First God Of Hindu Trinity?

[username1]

hello, i have a few questions:

 

1.Who was the first god of the hindu trinity to be created?

-I have heard it was Brahma (creator) that came from the golden egg of universal consciousness, but i have also heard he sprung from the navel of Lord Narayana. Which is it?

 

2. Also what are unique qualities, and what differentiates the Lord Narayana form from the Vishnu form?

-I am starting to beleive Vishnu combined with Ananta Shesha, Lakshmi, Brahma from the navel and others are the "Narayana Form"...am i right? please correct me if i am wrong

 

3. I also hear that Narayana is the center of the universe or power/energy of the universe could this mean that his energy or form was present but there was no matter or life form until Brahma came and then Brahma created man and all other things in existence out of Lord Narayana/Universal energy?

[Deathless]

 

hello, i have a few questions:

 

1.Who was the first god of the hindu trinity to be created?

-I have heard it was Brahma (creator) that came from the golden egg of universal consciousness, but i have also heard he sprung from the navel of Lord Narayana. Which is it?

 

It all depends on if the Hindu you are talking with is Shaiva, Vaishnava, Shakta, Ganpatya, or Advait.

 

If the person is Shaiva or Vaishnava, they'll say Shiva or Vishnu was first.

If the person is Shakta or Ganpatya, they'll say that Shakti or Ganapati was first.

If the person is Advait, they'll say that God is ulimately formless and that such a question is unimportant as God has taken many forms, each of them having a certain role to fulfill. So, which one God took first has no special meaning, as all avatars are equally important.

 

I hope that clears things up a bit.

 

 

 

2. Also what are unique qualities, and what differentiates the Lord Narayana form from the Vishnu form?

-I am starting to beleive Vishnu combined with Ananta Shesha, Lakshmi, Brahma from the navel and others are the "Narayana Form"...am i right? please correct me if i am wrong

 

Isn't Narayan just a name for Vishnu?

 

 

 

3. I also hear that Narayana is the center of the universe or power/energy of the universe could this mean that his energy or form was present but there was no matter or life form until Brahma came and then Brahma created man and all other things in existence out of Lord Narayana/Universal energy?

 

According to Vaishnavas he is.

Shaivas think Shiva is center of universe, Shaktas think Shakti is center of universe, and so on.

[gHari]

For those with a scholarly bent, here are the related teachings of the great 16th century scholar, Caitanya Mahaprabhu which perfectly concur with God's very words in the Bhagavad-gita:

 

Lord Caitanya continued to explain to SanAtana GosvAmI that the expansions of Lord KRSNa who come to the material creation are called avatAras, or incarnations. The word avatAra means "One who descends," and in this case the word specifically refers to one who descends from the spiritual sky. In the spiritual sky there are innumerable VaikuNTha planets, and from these planets the expansions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead come into this universe.

 

 

The first descent of the Supreme Personality of Godhead from the expansion of SaGkarSaNa is the puruSa incarnation, MahA-ViSNu. It is confirmed in SrImad-BhAgavatam (1.3.1) that when the Supreme Personality of Godhead descends as the first puruSa incarnation of the material creation, He immediately manifests sixteen elementary energies. Known as the MahA-ViSNu, He lies within the Causal Ocean, and it is He who is the original incarnation in the material world. He is the Lord of time, nature, cause and effect, mind, ego, the five elements, the three modes of nature, the senses and the universal form. Although He is master of all objects movable and immovable in the material world, He is totally independent.

 

 

The influence of material nature cannot reach beyond the VirajA, or Causal Ocean, as confirmed in SrImad-BhAgavatam (2.9.10). The modes of material nature (goodness, passion and ignorance), as well as material time, have no influence on the VaikuNTha planets. On those planets the liberated associates of KRSNa live eternally, and they are worshiped both by the demigods and the demons.

 

 

Material nature acts in two capacities as mAyA and pradhAna. MAyA is the direct cause, and pradhAna refers to the elements of the material manifestation. When the first puruSa-avatAra, MahA-ViSNu, glances over the material nature, material nature becomes agitated, and the puruSa-avatAra thus impregnates matter with living entities. Simply by the glance of the MahA-ViSNu, consciousness is created, and this consciousness is known as mahat-tattva, The predominating Deity of the mahat-tattva is VAsudeva. This created consciousness is then divided into three departmental activities according to the three guNas, or modes of material nature. Consciousness in the mode of goodness is described in the Eleventh Canto of SrImad-BhAgavatam. The predominating Deity of the mode of goodness is called Aniruddha. Consciousness in the mode of material passion produces intelligence, and the predominating Deity in this case is Pradyumna. He is the master of the senses. Consciousness in the mode of ignorance causes the production of ether, the sky and the sense of hearing. The cosmic manifestation is a combination of all these modes, and in this way innumerable universes are created. No one can count the number of universes.

 

 

These innumerable universes are produced from the pores of the MahA-ViSNu's body. As innumerable particles of dust pass through the tiny holes in a screen, similarly from the pores of the MahA-ViSNu's body innumerable universes emanate. As He breathes out, innumerable universes are produced, and as He inhales, they are annihilated. All of the energies of the MahA-ViSNu are spiritual, and they have nothing to do with the material energy. In Brahma-saMhitA (5.48) it is stated that the predominating deity of each universe, BrahmA, lives only during one breath of the MahA-ViSNu. Thus MahA-ViSNu is the original Supersoul of all the universes and the master of all universes as well.

 

 

The second ViSNu incarnation, the GarbhodakazAyI ViSNu, enters each and every universe, spreads water from His body, and lies down on that water. From His navel, the stem of a lotus flower grows, and on that lotus flower the first creature, BrahmA, is born. Within the stem of that lotus flower are fourteen divisions of planetary systems, which are created by BrahmA. Within each universe the Lord is present as the GarbhodakazAyI ViSNu, and He maintains each universe and tends to its needs. Although He is within each material universe, the influence of material energy cannot touch Him. When it is required, this very same ViSNu takes the form of Lord Siva and annihilates the cosmic creation. The three secondary incarnations--BrahmA, ViSNu and Siva--are the predominating deities of the three modes of material nature. The master of the universe, however, is the GarbhodakazAyI ViSNu, who is worshiped as the HiraNyagarbha Supersoul. The Vedic hymns describe Him as having thousands of heads. Although He is within the material nature, He is not touched by it.

 

 

The third incarnation of ViSNu, KSIrodakazAyI ViSNu, is also an incarnation of the mode of goodness. He is also the Supersoul of all living entities, and He resides on the ocean of milk within the universe. Thus Caitanya MahAprabhu described the puruSa-avatAras.

 

 

Lord Caitanya next described the lIlA-avatAras, or "pastime" avatAras, and of these the Lord points out that there is no limit. However, He describes some of them--for example, Matsya, KUrma, RaghunAtha, NRsiMha, VAmana and VarAha.

 

 

As far as the guNa-avatAras, or qualitative incarnations of ViSNu, are concerned, they are three--BrahmA, ViSNu and Siva. BrahmA is one of the living entities, but due to his devotional service he is very powerful. This primal living entity, master of the mode of material passion, is directly empowered by the GarbhodakazAyI ViSNu to create innumerable living entities. In Brahma-saMhitA (5.49) BrahmA is likened to valuable jewels influenced by the rays of the sun, and the sun is likened to the Supreme Lord GarbhodakazAyI ViSNu. If in some kalpa there is no suitable living entity capable of acting in BrahmA's capacity, GarbhodakazAyI ViSNu Himself manifests as BrahmA and acts accordingly.

 

 

Similarly, by expanding Himself as Lord Siva, the Supreme Lord is engaged when there is a need to annihilate the universe. Lord Siva, in association with mAyA, has many forms, which are generally numbered at eleven. Lord Siva is not one of the living entities; he is, more or less, KRSNa Himself. The example of milk and yogurt is often given in this regard--yogurt is a preparation of milk, but still yogurt cannot be used as milk. Similarly, Lord Siva is an expansion of KRSNa, but he cannot act as KRSNa, nor can we derive the spiritual restoration from Lord Siva that we derive from KRSNa. The essential difference is that Lord Siva has a connection with material nature, but ViSNu or Lord KRSNa has nothing to do with material nature. In SrImad-BhAgavatam (10.88.3) it is stated that Lord Siva is a combination of three kinds of transformed consciousness known as vaikArika, taijasa and tAmasa.

 

 

The ViSNu incarnation, although master of the modes of goodness within each universe, is in no way in touch with the influence of material nature. Although ViSNu is equal to KRSNa, KRSNa is the original source. ViSNu is a part, but KRSNa is the whole. This is the version given by Vedic literatures. In Brahma-saMhitA the example is given of an original candle which lights a second candle. Although both candles are of equal power, one is accepted as the original, and the other is said to be kindled from the original. The ViSNu expansion is like the second candle. He is as powerful as KRSNa, but the original ViSNu is KRSNa. BrahmA and Lord Siva are obedient servants of the Supreme Lord, and the Supreme Lord as ViSNu is an expansion of KRSNa.

 

[gHari]

From the Nectar of Devotion (Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu):

 

 

SrIla RUpa GosvAmI, after consulting various scriptures, has enumerated the transcendental qualities of the Lord as follows: (1) beautiful features of the entire body; (2) marked with all auspicious characteristics; (3) extremely pleasing; (4) effulgent; (5) strong; (6) ever youthful; (7) wonderful linguist; (8) truthful; (9) talks pleasingly; (10) fluent; (11) highly learned; (12) highly intelligent; (13) a genius; (14) artistic; (15) extremely clever; (16) expert; (17) grateful; (18) firmly determined; (19) an expert judge of time and circumstances; (20) sees and speaks on the authority of Vedas, or scriptures; (21) pure; (22) self-controlled; (23) steadfast; (24) forbearing; (25) forgiving; (26) grave; (27) self-satisfied; (28) possessing equilibrium; (29) magnanimous; (30) religious; (31) heroic; (32) compassionate; (33) respectful; (34) gentle; (35) liberal; (36) shy; (37) the protector of surrendered souls; (38) happy; (39) the well-wisher of devotees; (40) controlled by love; (41) all-auspicious; (42) most powerful; (43) all-famous; (44) popular; (45) partial to devotees; (46) very attractive to all women; (47) all-worshipable; (48) all-opulent; (49) all-honorable; (50) the supreme controller. The Supreme Personality of Godhead has all these fifty transcendental qualities in fullness as deep as the ocean. In other words, the extent of His qualities is inconceivable.

 

 

As parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord, the individual living entities can also possess all of these qualities in minute quantities, provided they become pure devotees of the Lord. In other words, all of the above transcendental qualities can be present in the devotees in minute quantity, whereas the qualities in fullness are always present in the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

 

Besides these, there are other transcendental qualities which are described by Lord Siva to PArvatI in the Padma PurANa, and in the First Canto of SrImad-BhAgavatam in connection with a conversation between the deity of the earth and the King of religion, YamarAja. It is said therein, "Persons who are desirous of becoming great personalities must be decorated with the following qualities: truthfulness, cleanliness, mercy, perseverance, renunciation, peacefulness, simplicity, control of the senses, equilibrium of the mind, austerity, equality, forbearance, placidity, learning, knowledge, detachment, opulence, chivalry, influence, strength, memory, independence, tactfulness, luster, patience, kind-heartedness, ingenuity, gentility, mannerliness, determination, perfection in all knowledge, proper execution, possession of all objects of enjoyment, gravity, steadiness, faithfulness, fame, respectfulness and lack of false egotism." Persons who are desiring to become great souls cannot be without any of the above qualities, so we can know for certain that these qualities are found in Lord KRSNa, the supreme soul.

 

 

Besides all of the above-mentioned fifty qualities, Lord KRSNa possesses five more, which are sometimes partially manifested in the persons of Lord BrahmA or Lord Siva. These transcendental qualities are as follows: (51) changeless; (52) all-cognizant; (53) ever fresh; (54) sac-cid-Ananda (possessing an eternal blissful body); (55) possessing all mystic perfections.

 

 

KRSNa also possesses five other qualities, which are manifest in the body of NArAyaNa, and they are listed as follows. (56) He has inconceivable potency. (57) Uncountable universes generate from His body. (58) He is the original source of all incarnations. (59) He is the giver of salvation to the enemies whom He kills. (60) He is the attractor of liberated souls. All these transcendental qualities are manifest wonderfully in the personal feature of Lord KRSNa.

 

 

Besides these sixty transcendental qualities, KRSNa has four more, which are not manifest even in the NArAyaNa form of Godhead, what to speak of the demigods or living entities. They are as follows. (61) He is the performer of wonderful varieties of pastimes (especially His childhood pastimes). (62) He is surrounded by devotees endowed with wonderful love of Godhead. (63) He can attract all living entities all over the universes by playing on His flute. (64) He has a wonderful excellence of beauty which cannot be rivaled anywhere in the creation.

 

 

Adding to the list these four exceptional qualities of KRSNa, it is to be understood that the aggregate number of qualities of KRSNa is sixty-four. SrIla RUpa GosvAmI has attempted to give evidences from various scriptures about all sixty-four qualities present in the person of the Supreme Lord.