Brahma is the Lord of creation and is
assisted in this process by his consort Saraswathi, who is the possessor of
ultimate knowledge. Brahma was born from the navel of Lord Vishnu at the end of
one cycle to begin a fresh creation. He has four heads (originally five),
representing the four vedas, which are said to have sprung from his heads. His
four heads are also said to represent the four yugas (cycle of life on earth).
He is bearded and his eyes are closed in meditation. He sits on a lotus and his
vehicle is the swan. In his four arms he holds the Vedas, the kamandal (water
pot), suruva (sacrificial spoon) and a mala. He is a serene soul and is the
provider of all sources of knowledge & wisdom.
There are no temples for Brahma (except the ones in
Pushkar in Rajasthan and Orissa) as for Siva and Vishnu, for there has been no
separate cult for Brahma as the Saiva or Vaishnava cult. According to
mythology, he is supposed to have been cursed by Shiva (for his having uttered
a lie and for his ego) that he would go without worship. Yet in all Siva and
Vishnu temples, there is an image of Lord Brahma on the northern wall & he
is one of the important Parivara devata (attendant deity).
Lord Shiva appears in a meditating but ever-happy posture. He
has matted hair which holds the flowing Ganges River and a crescent moon, a
serpent coiled around his neck, a trident (trishul) in his one hand and ashes
all over his body.The Lord's attributes represent his victory over the
demonic activity, and calmness of human nature. He is known as the "giver"
god. His vehicle is a bull (symbol of happiness and strength) named Nandi.
Siva, the last of the Trinities is the God of
destruction and his consort Parvati, the Goddess of disintegration, assists him
in this. Parvati represents prakriti or nature, which means perishable matter,
in the absence of which true and complete destruction by Siva becomes
impossible. (As we are all aware of today, only biodegradable matter can be
destroyed). This could possibly be the meaning of the idea that Siva becomes nothing
in the absence of Sakti.
Siva is generally worshipped in the form of the phallus
(linga) fixed on a pedestal. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed &
the Linga symbolizes this scientific fact. The Linga denotes the primeval
energy of the Creator. At the end of Creation all Gods find their resting place
in the Linga - Brahma being absorbed into the right, Vishnu is absorbed into
the left & Gayatri Devi being absorbed into the heart of the Linga. Linga,
the emblem of Siva is the main form worshipped in Siva temples. Siva in his
human form is worshipped as the Utsava murti, taken out on processions.
Siva Lingas worshipped in temples are mostly made of
stone and consists of three parts. The lowest portion in the shape of a square
symbolizes Brahma (the God of Creation). The middle part in the shape of an
octagon symbolizes Vishnu (the God of Maintenance). These two portions are
embedded inside a pedestal. The cylindrical portion projecting from the
pedestal symbolizes Shiva (the God of Destruction).
Siva resides high up on snowy mountain ranges. Image of
Siva in his physical form presents him as a soothing meditative figure. His
ornaments are not gold and precious stones.
He wears a necklace made of skulls signifying his role
as destructor. He has snakes coiling all over his body and his hair is matted
and long extending over the whole sky and space. The crescent moon adorns his
crown, signifying his control on the time cycle. (Amavasaya and Purnima). He
smears his body with ashes and wears a tiger skin and elephant skin. He has a
third eye on his forehead, which is the source of knowledge and wisdom. The
holy Ganges is imprisoned in his flowing locks. In his two arms he holds the
Trisul (the three prongs representing the three gunas or quality of sattva,
tamas and rajas) in one & Damaru in the other. His vehicle is the Nandi,
who is also his chief disciple to whom Siva passed on all his immense knowledge
in arts.
The above description should convey him as an angry and
destructive image, yet being the source of all knowledge he is often in a
meditative pose with half closed eyes looking out into the universe as well as
in to his self, signifying that his act of destruction is in itself an act of
creation for in the absence of destruction there can be no creation.
Other names and manifestations of Lord Siva:
--- Nataraja
--- Dakshinamurti
--- Lingodhbava
--- Haryardhamurti
--- Ardhanariswara
--- Bhikshatana
--- Pashupatinath
In India, Lord Vishnu is worshiped primarily
as Avatar, or incarnations, particularly as Rama and Krishna, the principal
characters of the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. The preserver god of the
Trinity Vishnu has four hands. The first holds a conch shell (sankha)
indicating spread of the divine sound "Om"; one holds a discus (chakra),
a reminder of the wheel of time, and to lead a good life; one holds a lotus
(Padma) which is an example of glorious existence and the fourth hands holds a
mace (gada) indicating the power and the punishing capacity of the Lord if
discipline in life is ignored.
His vehicle is the swift-flying bird Garuda that can
spread the Vedic knowledge with great courage. The dark color of the Lord
represents the passive and formless ether, a great quality for a pervading god.
He rests on the bed of the powerful, coiled serpent with 1000 head, Seshanag
who represents the sleeping universe. Lord Vishnu is also known as Hari, the
remover.
Lord Vishnu's consort is Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess
of Wealth.Vishnu is the Lord of protection and maintenance. His
consort Lakshmi is the possessor of wealth, which is a necessity for
maintenance. Goddess Lakshmi represents not only material wealth, but also the
wealth of grains, courage, and velour, offspring's, success, and luxurious
life, eternal bliss.
Any time Lord Vishnu sees great trouble, He takes an
incarnation or avatara to rescue the people from evils. He is merciful, ever
rushing to serve his devotees. Some of the main incarnations of Vishnu are
enumerated as the Dasaavatar (10 Incarnations).
|
| |
| | | | | | |
