Hindu Trinity
Rajiv Malhotra
rajiv.malhotra at WORLDNET.ATT.NET
Thu Apr 27 21:21:13 CDT 2000
This explanation would have been perfect if brahma was
not worshipped or glorified anywhere in the smArta
tradition. But it is not the case. brahma is glorified
as hiraNyagarbha and prajaapati in the vedas. In fact,
shiva and vishhNu were not as important in the vedas
as Indra and the others. The act of creation is
glorified in many works respected by the smArta
tradition. For example in the lalitA sahasranaama, She
is described as 'sR^ishhTikartrii brahmarupaa'.
Also, how can the non-worship of brahma by present day
non-advaitin-Hindus be explained ?
Raghavendra.
Lets not think of creation, destruction, dissolution only in terms of
billions of years, as the Greco-Semitic ontologies do. Here's another view.
Each moment (kshana) there is a new moment 'created' while the old moment
is 'dissolved'. Imagine a computer or TV screen in which the old image did
not go away while the new one got superimposed. The result would be chaos.
Time and change are the same thing. They imply moment by moment
creation-sustenance-dissolution. In terms of modern physics, there is
manifestation each moment, but the prior moment must disappear.
So the Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva effects or forces or processes, whatever metaphor
you prefer, are on-going. Everywhere and at all times, all three are active.
Shiva's dissolution of a given moment leads to Brahma's creation of the
next. That is why they are inseparable, three-in-one (trimurti), in the same
sense as heads and tails of a coin are inseparable.
This means that Vishnu is present moment. Shiva is turning present into past
by removing it from the 'screen' of time, so to speak. Brahma is maker of
the future. This is why the trimurti also show then facing behind (past),
front (present), and forward (future).
Some day, physicists will develop their theories in terms of these three
kinds of effects or processes. This is also the fundamental micro-level
functioning of the universe, and not only applicable to macro level cosmic
thinking as is usually done.
Rajiv
--
bhava shankara deshikame sharaNam
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