Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva come into play often in our yoga stories so in this post I will give a little detail about these three characters. I do not consider myself an expert in Hindu culture, literature, or philosophy, so this post about the three Hindu deities comes from my understanding of the metaphors of each character.
The three actions or processes of Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva are preservation, creation and destruction. Let’s look at these actions and characters in relation to the life of a garden tomato. That should be something we can easily understand. Before the tomato plant is even created, there is a seed. The seed is Vishnu. It is a preservation of the spark, information and potential of a tomato.
Planting the seed, sprouting, watering, sunshine, roots, leaves, stalk, growth, flowers, fruit are all examples of Brahma. There are many parts to the creation of a tomato just like in the Hindu creation story, all parts of the earth, plants and animals are made from Brahma’s different body parts after he came from the lotus flower.
Vishnu is also needed during the lifetime of the tomato. Sunshine and water preserve the plant’s integrity. A tomato cage or stake preserves the plant vine so it can grow taller. Around here in Rexburg blankets and buckets preserve the tomato from a summertime frost.
The harvester plays all three roles: Vishnu when the tomatoes are picked and preserved for the winter, Brahma when a new food is created like tomato sauce or salsa and Shiva when the fruit of the plant is removed and eaten and thus destroyed from its original form.
Shiva is the destroyer and there is a natural cycle of all things when destruction is necessary. At the end of the growing season frost and snow will eventually kill the plant. If the tomato has ripened completely and left on the vine it will eventually rot or dry up and return to the earth. This rotting process with enzymes or mold is Shiva. Bugs or animals that would come along and eat the plant also would be portrayed as Shiva the destroyer.
But inside the tomato there are seeds. Information and potential life force is preserved. The seeds represent Vishnu. Just like in the creation story, Vishnu rides on his couch on the cosmic sea of possibilities until the lotus flower blooms, Brahma appears and the cycle begins again. The tomato seed remains dormant all winter or for many years until planted and watered and the cycle begins again.
A yoga practice uses the elements of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The desire and intention for practice is Vishnu. The first breath and movement is Brahma. As each new posture is formed in the body, that is Brahma. As we breath and make subtle changes in each posture, that is Vishnu. Releasing a posture from the body and finally savasana is Shiva and the death of the practice.
We may not see the physical deity of Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva but the processes of preservation, creation and destruction are happening at every moment if we take notice.
