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Thread: Hindu Trinity Myth

  1. #1

    Hindu Trinity Myth

    Namaste,
    Whenever I see someone describe Hindu Gods and use word trinity, I cringe. Even some Hindus themselves say there is trinity (with exactly that word). I believe it just creates confusion & controversy. If person would actually see Sanathana Dharma as mother of many (similar in essence) religions not just throw trinity in and say 'Hindus believe God in 3 persons'. Everyone who follows Sanathana Dharma still has 1 God as primary or 1 particular Guru. I actually don't know any Hindu who believes in Trinity (Trimurti) as 3 equal Gods.
    Even if Hindus really would have Trimurti as one of main beliefs, people would just believe Hinduism is polytheistic, which is not true. I really dislike when something I deeply love is misunderstood. Yes, of course, we shouldn't care what others think but once I looked at Mormon magazine for youth (I have never been mormon, I was just curious) and there was article about girl's family who are Hindu converts to LDS in India & that Hindus believe in many Gods and so on. This myth about Hinduism & many other made me think that like Christianity's missionaries we should make our own missionaries that would visit Hindus & strengthen their faith so whenever christians would come to try to convert, they couldn't use myths, because these hindus would already be aware of truth.

    I know this idea is not really that good idea but still what are your opinion of this? I didn't find any direct topic about trimurti (also many people use word "Hindu trinity" but that's more offensive)

    And I apologize in advance if you would think this thread I made is pointless or that I have misunderstood something about Sanathana Dharma.

    Have a nice day,
    ~Alice

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    Re: Hindu Trinity Myth

    Hinduism teaches that God is one, but he has many manifestations.

    ekam sad vipra bahudha vadanti, One truth which the sages speak of with many names (rigveda)

    I would not be ashamed of people saying we believe in many gods. The western concept of god does not really fit Hinduism. We have different words, like deva, ishvara, paramatma and brahma which have slightly different meanings. There are many devas, Ganesha is one deva and Shiva is another deva. In essence they may be the same, but their form is different. Each god has their own function. It's really not a problem to say that we worship multiple devas or gods. These gods are not random either, they are revealed in the vedas, puranas and agamas with their own function and own stories.
    Last edited by Sahasranama; 10 November 2010 at 05:06 AM.

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    Re: Hindu Trinity Myth

    namaste Alice and others.

    Any religious system--eastern or western--has its own hierarchy of gods. The Hindu devas are the equivalent of the angels in the western religions. Just as the Trinity is the head of the angels in Christianity, the TrimUrti are the head of the devas in Hindu Dharma.

    As Sahasranama says, we Hindus are not ashamed at the ignorant/deliberately proviking statement of Western religious people that we worship multiple gods. Every Hindu knows that they are only forms of manifestation of the One God Brahman. Ask any illiterate, rustic Hindu in India about it and he would confirm that God is one that he is only worshipping its various forms. So, we need not have missionaries to teach this aspect of our belief to the grassroots; and we are not bothered about teaching it to non-Hindus who would not see the truth.

    The beauty of the Hindu TrimUrti is that they have their consorts as their shakti aspect, which is unique to our Hindu Dharma. Mother Goddess might be worshipped in other religions but she is never paired with a Father God, as in our Hindu Dharma.

    There is also nothing wrong in equating the Hindu TrimUrti with Brahman, the One God, although BrahmA, the Creator is rarely worshipped at home or in temples, but he is invoked in Veda yajnas by the name PrajApati. As you are aware, popular and influential groups of Hindu Dharma have evolved round the avatars of MahAVishNu, viz. shrI RAma and shrI KRShNa. Further, we have entire religious sects worshipping GaNapati, Shakti and SUrya as Brahman.

    Such is the kaleidoscopic variety of gods and their worship in Hindu Dharma; they might look exclusively individual pieces to their own followers, but as in a kaleidoscope, they form a beautiful, colorful, and holistic pattern, under the lens of the Vedas and Dharma.
    रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
    ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥

    To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.

    --viShNu purANam

  4. #4

    Re: Hindu Trinity Myth

    We have been using the word "Trimurti" since the beginning. Theres nothing wrong with that. It means Triad. Not quite "Trinity" as in a Christian sense. But the word is similar.

    Trimurti means the Triad of Personnas. Its directly "OM" percieved via forms seperately, 3 in number. A-U-M, as personal as you can get.

    Only in Sanatana Dharma, the Lord(Ishvara) is met face-to-face in just one syllable. One syllable indicating 3 of His attributes, attributes that adequately defines Him in completeness. And alone are enough to immediately realize Him through the sense of sound.

    This Nada, OM, vibrates throughout everything within this universe.

    Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva viewed seperately. Their physical image form is as personal as you can get in worshipping the Divine.



    Any religion that professes a personal God yet abhors idolatry as sin must be worshipping something other than the Divine.

    For me, what is fascinating, is how throughout the development of Sanatana Dharma. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva originally were crude, as though they suddenly manifested in a blurry manner to those who were given the revelations and they(those Sages) did not understand who they are and slowly overtime, the true meaning and identity of these Devas increased along with the capacity of humans to understand the Divine.

    Like a gradual revelation if you will.

    This need not have to turn out this way. The most mind blowing part is that "OM" is extremely ancient in the Vedas, and it was revealed before the proper understanding of Ishvara.

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    Re: Hindu Trinity Myth

    Absolutely perfectly, and most beautifully stated, Saidevo.

    I never truly saw things at all until I found this precious lens.

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    Re: Hindu Trinity Myth

    Vannakkam:

    The encyclopedia version of Hinduism has only changed recently. I imagine the old editors of Britannica some 250 years ago, all male, all with that English accent, mostly with grey hair, sitting around a table writing their knowledge down.

    "I say, old chaps, it seems we have come upon the letter H, and the title maker has written 'Hindoo' for the next item to be elucidated. Has anyone here ever been to that dark place of India?"

    "Not really, Sir, but I have been as far as Constantinople, and I had an uncle who worked for the Company."

    "Fine, then. You will do. Don't worry too much about accuracy. None of the poor blokes who can actually read will know the difference. Remember, this just is a profit making company. Get right on it then."

    Aum Namasivaya

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    Re: Hindu Trinity Myth

    I think the ignorance/confusion stems from the different views that the two religions take to questioning faith. Sanatana Dharma considers questions essential to understanding; Christianity condemns questioning as proof of a lack of faith and a hard-hearted inability to trust in God's ways. Hence, there's no reason for a good Christian to learn in-depth about others' religions; at best, it's a waste of time, and at worst, it might raise questions that could cause one to fall into sin, i.e. begin to stray from the 'right path' into sinful agreement with the heathens.

    The word "Trinity" does convey the "one God" concept somewhat, to Christians who likely wouldn't understand the subtle nuances of the Divine in Sanatana Dharma. The Christian Trinity is Father, Son, Holy Spirit considered as one God, but they're all supposed to be equal and essential to the right view of God. A Christian wouldn't consider Holy Spirit the most supreme and worship only that aspect, or that aspect primarily, for instance. So to summarize Sanatana Dharma as "Creator, Preserver, Destroyer" might make it more familiar and less threatening, and I think it could dispel, a bit, the idea that Hindus worship multiple gods.

    It's not accurate, but "three-in-one" is still a bit more positive press than "look at those pagan idolators," with a religion that insists on knowledge being filtered through its lens.

    EM: "Would you believe, Alfred, there's a gentleman with multiple heads? And a half-clothed man sitting on a tiger skin?"

    "A tiger?! Ha! Ha! Ha! What will those poor simple-minded pagans think of next?"

    "And some sort of blue chap with quite a few too many arms..."

    :Alfred looks at the picture and replies soberly.: "It seems, old friend, we are dealing with the god of excess limbs, the god of animal-skin tailoring, and the god of asphyxia. Heaven knows what sort of trinity that will make."

    Indraneela
    ===
    "I wait the power of one like thee, O Indra, gifts of a Helper such as thou art, Hero.
    Strong, Mighty God, dwell with me now and ever."
    Om Indrāya Namaḥ.
    Om Namaḥ Śivāya.

  8. #8

    Re: Hindu Trinity Myth

    Namaste,

    Thanks for helping me understand better. But I'm really talking about Hindu Trinity seen same way as Christian Trinity, (but obviously Hindu Trinity is polytheistic... *sarcasm*) it isn't.
    Well, if Shiva or Vishnu (or any other God) is Supreme, than that particular God has all the abilities of trimurti & more, right?
    Still nobody replied to what they think about my idea...

    Have a nice day,
    ~Alice

    Off Topic: Today I talked with girl, who doesn't really like me. I had rudrakshas on & she asked what it is. I told her what it is. In the end (after bunch of questions) I said that I'm hindu. Why? Because I want to. (In the sense - not because I have to) Then I said that yoga, medititation & ayurveda all came from Hinduism. She made fun of meditation & yoga. I met her because my cousin (my mom's cousin's daughter actually) is at hospital & I visited her & then she came... It made me feel so stupid, but I made myself feel better when I came into grocery store, bought what I wanted & wished a nice day to women who worked there. It's such a nice thing to see people smile & it made my day good again. Sorry for ranting & being off topic.

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    Re: Hindu Trinity Myth

    namaste Alice.

    Quote Originally Posted by SweetAlisija View Post
    Well, if Shiva or Vishnu (or any other God) is Supreme, than that particular God has all the abilities of trimurti & more, right?
    Still nobody replied to what they think about my idea...
    To get an idea of a possible answer to this question, just ask yourself:

    • Which of the many Alices that I am, is the one supreme Alice who has all the abilities? The daughter Alice? The sister Alice? The friend Alice? The student Alice? Or any other Alice that I am?

    • Those who see the different Alices in me might differentiate and attribute limitations to my roles, but do I, the one Alice that I am, think that I have such differentiation and limitations? Or do I just make them up, as required by my roles?

    • When do I get to know the one supreme Alice whose forms are my many roles? Do I get to know it at all? If I don't know it for sure, perhaps I should get down the rabbit hole deeper?

    *****

    • Whenever you use the mind to plan and create, you are Alice-BrahmA--'the man with multiple heads';

    • when you use your buddhi--wisdom, to sustain your life in dharma, you are Alice-ViShNu--'many-armed, with a power to restrain and strike'.

    • when you are own your Atman, even with no knowledge about it in deep sleep, having dissolved all that you seek and own, you are Alice-Shiva--'the ascetic man clad only in the tiger skin'.

    • The Universal Consciousness whose real nature is sat-chit-Ananda--existence-consciousness-bliss, is the Brahman-Alice, behind the trimUrti in you.

    Can a follower of a Western religion speak of herself/himself in these divine terms?

    The rabbit hole of uncertainty, that is, the uncertainty that can't be known by intellect, is perhaps the reason that our TrimUrtis themselves are portrayed to be in meditation on the Ultimate. And the famous nAsadIya sUkta in Rig Veda 10.129 ends with these words about Brahman himself: "he knows - or maybe even he does not know". (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=3579)
    रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
    ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥

    To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.

    --viShNu purANam

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    Re: Hindu Trinity Myth

    Namaste Alisija,

    There is nothing more for me to add. Saidevo has answered your last question very sagely. If we limit ourselves to the Christian POV of discussing Trimurti, explanations quickly become inadequate, and then, unnecessary. It is sufficient to say that the Supreme Personality of Godhead embodies Himself/Herself in the form that is most pleasing, that inspires the greatest devotional love, to the bhakta.

    Om namah Shivaya
    "Watch your thoughts, they become words.
    Watch your words, they become actions.
    Watch your actions, they become habits.
    Watch your habits, they become your character.
    Watch your character, it becomes your destiny."

    ॐ गं गणपतये नमः
    Om Gam Ganapataye namah

    लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु ।
    Lokaah SamastaaH Sukhino Bhavantu

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