Persian · noun, masculine · People & Roles
Barhaman
बरहमन
said bar-ha-man
also written: Brahman, Brahmin
Meaning
A Brahmin or Hindu priest; in Persianate poetry the idol-temple's keeper, a counterpart to the Muslim cleric.
Literally: Brahmin priest
Usage & notes
The barhaman, like the shaikh, is a figure of institutional religion whose externals Iqbal contrasts with the inner truth of love. He famously pairs shaikh and brahman to show that hollow ritualism crosses every creed.
Related words
SANSKRIT
Brahman
The absolute, formless reality underlying the universe.
PERSIAN
Sheikh-o-brahman
The Muslim divine and the Hindu priest; the two orthodoxies the free spirit transcends.
PERSIAN
Dair
A temple or monastery, especially of the Magians or idolaters; the tavern-shrine of the free lover.
PERSIAN
Butparast
An idol-worshipper; in love-poetry, one who worships the beauty of the idol-like beloved.