CHAPTER II.
THE MANY.
WHEN Ishvara shines out on Prakriti and makes it fall into shapes, the first Forms that appear are those of the त्रिमूर्ति: Trimurtih, the three Aspects of Ishvara, manifested to cause a ब्रह्माण्ड Brahmândam, literally an Egg of Brahmâ, a universe, or orderly system of worlds. The aspect of Ishvara in which He creates the worlds is named Brahmâ; Brahma is the Creator. The aspect of Ishvara in which He preserves, takes care of, and maintains the worlds is named Vishnu; Vishnu is the Preserver. The aspect of Ishvara in which He dissolves the worlds, when they are worn out and of no further use, is named Shiva, or Mahadeva; Shiva is the Dissolver of the worlds. These are the first manifestations of Ishvara, His Supreme Forms, His three Aspects, or Faces. The One, the Saguna Brahman, or the Supreme Îshvara, appears as Three.
Brahmâ, the Creator, shapes matter into seven तत्वानि Tattvani, Elements, as they have been called.* Different names are given to the first two;
- The western chemist uses the word in a different sense,
but the old meaning is the one we are concerned with.
