Brahman comes from the root word Brh, meaning “to grow.” From this, the word Brahman could’ve originated in two ways, either with the suffix “mant”, in which case it would’ve been Brahmaan (through Sandhi (joining)), which would indicate possession of the quality, like Shaktimaan; or with the suffix “man” or “an”, which would make it a noun.
So Brahmaan means the possessor of expansion, while Brahman means the expansion.
- Brahman (/ Brahm / Brahmaan): The Supreme Self
- Brahma: The deity
- Brahmaanda: The universe (cosmic egg)
- Braahman (Brahmin): The priestly caste
- Braahmana: The portion of the Vedas containing rituals for the priests