24 Jan 2016
Shri Anil asked: Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma are actual living energetic forms existing in the upper world. The same God exists in Them. Lord Dattatreya is also living energetic form in the upper world. What is the necessity of 3 separate forms (Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma) when the three forms are existing in the single Lord Dattatreya Himself can achieve individual functionalism?
Shri Swami replied: Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva represent the three qualities separately, which are Rajas, Sattvam and Tamas. Each quality predominates and is always associated with other two qualities in minor quantities. Human beings are also of the same nature. Anybody with some specific type of nature likes to worship the form of God of similar nature. A scholar likes to worship Lord Brahma. A good administrator with peaceful and balanced nature likes to worship Lord Vishnu. A fast emotional person likes to worship Lord Shiva. These three qualities are separately involved in various stages of spiritual effort and also in various tests conducted by the Lord. These three Lords are only the three functional forms. A police officer on a festival day goes to temple with traditional dress and you can see a totally different pious nature in him. The same officer while dealing with the issues of administration of family or office will be found with lot of balance and calm mind to solve the problems. The same officer while going to attack the terrorists along with his team looks totally in a different way with emotion and valour. The difference in the situations and functions change the atmosphere even though the same person is involved. Realization of the same one unimaginable God in all the divine personalities of all universal religions is the climax of spiritual knowledge. This is the last step in Pravrutti and first step in Nivrutti.