Are Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and Indra only posts or persons?

King Bali is said to be the future Indra and Hanumān is said to be the future Brahmā. Does this mean that Indra and Brahmā are only posts and not persons? Does it also apply to the cases of Viṣṇu and Śiva?

Swami replied: Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva, represented by Hiraṇyagarbha, Nārāyaṇa and Śiva, respectively constitute Īśvara or Datta. After the main creation of the world by God Brahmā, secondary creation in the world continues and it includes creating issues and so on. To carry out these secondary tasks of creation, God created the post of Prajāpati. The word Prajāpati (secondary creator) is therefore, loosely identified with the word Brahmā (Creator) and is often used as an alternative name of Brahmā. Dakṣa is a Prajāpati and not Brahmā. Indra is the name of the post of the ruling angel in heaven. Hence, there is no objection in saying that King Bali will be the future Indra.

The case of Hanumān becoming the future Brahmā is different since Hanumān is actually an Incarnation of God Śiva. He is God Śiva (monism). We have already seen that Brahmā (Hiraṇyagarbha), Viṣṇu (Nārāyaṇa) and Śiva (Sadāśiva) are one and the same God Datta. When it is said that Hanumān will be the future Brahmā, it means, Hanumān, who is Śiva (Sadāśiva) will become Brahmā (Hiraṇyagarbha). This is self-evident since Śiva is Brahmā and Brahmā is Nārāyaṇa (Brahmāca Nārāyaṇaḥ, Śivaśca Nārāyaṇaḥ—Veda). But Indra is only a post and he is not identical with God so that in future, King Bali can become Indra. You need not argue that the Veda says that Indra is also Nārāyaṇa (Indraśca Nārāyaṇaḥ). In the Veda, the word Indra is also used to mean Īśvara (or Datta) based on its root meaning (Idi-aiśvarye). Such usage is also found elsewhere in the Veda (Indro māyābhiḥ pururūpa īyate), which means that ‘Indra’ (Īśvara) appears in different forms due to His unimaginable power, called māyā. The Gita says that māyā is the power of Īśvara alone (Māyinaṃ tu Maheśvaram). The name of Hiraṇyagarbha is expressed as Brahmā for creation. The name of Nārāyaṇa is expressed as Viṣṇu for maintenance and the name Sadāśiva is expressed as Śiva for the destruction of the world. Hence, there is no difference between the original names and the expressed names.

| Shri Dattaswami | Brahmaacha Naaraayanah, Shivashcha Naaraayanah Indrashcha Naaraayanah Idi-Aishwarye Indro maayaabhih pururuupa iiyate Maayinamtu Maheswaram Hiranyagarbha Eshvara Ishwara Narayana Daksha prajapati Prajaapati

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