Trimurti is a concept well known in Hindu religion where the deity namely, Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Siva are worshiped as creator, protector and destroyer of all life forms respectively. The Trimurti sculpture in Elephanta caves is an example of belief ancient India had in the Trimuthi concept.
The Trimurthi is an unique concept which can be viewed as a doctrine in the post vedic period. When there were different religious views that created a divide on basis of deity of their worship namely Shaktism, Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Sauram. Trimurthi concept unified people of different views together.
Commendable question that arises is what does Lord Shiva as a destroyer of life forms have to do with unification of these various views?.
The search for the answer to this question made me write this article, Lord Shiva who has been branded a destroyer of life form has been a proven unifier rather than a destroyer in ancient India.
An interesting fact to note here is that ancient India had so many rulers and so many across many dynasties who were constantly fighting among themselves for land and power.
Lord Shiva became the unifying factor among these different dynasties and acted as a common factor of identity for various people who lived in ancient India. It was believed that Lord Shiva was the ruler of the land and its people. The King who was considered the representative of Lord Shiva. It is in this one common factor that many came together and Identified themselves as a member of one nation, though ruled by different rulers. It is also for this same reason the foreign invaders identified India as one single nation though ruled by different rulers.
Another question that shook me off is- When having temple of one deity is not common only to Shiva, then why should Lord Shiva be a unifier?. But it is only Lord Shiva our ancestors accepted as a common ruler and a destroyer of bad karma. Be it Adi Shankara or Sri Appaya Dikshita who were the most adored scholars of their times who preached that no deity is supreme and every deity is unique, went to Kedarnath and Chidambaram respectively for attaining moksha.
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| Elephanta caves, Maharashtra |
Commendable question that arises is what does Lord Shiva as a destroyer of life forms have to do with unification of these various views?.
The search for the answer to this question made me write this article, Lord Shiva who has been branded a destroyer of life form has been a proven unifier rather than a destroyer in ancient India.
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| Notice Shiva Jotirlinga in various part of India. |
 Ancient Indian dynastic |
Another question that shook me off is- When having temple of one deity is not common only to Shiva, then why should Lord Shiva be a unifier?. But it is only Lord Shiva our ancestors accepted as a common ruler and a destroyer of bad karma. Be it Adi Shankara or Sri Appaya Dikshita who were the most adored scholars of their times who preached that no deity is supreme and every deity is unique, went to Kedarnath and Chidambaram respectively for attaining moksha.
Saint Manika Vasakar penned this down in Tiru Vasagam by saying "Thenaadu udaya Sivane Pootri, En naattavarkum iraivaa potri."
Meaning of these famous lines is that "I praise the lord who is the eternal truth and I praise the lord who is ruler of every land."
It is true that immortal country like India will astonish us in every possible way, be it her culture, her religion or her people, it is only when we try to learn her we can fall in love with her.
Thanks for reading. Jai Hind.
Akshayaram Viswanathan
Akshayaram Viswanathan
