to foster devotion and accessibility, while acknowledging that these forms point toward the underlying nirguna reality. Thus, nirguna serves as a philosophical baseline for the transcendent nature of the divine, whereas saguna provides a practical mode of worship for adherents.