Prayer through Nature 2.

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Dear friends and devotees,

 

Bhakti is eternal.

 

Surya Dhyanam - the worship of Sun.

 

udayE brahma svaruupOyam,

madhyaahnEthu mahESvaram,

asthamaanE swayam vishNuhu,

thrayImuurthi divaakaram.

 

Suryabhagavan (the sun) is deemed as Trimurthi the trinity and proclaimed as

the Lord Brhma at the time of sunrise, Lord Maheswara at noon and Lord Vishnu at

sunset.

 

As such praying the sun daily is reckoned as praying the trinity, the term of

which is more elucidated:

 

The Trinity

 

The three gods-Brahma, Vishnu and Siva together form the Hindu Trinity. Brahma

creates the world, Vishnu sustains it and Siva destroys it. Hindus are divided

into three main groups based on the deity they worship. The worshippers of Siva

are known as Saivas, worshippers of Sakti (consort of Siva) as Saktas and

worshippers of Vishnu as Vaishnavas. Each of these gods has a consort, and the

gods and their consorts have many manifestations. Each god also has a Vahana

(vehicle) on which they ride, and a symbol.

 

Brahma

 

Brahma, the creator, from the cosmological point of view is the Golden Embryo

(Hiranyagarbha), the ball of fire, from which the universe develops.

 

The icon of Brahma has four heads facing the four quarters and they represent

the four Vedas, the four Yugas (epochs of time), and the four Varnas (divisions

of society based on nature, nurture and vocation). There are four arms holding

different objects and in different poses. The objects usually shown are Aksamala

(rosary), Kurcha (a bunch of Kusa grass), Sruk (ladle), Sruva (spoon), Kamandala

(water pot) and Pusthaka (book). The rosary represents time, and the water pot;

the casual water, from which all creation has sprung. The Kusa grass, the ladle

and the spoon being sacrificial implements, represent the system of sacrifice

which means to be adopted by the various creatures to sustain one another. The

book represents knowledge, sacred and secular. The poses of the hand (Mudras)

are Abhaya (assuring protection) and Varada (granting boons).

 

Saraswati is his consort. She is the goddess of knowledge and music. Hamsa

(goose/swan) is his vehicle.

 

The temples dedicated to Brahma are rare. One of them is at Puskar in

Rajasthan.

 

Vishnu

 

Vishnu is also known as Mahavishnu, represents Sattvaguna and is the

centripetal force as it was responsible for sustenance, protection and

maintenance of the created Universe. Another name of Vishnu is Narayana. Vishnu

is always described as Neelameghasyama, of a dark blue hue like than of the

rain-bearing cloud. The icon of Vishnu has one face and four arms each one

holding Sankha (conch), Chakra (discus), Gada (mace), Padma (lotus) and wears a

necklace with the famous gem Kaustubha dangling on the lock of hair Srivatsa, on

the left chest. He also wears a garland (of gems or fragrant flowers) Vaijayanti

by name. The Sankha represents the five elements like the earth, water etc;

chakra stands for the cosmic mind, Gada indicates the cosmic intellect and the

Padma points to the evolving world. The curl of hair, Srivatsa, represents all

objects of enjoyment, the products of nature. The gem Kaustubha, resting on it,

stands for the enjoyer. The garland Vaijayanti is

symbolical of the subtle elements.

 

Vishnu's consort is the beautiful Lakshmi, who came from the sea and is the

goddess of wealth, prosperity, honour and love. Vishnu's vehicle is the half

man, half-eagle known as the Garuda.

 

Vishnu is supposed to have 10 incarnations (Dasavathara).

 

SIVA

 

Siva, last deity of the Trinity is responsible for the dissolution of the

Universe. Literally, Siva is one in whom the Universe 'sleeps' after destruction

before the next cycle of creation.

 

Iconographically Siva may have two, three, four, eight, ten or even thirty-two

hands. Some of the various objects shown in the hands are :Trisula (trident),

Chakra (discus), Parasu (battle axe), Damaru (drum), Aksamala (rosary), Mriga

(deer), Pasa (noose), Danda (staff), Pinaka or Ajagava (bow), Khatvanga (magic

wand), Pasupata (spear), Padma (lotus), Kapala (skull-cap), Darpana (mirror),

Khadga (sword) and so on.

 

The icon of Siva is never worshipped as the Mulamurthi (original, installed in

the sanctum sanctorum), but only as an Utsavamurti (the icon used during

festivals for taking out in a procession). Mulamurthi is only Sivalinga since

Mahadeva is nothing but Jyothirlinga.

 

Lord Siva is a great master of dance (Nataraja). It is believed that all the

108 modes of dancing known to the treatises on dancing have come from him.

 

Siva's consort is Parvathi (also known as Uma, Sathi, Kali and Durga). His

vehicle is bull (Nandi). Ganapati and Subrahmanya are his sons.

 

With love and regards,

 

Sastry.

 

 

 

 

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