TRIMURTI

The 'Trimurti' (English: "Three forms"; Sanskrit: '') is a concept in Hinduism "in which the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction are personified by the forms of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva respectively."^[1][2] These three deities have been called "the Hindu triad"^[3] or the "Great Trinity".^[4] However Gavin Flood dismisses this terminology as inexact, saying that Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are "sometimes erroneously referred to as the 'Hindu trinity'.^[5] Freda Matchett characterizes the Trimurti system as one of "several frameworks into which various divine figures can be fitted at different levels."^[6]
One type of depiction for the Trimurti shows three heads on one neck, and often even three faces on one head, each looking in a different direction.^[7]

Contents

Evolution of the concept

Views of Trimurti within Hinduism

Vaishnavism

Saivism

Smartism

See also

Notes

References

Evolution of the concept

The Puranic period (c. CE 300-1200) saw the rise of bhramanical religion and the evolution of what R. C. Majumdar calls "synthetic Hinduism."^[8] This period had no homogeneity, and included orthodox Brahmanism in the form of remnants of older Vedic cults, along with different sectarian religions, notably Shaivism, Vaishnavism, and Shaktism that were within the orthodox fold yet still formed distinct entities.^[9] One of the important traits of this period is a spirit of harmony between orthodox and sectarian forms.^[10] Regarding this spirit of reconciliation, R. C. Majumdar says that:

Its most notable expression is to be found in the theological conception of the , i.e., the manifestation of the supreme God in three forms of , , and .... But the attempt cannot be regarded as a great success, for never gained an ascendancy comparable to that of Śiva or , and the different sects often conceived the as really the three manifestations of their own sectarian god, whom they regarded as Brahman or Abolute.^[11]

Maurice Winternitz notes that there are very few places in Indian literature where the Trimurti is mentioned.^[12] The identification of Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma as one being is strongly emphasized in the '' Purana'', where in 1.6 Brahman is worshipped as Trimurti; 1.9 especially inculcates the unity of the three gods, and 1.26 relates to the same theme.^[13]
Historian A. L. Basham explains the background of the trimurti as follows, noting Western interest in the idea of trinity:

Early western students of Hinduism were impressed by the parallel between the Hindu trinity and that of Christianity. In fact the parallel is not very close, and the Hindu trinity, unlike the Holy Trinity of Christianity, never really "caught on". All Hindu trinitarianism tended to favor one god of the three; thus, from the context it is clear that 's hymn to the is really addressed to , here looked on as the high god. The was in fact an artificial growth, and had little real influence.^[14]

Views of Trimurti within Hinduism

Vaishnavism

Vaishnavism generally does not accept the Trimurti concept. For example, the Dvaita school holds Vishnu alone to be the supreme God, with Shiva subordinate, and interprets the Puranas differently. For example, Vijayindra Tîrtha, a Dvaita scholar interprets the 18 puranas differently. He interprets that the Vaishnavite puranas as satvic and Shaivite puranas as tamasic and that only satvic puranas are considered to be authoritative.^[15]
In Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Shiva is considered the best of devotee of Vishnu (''vaisnavanam yatha sambhu'') and also an aspect of Vishnu but not the same as Vishnu. In this view, Shiva is also viewed as subservient to Lord Vishnu, although it is still understood that he is above the category of an ordinary jiva (living entity). In one interpretation, Brahma is considered by Gaudiya Vaishnavites to be the highest of the jivas.
An analogy of the differences between milk and yogurt can be used to describe the differences in Brahma Samhita. Prabhupada commented that Shiva is not like a living entity, but is not Vishnu, with his position somewhere between Vishnu and Brahma. The analogy continues to hold Shiva to be like unto yogurt and Vishnu like unto milk: milk transforms into yogurt, but no one would consider yogurt to be milk. ^[16]
However, other Vaishnavite followers, such as Swaminarayan, founder of the Hindu Swaminarayan sects (including BAPS), differ and hold that Vishnu and Shiva are different aspects of the same God.^[17] Notably, the Swaminarayan view is a minority view among Vaishnavites.

Saivism

Saivites, similarly hold a similar view with Shiva. Shiva performs five acts of creation, sustenance, reduction, illusioning and blessing. Of these the latter three are nothing but the forms of the Supreme Shiva called Parasiva. Saivites thus believe that Lord Shiva is the Supreme, who assumes various critical roles and assumes appropriate names and forms, and also stands transcending all these. ^[18]

Smartism

Smartism is a denomination of Hinduism that places emphasis on a group of five deities rather than just a single deity.^[19] The "worship of the five forms" () system, which was popularized by the ninth-century philosopher among orthodox Brahmins of the Smārta tradition, invokes the five deities Ganesha, Vishnu, Shiva, Devī, and Sūrya.^[20][21] This system was instituted by primarily to unite the principal deities of the five major sects on an equal status.^[22] The monistic philosophy preached by made it possible to choose one of these as a preferred principal deity and at the same time worship the other four deities as different forms of the same all-pervading Brahman.

See also

★ Harihara

Notes

1. For quotation defining the trimurti see Matchett, Freda. "The Purāṇas", in: Flood (2003), p. 139.
2. For the Trimurti system having Brahma as the creator, Vishnu as the maintainer or preserver, and Shiva as the transformer or destroyer see: Zimmer (1972) p. 124.
3. For definition of trimurti as "the unified form" of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva and use of the phrase "the Hindu triad" see: Apte, p. 485.
4. For the term "Great Trinity" in relation to the Trimurti see: Jansen, p. 83.
5. Flood (1996), p. 116.
6. Matchett, Freda. "The Purāṇas", in Flood (2003), p. 139.
7. Jansen, p. 83; picture p. 84.
8. For dating of Puranic period as c. CE 300-1200 and quotation, see: Majumdar, R. C. "Evolution of Religio-Philosophic Culture in India", in: Radhakrishnan (CHI, 1956), volume 4, p. 47.
9. For characterization as non-homogeneous and including multiple traditions, see: Majumdar, R. C. "Evolution of Religio-Philosophic Culture in India", in: Radhakrishnan (CHI, 1956), volume 4, p. 49.
10. For harmony between orthodox and sectarian groups, see: Majumdar, R. C. "Evolution of Religio-Philosophic Culture in India", in: Radhakrishnan (CHI, 1956), volume 4, p. 49.
11. For quotation see: see: Majumdar, R. C. "Evolution of Religio-Philosophic Culture in India", in: Radhakrishnan (CHI, 1956), volume 4, p. 49.
12. Winternitz, volume 1, p. 452, note 1.
13. For references to Purana see: Winternitz, volume 1, p. 573, note 2.
14. Basham, pp. 310-311.
15. http://www.dvaita.org/scholars/vijayindra/Vijayiindra_T_2.html
16. http://www.srimadbhagavatam.com/4/30/24/en
17. According to this site, http://www.kakaji.org/shikshapatri_verses.asp?catid=viewAll], verses 47, 84, of their scripture, Shikshapatri, [1] states, "And the oneness of Narayana and Shiva should be understood, as the Vedas have described both to be brahmaroopa, or form of Brahman, i.e., Saguna Brahman, indicating that Vishnu and Shiva are different forms of the one and same God.
18. http://www.shaivam.org/shpdestr.htm
19. Flood (1996), p. 17.
20. Dating for the pañcāyatana pūjā and its connection with Smārta Brahmins is from Courtright, p. 163.
21. For worship of the five forms as central to Smarta practice see: Flood (1996), p. 113.
22. Grimes, p. 162.

References

★ The Wonder That Was India: A Survey of the Culture of the Indian Sub-Continent Before The Coming of the Muslims, , A. L., Basham, Grove Press, Inc.,, 1954,

★

★ An Introduction to Hinduism, , Gavin, Flood, Cambridge University Press, 1996,

★ The Blackwell Companion to Hinduism, , Gavin (Editor), Flood, Blackwell Publishing Ltd., 2003,

★ Ganapati: Song of the Self, , John A., Grimes, State University of New York Press, 1995,

★ The Book of Hindu Imagery, , Eva Rudy, Jansen, Binkey Kok Publications BV, 2003, Eighth printing; First published 1993.

★ The Cultural Heritage of India, , Sarvepalli (Editorial Chairman), Radhakrishnan, The Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, 1956, Second edition, four volumes, revised and enlarged, 1956 (volume IV).

★ History of Indian Literature, , Maurice, Winternitz, Oriental Books Reprint Corporation, 1972, Second revised reprint edition. Two volumes. First published 1927 by the University of Calcutta.

★ Myths and Symbols in Indian Art and Civilization, , Heinrich, Zimmer, Princeton University Press, 1972,