Non-duality or oneness between Shiva and the other great Gods of the Trinity
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| Non-duality or oneness between Shiva and the other great Gods of the Trinity |
God’. One is called ‘great’ only when he has certain virtues and qualifications that are
extraordinary, magnificent and grand. The three Gods of the Trinity represent the three
fundamental facets or phases or aspects of this creation—viz. creation, growth and
development, and conclusion. They are represented by Brahma the creator, Vishnu the
sustainer and protector, and Rudra the concluder.
As we have already studied in the above pages, ‘Rudra’ is one function of Shiva,
and it is to concluder. But Rudra is not the complete identity of Shiva, for Lord Shiva is
genuinely and inherently calm and tranquil, being lost in meditation and contemplation,
as opposed to the obvious angry and wrathful form of Rudra. After all, being the ‘Great
God’ who is a manifestation of the Supreme Being known as Brahm, one of his duties is
to bring to an end whatever has come into being, because change is the fundamental law
of Nature, and the old becomes stagnant, stale and staid at some point of time when it is
no more possible for further development and growth, i.e. when the outer boundary of
creation and renovation is reached, thereby creating a need for change, restructuring,
rejuvenation and replacement. Then Shiva becomes ‘Rudra’.
Being the ‘Great God’, he is also responsible for sustaining this creation, and this
form of Shiva is known as ‘Vishnu’. When the time comes to start a new phase of
creation, Shiva becomes the creator ‘Brahma’.
In his cosmic form, Shiva is Brahm, the cosmic Consciousness, and in his
microcosmic form he is the pure conscious Atma, the soul, the ‘self’ of all living beings.
Non-duality or oneness or uniformity between Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma as Trinity Gods,
Jiva and Brahm—The entire Rudra Hridaya Upanishad and Skanda Upanishad of the
Krishna Yajur Veda are dedicated to this theme.
Some of the concepts on non-duality as propounded in Skanda Upanishad are as
follows—
(i) Non-duality or oneness or uniformity between Shiva and Vishnu = verse nos.
4, 8-9. [This fact has also been highlighted in the book ‘Vinai Patrika’ of saint Goswami
Tulsidas, in its verse no. 49.]
(ii) Non-duality or oneness or uniformity between Shiva and Jiva or the living
being = verse nos. 6, 9.
(iii) Non-duality or oneness or uniformity between Shiva, Brahm and Jiva = verse
no. 9.
(iv) Non-duality or oneness or uniformity between the three Gods of the Trinity =
verse no. 13.
(v) The relationship between Shiva and Shakti has been explained in Yogshikha
Upanishad, Canto 1, verse no. 167.
(vi) The non-duality or oneness between Shiva and Vishnu has been explained in
Rudra Hridaya Upanishad of Krishna Yajur Veda; the Brihajjabal Upanishad, Brahman
6, verse nos. 8-9, and the Sharav Upanishad of the Atharva Veda.
(vii) The non-duality or oneness between Brahm and Shiva has been expounded
in (i) Krishna Yajur Veda’s Varaaha Upanishad, Canto 4, verse no. 32; Dakshin Murti or
Dakshin Mukhi Upanishad. (ii) Atharva Veda’s Atharva-shir Upanishad.
(viii) The question ‘how Shiva, the personification of the eternal Truth of creation
known as Brahm, becomes a Jiva or the living being’ has been answered in Skanda
Upanishad of Krishna Yajur Veda, verse no. 7, 13.
(ix) Non-duality between Brahm, Atma and Shiva—Rudra Upanishad, verse no. 3,
stanza no. 1-2.
(x) Non-duality between Lord Nrisingh/Narsingh and Shiva—Nrisingh
Purvatapini Upanishad, Canto 1, verse nos. 10, 12.
(xi) Non-duality between Lord Ram, Narayan (Vishnu) and Shiva—refer Ram
Rahasya Upanishad of Atharva Veda, Canto 5, verse no. 3.
