XI. Triads Or Triples Or Tripartite Om in Trinitarian Systems.
Project Gutenberg EPUB edition
Valmiki and Mitra, Viharilala
1. Triads or Triples of Om त्रिमूर्त्ति । “But when considered as a triliteral word consisting of a, u, m, (अ, उ, म), Om implies, the three Vedas, the three states of human nature; the three divisions of the Universe; the three deities, agents of the three states of things—the creation, preservation and destruction; or properly speaking; the three principle attributes of the Supreme Being. In this sense it implies in fact the Universe controlled by the Supreme Being.” Rám Mohun Roy.
2. Their External Manifestations. ब्याहृतिः । The idea of the trisection of the circle of Om followed that of its bisection, together with that of the three fold division of Divine nature, much earlier in the minds of the Aryans of India, than the three sectors of the circle were unfolded by Euclid, and the mystery of the tri-une nature of the Divinity was discovered by the divine Plato, or that of the three persons in the God-head was revealed by the Gospel. But not content with this discovery, the ancient sages applied this triplicate division of Om to many other things as the three fold manifestations of the One Deity represented by the triliteral and trilateral figure of Om, and fell to their adoration, until they were recalled to the worship of the invisible unity of Om by the Vedánta doctrines. We shall now see these triples called the Vyáhritís (व्याहृति) or three fold manifestations in their order.
1. The 3 Vedas. त्रयो बिद्या बेदत्रयः । Om represents the three Vedas by its three letters, viz; the Rik, Yajur and Sáman, consisting of the Hymns, Ceremonies and Psalms. The first like the hymns of Hesiod and Orpheus, the second like the Levitican laws, and the third resembling the Psalms of David, all of which are said to be of Divine origin.
2. The 3 States. ॐ गुणत्रयं । These have no apposite terms in English, and are variously rendered to express the states of quietism, action and passion or excess of a feeling, leading to error.
3. The 3 Worlds. ॐ भूर्भुबः स्वर् । The earth, sky and heavens, called the three great evolutions (महा ब्याहृति) of Om. But those were afterwards subdivided into twenty one (3×7) each named as Om (ॐ त्रिसप्तं) as in the beginning of Atharva Sanhitá ॐ त्रिसप्ता ये परियन्ति बिश्वाः—“The Universe composed of thrice seven worlds.”
4. The 3 states of things. श्रवस्थात्रयं । These are the creation, preservation, and destruction of all things (सृष्टि, स्थिति, प्रलय), or as philosophically called their evolution, sustentation and dissolution (उत्पत्ति, स्थिति, ध्वंस), and their agents, Brahmá the creator, Vishnu, the preserver, and Siva the destroyer of each and all, corresponding with Jupiter, Neptune 5. The 3 Agencies Personified त्रि मूर्त्ति ।and Pluto, and Osiris, Horus and Typhon (ब्रहमाबिष्ण्वीशाः). But this trinity is refuted by the Vedántic doctrine of unity, which repudiates a secondary cause. (सृष्टि स्थिति लयादीनां नान्य कर्त्ता द्वितीयकं). The Maitrí Upanishad makes mention of many more triads which were glorified with the aforesaid hallowed epithet Om (VI. 5.) Viz. the following:—
1. The Trisex Divinity.Om composed of the three genders, masculine, feminine and neuter (स्त्रीपुन्नपुं). But the Vedánta refutes the generic distinctions of the One unknown (नपण्डनपुमान् शक्तिः).
2. The 3 Elemental forms. The fire, wind and sun, (सूर्य्याग्नि बायु), the three powerful manifestations of the Deity each of which had its votaries in the early fire, wind and sun worshippers of India.
3. The 3 Agencies as above. The creation, preservation and destruction of things in the forms of Brahmá, Vishnu and Siva as said above.
4. The 3 Fires. अग्नित्रयः ।Om the three sacrificial fires called the दक्षिणा, गार्हपत्य and आह्वनीयाग्न्यः, which were continually preserved in families.
5. The 3 Vedas. त्रयोबिद्या ।Om the triple learning contained in the Rik, Yajur and Sáman, which were identified with God for their being his words.
6. The 3 Intelligences. The three Intellectual faculties consisting of the Mind, Intellect or Reason, and the conscious soul.
7. The 3 Times. त्रिकाल । Present, past and future composing the circle of the eternity of Om (कालत्रयं).
8. The 3 Aliments. अन्न ब्रह्म । Food and water and moon. The water and food are eulogised as Om in Bhrigu Valli as अन्न ब्रह्म, and the moon is reckoned as such for its containing the ambrosial beverage of the gods.
9. The Mental Powers. मनोवृत्तिः । The three intellectual faculties, the mind, intellect and consciousness as the spiritual manifestations of the Invisible Spirit.
10. The three Vital Airs. प्राणादि । Those of respiration, circulation and secretion called प्राणामान समाणाः the respiratory breath or air and others: there are two others which with these three will be found among the pentads (पञ्चप्राणाः).
11. The three feet of God. त्रिपादाः । These are the different hypostases of God or rather of the Divine soul in its three states of universality, individuality and external appearances, each of which is subdivided into three states.
12. The 3 Totals. The Sútrátmá, Taijana and Hiranyágarbha (universal soul) (सूत्रात्मा तैजन हिरण्यगर्भः); The three emanations of infinite Intelligence from the Unity of God.
13. The three Specials. The Visva, Taijasha, and Prajná (Individual Souls) (विश्व तैजस प्रज्ञा). The three emanations of finite souls from Divine Intelligence.
14. The three externals. The Vaiswánara, Visvarúpa and Virát the three manifest and visible forms; (बैश्वानर बिश्वरूप बिराट्). Hence the nature of God is a triplicate threefold unity or the thrice three hypostases of the One Being.
15. The three Forms of Devotion. The three forms of our devotion and Communion with God, that he is praised, worshipped and ascribed with attributes.
16. The Triple man. His body—the bow, his mind—the arrow, and his soul—the aim. (Mándukya II. 4. p. 159).
17. The 3 States of the Soul. Of waking, dreaming and sound sleep of the soul. (जाग्रत् स्वप्न सुसुप्ति).
18. The 3 Humours of the Body. The bile, phlegm and choler or flatulence (वात पित्त कफ) are the preservatives of the body and life.
19. Three Matrás. त्रिमात्रा । The three moræ or vowels, the long, short and prolated. (ह्रस्व दीर्घ प्लूत त्रिमात्रा).
20. Three Accents. त्रिस्वरः । The acute, grave and circumflex. उदात्तानुदात्त स्वरितः.
21. Three Utterances of speech. बाणि । Human speech consisting of letters, words and sentences treated of in Orthography, Etymology and Syntax. (ध्वणिः पश्यन्ति मध्यमा बैस्वरी).
22. Three Pronunciations स्फूर्तिः । Distinct, indistinct and half distinct. (Anquetil). (स्फुट अस्फुट अर्द्धस्फुट).
23. Do. of Three Vedas. The Swaratí of Rik, the Swara of Yajus, and Swánvatí of Sáma. (स्वरती स्वर स्वानबत्यः).
24. The 3 Letters. Of Om viz. a, u, m, agree with the first, second and third word of every triad, i.e., each to each.
25. The 3 Merits. Of the meditation of the three letters of Om described at length in the Upanishads.