In a string of spontaneously running verses in the 11th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, the Lord reveals the terrifying yet magnetic and awesome image of his Cosmic form. Arjun is given a special power, “Divya Chakshu”, to enable him to witness this form of the Lord. A cursory reading of the text ensures misunderstanding is the norm. Hindus have often been humiliated and told “The True form of your Hindu God is the terrible picture of Satan himself, an all devouring terrible monster.”
The truth is, that an analytical philosophy that researches scientifically into the totality without fear or favour, which searches only for Truth alone, cannot ignore the destructive part of creation. No creation can ever take place “without being preceded by the process of destruction of its own existence”. Creation is produced from that very destruction. Existence is constant change (Mrityu). Change is never possible without the destruction of what was earlier. The cosmic vision shows constant destruction as a necessary part of creation. Therefore a chain interaction between Creation, Sustenance and Destruction is Ishwara. This surely would look terrifying to those beliefs that look only at the benign face of the Lord, as the Creator. But such views have not yet analysed life in totality. Moving compellingly to its own source in a self-destroying movement is the destiny of all sentient and non-sentient things. The Gita gives the example of a river in which every drop is propelled helplessly by trillions of gallons of water to merge and destroy its identity, name, form and quality into the ocean.
In its faithfulness to Reality, Hindu scriptures present a symbol of Creation, Sustenance and Destruction as the Trinity: Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh. This is depicted by three heads connected to one base, called “Trimurti”, all three being the powers of the one Lord.
Prarthna Saran, President Chinmaya Mission Delhi.