Trimūrti
Trimūrti · tri-mūrti, “the three forms”
Rajas has other meanings too: see all meanings of Rajas.
The Trimūrti, “the three forms”, are Brahmā, Vishṇu and Rudra. The Bhāgavata Purāṇa teaches that the one Parameśvara, taking the three guṇas of his māyā in turn, appears as Brahmā to create the world through rajas, as Vishṇu to sustain it through sattva, and as Rudra to withdraw it through tamas. They are forms of Parabrahma, and when Atri Maharshi meditated on the one Jagadīśvara and all three came before him, they told him plainly: “The one you meditated on, that is we three. There is no difference among us.”
The Purāṇa tells of them in four places: in Brahmā’s teaching to Nārada, which counts the Trimūrti first among the forms of Parabrahma; in Brahmā’s own stuti to Śrī Hari, where the three mūrtis are the trunks of the tree of the world; in the darśana they granted together to Atri Maharshi and Anasūyā, from whose aṃśas Candra, Dattātreya and Durvāsa were born; and in the reign of Hiraṇyakaśipu, when every lokapāla but these three served the daitya with gifts in their hands.
Forms of the one Parabrahma
Brahmā, teaching his son Nārada Maharshi, said that Hiraṇyagarbha is the very first avatāra of Parabrahma, and that all the rulers of the worlds are forms of Parabrahma: first the Trimūrti, Brahmā, Vishṇu and Rudra; then the Prajāpatis beginning with Daksha; the devarshis Nārada, Sanaka and the others; the protectors of svarga beginning with Indra; the lords of the birds beginning with Garuḍa; the kings of Bhūloka; and the lords of Pātāla.
Source: Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 2, Chapter 6
The trunks of the tree of the world
In the stuti Brahmā offered to Śrī Hari lying in the waters of pralaya, which Maitreya Maharshi tells Vidura, Brahmā says that the one Parameśvara divides his māyā-śakti by the guṇas rajas, sattva and tamas and, taking those guṇas in turn as his upādhis (limiting adjuncts), bears the three mūrtis Brahmā, Vishṇu and Rudra, and so does in turn the creation, preservation and dissolution of the world. The same māyā-śakti, changing further, becomes the upādhi of the prajāpatis Marīci, Manu and the others. So, with the three mūrtis as its trunks and the prajāpatis as its branches and sub-branches, Parameśvara has appeared as the tree that is the world. “Salutation to that Bhagavān Śrī Hari.”
Source: Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 3, Chapter 9
The darśana to Atri Maharshi
Vidura asked Maitreya Maharshi: “Brahmā, Vishṇu and Rudra are, in order, the cause of the creation, sustenance and dissolution of the world. What did the Trimūrti, the best of the devas, wish to do, that they took avatāra in the house of Atri?”
Atri’s tapas
Maitreya answered. Brahmā had urged Atri Maharshi, best of the knowers of Brahman, to carry out creation. Atri went with his wife Anasūyā to the kula-parvata Ṛksha, whose forests were full of flowering palāśa and aśoka trees and filled with the sound of the river Nirvindhyā. There, beyond cold and heat, joy and sorrow, living on air alone and mastering his mind by prāṇāyāma, he stood on one foot for a hundred years. His dhyāna was: “I take refuge in Parameśvara, Jagannātha, the master of the world; may he grant me progeny equal to himself.” With prāṇāyāma as its fuel, a fire went forth from Atri’s head, and the three worlds were scorched by it.
The three appear
Then Brahmā, Vishṇu and Rudra saw this and went to Atri‘s āśrama, while apsarās, maharshis, gandharvas, siddhas, vidyādharas and nāgas sang their glory. At the appearance of all three at once, Atri’s mind shone greatly. Standing on one foot, he saw the three best of the devas. Brahmā, Vishṇu and Maheśvara rode, in order, the haṃsa, Garuḍa and the vṛshabha, and shone with their own emblems, the kamaṇḍalu, the cakra, the triśūla and the rest. Their glances spread compassion and a smile played on their faces, and Atri knew that they were pleased with him.
He fell to the ground like a staff and bowed, rose, held flowers in his joined palms and worshipped them. Dazzled by their radiance, he closed his eyes, fixed his mind on them, and praised them with sweet words full of feeling:
- “In every kalpa Parameśvara, with the māyā-śakti of the three guṇas as his upādhi, does the work of the world. With the rajoguṇa of māyā he takes the form of Brahmā and creates the world; with the sattvaguṇa he takes the form of Vishṇu and sustains it; with the tamoguṇa he takes the form of Rudra and withdraws it. I bow to you three, such Trimūrti.”
- “But I meditated on only one of you. Tell me yourselves which of you is the mūrti I meditated on.”
- “Desiring progeny, I held one Parameśvara in my heart with a one-pointed mind and worshipped him with many offerings. You are the best of devas, beyond the reach even of the minds of embodied beings. I worshipped one, and you three have come: what is the reason? Kindly tell me, for I feel great wonder at this.”
Their answer and the vara
The three smiled and answered him in sweet words: “O Maharshi, you are satya-saṅkalpa, one whose resolve comes true. As your resolve is, so it will be. The one Jagadīśvara you meditated on, that is we three; this is certain. There is no difference among us. Three sons will be born to you from our aṃśas. They will be famous in the world and will spread your fame. May there be auspiciousness for you!”
The maharshi worshipped the three well, and they granted the vara he asked. Then, while Atri and Anasūyā gazed at them without blinking, they went back. From Brahmā‘s aṃśa Candra was born, from Vishṇu‘s aṃśa Dattātreya Maharshi, and from Śaṅkara’s aṃśa Durvāsa Maharshi, and these three won great fame.
Source: Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 4, Chapter 1
In the reign of Hiraṇyakaśipu
Nārada Maharshi, telling Dharmarāja Yudhishṭhira the account of Prahlāda, says that when Hiraṇyakaśipu ruled the worlds and lay drunk with strong liquor, rolling his eyes, all the lokapālas except the Trimūrti served him, holding gifts in their hands.
Source: Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 7, Chapter 4
Sources
- Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 2, Chapter 6; Skandha 3, Chapter 9; Skandha 4, Chapter 1; Skandha 7, Chapter 4