Is Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma?

[Arjuna Haridas 0]

Throughout my short path as a Vaishnava, I've always wondered this. It confused me a lot. I found the answer to this important question yesterday, and I would like to share with you my answer.

 

In the Vishnu Sahasranama (The 1000 Names of Vishnu), the answer is given in a sort of "cryptic" format. Here is how it is given:

 

 

Name 27: Shiva

Name 114: Rudra

 

Name 600: Shiva

Name 663: Brahma

As we can see, Shiva and Brahma (Rudra is another Name for Shiva) are given as Names of Vishnu. It is "cryptic", however, because it isn't explained. Thus, people interpret it differently, thinking that the Names don't mean the demigods Shiva and Brahma, but rather the meaning of those Names (Auspicious and Creator respectively). They then think that Rudra (a Name of a form of Shiva) is meant as "Terrible", and isn't meant as "Shiva".

 

I thought the same. However, the Bhagavata Purana proves this view wrong. It is as plain as day, and only those who deny the Truth can't see the obvious in the following Bhagavata Purana verse:

 

"To those unaware of Your position understanding it the material way do You, by Yourself expanding Your maya, appear for the matters of creation as Me, as Yourself for the purpose of maintenance and as Lord Trinetra (Shiva) in the end." (Bhagavata Purana 10.14.19)

As we can clearly see in Lord Brahma's prayer (which is what Bhagavata Purana 10.14 is), Lord Vishnu expands Himself as Lord Brahma to create, He Himself preserves, and He expands Himself as Lord Shiva to destroy.

 

I personally think that Prabhupada describes it beautifully:

 

"Similarly, by expanding Himself as Lord Shiva, the Supreme Lord is engaged when there is a need to annihilate the universe. Lord Shiva, in association with maya, has many forms, which are generally numbered at eleven. Lord Shiva is not one of the living entities; he is, more or less, Krishna 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 Shiva is an expansion of Krishna, but he cannot act as Krishna... The essential difference is that Lord Siva has a connection with material nature, but Vishnu or Lord Krishna has nothing to do with material nature." (source: http://vedabase.net/tlc/8/en1)

 

This thus explains the meaning of this verse:

 

"The Supreme Lord said: I am death, the mighty destroyer of the world, out to destroy. Even without your participation all the warriors standing arrayed in the opposing armies shall cease to exist." (Bhagavad Gita 11.32)

The fact that Lord Vishnu expands Himself as Lord Shiva explains this verse. On the battlefield, Lord Vishnu showed Himself as Death, which terrified Arjuna. Here, Death is Rudra, the terrifying form of Lord Shiva that destroys. Since Lord Vishnu is Shiva, then this shows that there is no contradiction between this Bhagavad Gita verse and the Upanishads.

This fact also further proves that the Bhagavad Gita is the esscence of the Vedas. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Vishnu says that He creates, preserves, and destroys. The fact that Lord Vishnu expands Himself as the Trimurti shows that the Bhagavad Gita and the Vedas/Upanishads are not in contradiction here. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Vishnu also states that He created the 4 Varnas (note: the Caste System is different from the Varna System, but that's a different subject). The fact that Lord Vishnu expands Himself as Lord Brahma shows that the Vedas/Upanishads (which state that Brahma created the 4 Varnas) and the Bhagavad Gita are not in contradiction.

 

I hope this answer has given you as much relief as it has given me.

[Arjuna Haridas 0]

Furthermore, it is proven in the Bhagavad Gita and the Vishnu Sahasranama that Lord Vishnu is also Lord Vaayu, Lord Chandra, Lord Yama, and Lord Varuna. This may be an unorthodox view, but it is clearly written in the Bhagavad Gita and once again written in "cryptic" format in the Vishnu Sahasranama.

 

In the Vishnu Sahasranama, this is proven:

 

Name 162: Yama

Name 281: Chaandramshu

Name 414: Vaayu

Name 553: Varuna

Name 827: Saptajiva

The translation of Name 281 (Chaandramshu) is "The Rays of the Moon". The translation of Name 827 (Saptajiva) is "One Who expresses Himself as the seven tongues of Fire". Saptajiva is also a Name of Agni. It is clear that these Names prove that Vishnu is also Yama, Chandra. Vaayu, Varuna, and Agni.

 

(source: http://www.hknet.org.nz/names1000v.html#trans)

 

Here is the proof from the Bhagavad Gita:

 

"You are Vayu, Yama, Agni, Varuna, Chandra, Prajapati, and Great-grandfather. I bow, yea, I bow to You a thousand times, Again and again I bow, I bow to You!" (Bhagavad Gita 11:39)

Here, Arjuna is praising Lord Vishnu after Vishnu (as Krishna) showed Arjuna His Mighty Universal Form (Vishwarupa). "Prajapati" is also a Name of Vishnu in the Vishnu Sahasranama (Name 69). Prajapati is a Name of Brahma. So is "Great-grandfather". Not only is this further proof that Vishnu is Brahma, but it is also further proof that Vishnu is Vayu, Yama, Agni, Varuna, and Chandra.

 

This is also further proof that the Bhagavad Gita is the essence of the Vedas since there is no contradiction between the Vedas/Upanishads saying that Vayu controls the winds, Yama controls the underworld, Agni controls fire, Varuna controls the sea, and that Chandra is the presiding diety of the moon and Lord Vishnu (as Lord Krishna) saying in the Bhagavad Gita that He controls all things. This also explains more about Lord Vishnu's Vishwarupa Form and why it is made up of these gods.

[Guest]

Beautifully put. Nice.

 

A must read.

 

Jai Swaminarayan

Jai Krishna

[Ganeshprasad 0]

Pranam Arjuna haridas

 

Very pleasing to read

 

Jai Shiv Shankar

Jai Shree Krishna