The Most Powerful of the Trimurti

Often in their youth while wandering the seemingly endless corridors of their father's temple atop Mount Kailash, Ganesha and Kartikeya passed the time by admiring the ornate paintings which lined the outer walls of the tall and cylindrical stone cut building, and the intricate and statuesque stone carvings that framed them . On this particular day they found themselves pondering the details of an image which depicted a roaring column of flame with ends that stretched far beyond the edges of the canvas and sides that enveloped the center third of the painting. To the left of the immense flame was a boar who seemed posed to begin digging downward and to the right was a hamsa with its wings spread wide, ready to soar upwards.

The boys both knew the tale of this art, for the dispute was a contest of power between their father, Shiva, and the of the two great gods of the trinity, Vishnu and Brahma.

"I think that Vishnu is the most powerful. For although Shiva's fiery form is tremendous, Vishnu had the foresight to know it must have roots somewhere and thus, he turned himself to a boar and began digging in search of them," said the young Kartikeya, who had grown very fond of Vishnu not only from his heroic tales and legends, but from his visits to Mount Kailash.

"Yeah, but he never found the roots did he?" replied Ganesha, who himself thought that Brahma was the mightiest. "Brahma on the other hand was wiser and more cunning than Vishnu. He became a goose so that he might rise above the pillar of fire and gaze upon its peak and unlike Vishnu, he succeeded. He told me so himself!"

There then arose a loud crack of thunder and a powerful burst of heat as the pieces red, yellow, and orange pigment that created the image of a flaming pillar began to blaze with the might of a true inferno. The now very real flaming column then burst from its confinement within the canvas frame and stretched from the pits of the universe to the edge of the heavens.

Ganesha and Kartikeya were frozen in place, both too horrified and astonished to move. They then saw in the midst of the blazing heat a form beginning to emerge. At first the shape was too shrouded in the bright and fierce light of the flames to make out, but as it approached the boys noticed the snake coiled around the figures blue neck and spotted the fiercely piercing third eye in the center of its forehead and they knew that this radiant power was their father's.

"Have I not taught you yet, my sons, that no power competes with my own? Vishnu dug for ages to no avail but at least he was honorable in his defeat. Brahma on the other hand lied, forcing me to appear in a tangible form for the very first time in order to claim my place as a supreme ruler of the universe. To this day he won't admit his defeat, but now you two have seen the truth,'' declared the mighty Shiva. "I will leave this image ablaze for the rest of time as a reminder to you children that you are descended from the mightiest of the gods. Don't you children forget that my blood runs through your veins and thus, you too are destined for greatness. Now, come and walk the temple grounds with me. I shall answer all your questions, it's time you children understood your father."

As the three continued along the vast and beautiful halls, the boys eagerly awaited the next tale of their father's greatness.

Bibliography:

"The story of lord Shiva's birth" by Parvesh Sharma. Website: SpeakingTree

"Religion 100Q" Website: Scholarblogs