Mahadeva, Nataraja, Mahesh - Lord Shiva has not one but 108 names and along with these names he is also synonymous with many symbols. Be it in sculptures or in paintings, Lord Shiva is usually shown with his long matted hair tied in a half top-knot with a crescent moon, tiger skin wrapped around his waist, a serpent coiled around his neck, a tripundra (three horizontal marks) on his forehead and a Trishul in his hand.
The Hindu religion is known for the honor and worship of many deities along with their numerous holy symbols with each of them holding significance. Among them, Lord Shiva trishul is the most widely worshiped and one of the most sacred symbols of the religion, especially the Shaivite sect.
It is in this form that Mahadeva is seen in possession of his trident. While there are many other deities like Goddess Durga and some forms of Devi Lakshmi, who are also seen with the trident, it is nobody else but Lord Shiva who is considered to be the master and the supreme owner of the trishul.
Tri means three, and shool means stake. Hence, the meaning of trishul is a weapon that has three stakes. According to Hindu belief, Lord Shiva used this very trishul to sever the human head of Lord Ganesha.
The story of how Lord Shiva obtained his trishul has been mentioned in the Vishnu Puran. According to this sacred text, Surya Dev, the Sun God, was married to Sanjana, the daughter of Vishwakarma, the divine craftsman. However, after a few years of marriage, she could not bear his excessive heat. When she complained to her father, he urged the Sun God to reduce his heat.
Surya Dev agreed to comply with the request for his wife. In this process, some matter from the sun fell to the earth, reducing the former’s heat by 1/8th. It was from this solar matter that Vishwakarma crafted the Shiva trident and presented it to the lord.
Mahadeva Shiva Holding Trident | Acrylic On Paper Painting
There are many ideas about what the trident of Lord Shiva symbolizes. However, some are accepted more than the rest.
According to one belief, the three stakes of the Shiva Trishul represent the holy Trinity of the Hindu religion. They stand as symbols of Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe; Lord Vishnu, who is revered as the preserver of the universe; and Lord Shiva, the destroyer of the universe.
Since Lord Shiva is also called the master of the three time periods, trikaal, his trident represents the past, present, and future.
As per another belief, the Shiva trident is also symbolic of the three qualities of humans in the physical world - Sattva (positive attributes like purity and enlightenment), Tamas (traits like ignorance and intoxication), and Rajas (qualities like attachment and desire). Lord Shiva is considered to be above all these traits.
Another popular idea is that the three stakes of the Shiva trishul symbolize the three nadis or the channels of energy in the human body - the left nadi, the central nadi, and the right nadi.
Lord Shiva wields his trident as a weapon and uses it whenever needed to rid the world of evil. It is also considered to be able to destroy the three lokas or worlds - the Swarg Lok, i.e., heaven; the Bhu Lok, i.e., earth; and the Pataal Lok, i.e., hell. The trident has been used on numerous occasions by Mahadeva to restore order in the universe and ensure peace prevails over chaos.
Among the many symbols that are associated with Lord Shiva, the damru remains constant and is often seen attached to Shiva trishul. The relevance of it emerges when Mahadeva takes the form of Nataraja, which means the God of dance. He shakes the damru and performs his divine cosmic dance to its beats.
It is believed that the sound that emerges from the damru is the one that brought all of the universe into existence. Lord Shiva’s damru is also considered to be the symbol of the universe.
Another belief states that Lord Shiva’s damru is a physical manifestation of the energies of the universe.
Different devotees of Lord Shiva express their affection for their beloved deity by making different kinds of offerings to him at his temples, and some of them prefer offering a Shiva trident. To do so, one can inform the pujari or the temple authorities of their desire to offer a trishul and make the offering once they receive the approval.
Lord Shiva is the best example of how life is supposed to be lived. He stands for detachment from the material world, victory over our mind, and regulating and balancing our energies. While he is associated with many things, his trident is the most widely known and recognized symbol.
The Shiva trishul represents will, knowledge, and action, among many other things, and symbolizes his power and supremacy.
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