Question: What’s the holy trinity in Sanatana Dharma or Hinduism? Why is the number three divine? How do these sets of triads correlate with each other?:
– Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva
– Sarasvati-Lakshmi-Parvati
– Vishnu-Shiva-Devi
Disclaimer: My answer comes from my research, understanding, deep meditations, and intuitions. It may not match many things in common knowledge.
My Answer
Sanatana Dharma has two primary sets of the Holy Trinity. The Trimurti are Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. And the Tri-Devis are Sarasvati, Lakshmi, and Parvati.
There are more trinities, but they are less significant since they are associated with sub-groups rather than mainstream Sanatana Dharma.
Vedic Triads
The concept of trinities comes from ancient Vedic triads:
- Surya (sun): Represents creation.
- Indra (rain and thunder): Represents sustenance.
- Agni (fire): Represents destruction.
These originated in agriculture, where plants grew due to sunlight. Rain sustained them, and the land was cleared for reuse after harvest by fire.
The Trimurti
The Vedic agriculture notion of trinity evolved into a deep philosophy with time. While it is difficult to identify when this occurred, this triad idea gradually embedded in Sanatana Dharma throughout the years.
The present Trimurti, as we know, is a much later development. It is mainly found in the Puranic literature, which combines fact with fantasy and philosophy.
In the Puranic tales, the concept of triad grew multifold. Here,
- Sun became Brahma, Creator of the Cosmos
- Indra became Vishnu, Sustainer of the Cosmos
- Agni became Shiva, the Destructor of the Cosmos
The Tri-Devi
Meanwhile, the Vedic triad also seeped into a derivation of Atharva Veda, the world of Sadhana. Many sages who practiced Sadhana followed the Shakta tradition (worship of the feminine).
So, a prominent Shakta text, Durga Saptashati, mentions three goddesses: Maha Kali, Maha Lakshmi, and Maha Sarasvati. They originated from The Source, known as Sri Devi or Divine Energy.
The objective of Sadhana was to reach Sri Devi, The Divine Energy. And the three feminine deities denoted the path to Sri Devi:
- Maha Kali: Destruction of Inner Negativities
- Maha Lakshmi: Acquisition of Worldly and Spiritual Wealth
- Maha Sarasvati: Attainment of Wisdom
The Liberated Souls
At one point, three liberated souls walked this planet:
- Rudra Shiva: He focused on spiritual wisdom. He lived in the jungles of the Eastern Himalayan region.
- Vishnu: He was a liberated emperor. A contemporary of Shiva, Vishnu ruled a kingdom in the Eastern Himalayan region.
- Sri Devi: A divine woman who lived on Mount Meru around the same time. Scholars are unsure where this space is, but it is speculated to be northwest of the Himalayas.
Since three liberated souls graced this planet, maybe around the same time, the sages may have begun to write the Puranic scriptures about them.
Today’s Situation
At some point in history, the concepts of the Vedic triad, Trimurti, Tridevi, and Puranic tales merged, forming tons of confusion. When and how this happened, nobody knows.
Today, as it stands, we have three pairs:
- Mahadev Shiva & Parvati
- Vishnu & Lakshmi
- Brahma & Sarasvati
Divine Energy
Over the years, sages have invoked Divine Energy through Rudra Shiva, Parvati, Vishnu, Lakshmi, Brahma, Sarasvati, and many more forms.
The Divine Energy has also responded to each person’s devotion in the form they worshipped. That’s because, whether conceptual or real people, these forms ultimately represent Divine Energy.
Revel in any form and enjoy the Puranic tales of devotion. However, do it with the understanding that the divine is way beyond forms. Our source is Divine Energy, which pervades this entire creation, including humans.
Love,
Sri Devi Om
