Rami Sivan, Hindu priest and teacher of Indian Philosophy.
May 26th, 2020
From Brahman – the Matrix – things “emerge” rise out of – the are not created.
The example used in Vedānta is the sea and its waves known as samudra-taraṅga nyāya. The sea does not “create” the waves – the waves, currents, whirlpools and other oceanic phenomena arise or emerge from the ocean itself.
So the Trimurti are three aspects of “currents” – centrifugal force (Shiva) centripetal (Brahma) and the revolving force (Vishnu). They are not separate forces but different aspects of a single energy.
Another example is the digestion of food and life – three phases of a single process.
- Anabolism -synthesis of complex molecules – Brahma.
- Metabolism – maintenance of life – Vishnu
- Catabolism – breakdown of complex molecules – Shiva.
This chart will illustrate the connections.
Who is more powerful among Visnu, Siva and Brahma
June 4th, 2020
The function of the Puranas and Itihasas is to explain or to elaborate upon the cryptic teaching of the Veda – they are not stand alone authorities.
There are hundreds of verses which say Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are independent gods and other verses which say that they are all three manifestations of ONE Godhead.
Some Puranas say Vishnu is supreme and others say Shiva is supreme – these statements are only for the purpose of fostering Bhakti (devotion) to one form of God as one’s iṣṭha-devatā or tutelary deity.
So this echos the different and seemingly contradictory statements in the Veda.
There are statements by some Rishis which affirm difference (bheda-śruti) between ātman and Paramātma, and other Rishis affirm identity (abheda-śruti) between ātman and Paramātma. Then there is a 3rd category of statement in which the two extremes are resolved through integration (ghaṭaka-śruti).
So instead of taking a sectarian position of affirming the superiority of one or the other and seeking bias-confirmation in the various Puranas we should try to find the integrative texts.
So here is one example of a ghaṭaka śruti (integrative text) from the Vedas.
OM That is Brahman, OM That is Vayu, OM That is Atman, OM That is the Supreme Truth, OM That is the All, OM That is multitude of all beings. Salutations to That. The Supreme Being moves in the heart of every created being possessing manifold forms. O Supreme, Thou art the sacrifice, Thou art the mantra Vashat, Thou art Indra, Thou art Rudra, Thou art Vishnu, Thou art Brahma, Thou art Prajapati. Thou art That, Thou art the waters in the rivers and the oceans, Thou art the Sun, Thou art the Essence, Thou art Ambrosia, Thou art the Vedas, Thou art the triple world and Thou art AUM. (Mahanarayana Upanishad 68:1&2)
Now the same thing is taught in more colourful language in the Puranas as well.
Vishnu said:– Do not consider me as distinct from you O Shankara, the gods, asuras, humans and the whole universe are not different from us. Those who are deluded and ignorant consider me as separate from you. The person who differentiates between Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma, goes to an exceedingly terrible hell. (Narada Purana 1:6:48)
And again Krishna himself affirms this non-difference between Shiva and Vishnu in the Mahābhārata.
M.B. Santi Parva 341:22 – 27. Krishna said to Arjuna:– “Narayana is the Self of Rudra it should be known from age to age. If that god of gods (Maheshvara) be worshipped, then O Partha, is the mighty Narayana also worshipped. I [Krishna] am the Self, O Arjuna of all the worlds, of all the universe. Rudra again is my Self. It is for this reason that I always adore him. If I do not adore the auspicious and boon-giving Isana nobody would then adore Me in essence. The principles I set are followed by all the worlds. Those principles should always be respected, and it is, therefore, that I too respect them. He who knows Rudra knows Myself, and he who knows Me knows Rudra. He who follows Rudra follows Me. Rudra is Narayana. Both are one Being, appearing in two different forms. Rudra and Narayana, forming one Being, pervade all things and cause them to act.
So who is more powerful? They are both aspects of the ONE – Brahman – they are non-different – two sides of the same coin.
Sanatana Dhara 