by Conscious Reminder
The trishula is a trident and a symbol often found in Buddhism and Hinduism. In Thailand and India, the term is often associated with short-handled weapons which are usually mounted on staffs.
But the Trishula is usually bladed, differentiating itself from the Okinawan sai. In the languages of Indonesian and Malay, ‘trisula’ specifically refers to a long-handled trident, and its diminutive variety is known as tekpi or chabang.
Symbolism Of The Trishula
The Trishula has significant and polyvalent symbolism throughout cultures. In Hindu Mythology, one of the Trinity, God Shiva is known to wield the trident.
There is a story of how he had severed the head of another god, Ganesha, with his trishula. Durga, a female warrior god, is also known to carry the weapon.
The three prongs of the trishula have multiple meanings and values. As it is very common in Hindu mythology, there are many stories associated with the significance that the three points carry.
The three sharp points are usually believed to represent trinities like:
1. Creation, maintenance, and destruction
2. Past, present, and future
3. Dhamma and Dharma or (law and order), mutual enjoyment or bliss and created bodies or emanation
4. Psychic, spiritual, and relative
5. Joy, love and compassion,
6. Knowledge, wisdom and clarity
7. Egotism, repute, and pride
8. Soul, fire, and earth
9. Insight, serenity, and Bodhisattvahood or Arhatship
10. Manifestation, Sublime and prayer
11. Atman, mind, and body
12. Death, ascension, and resurrection
According to the Hindu Puranas, Shiva’s trishula as a weapon will destroy the worlds: the physical world, the world of the ancestors as a representation of the traditions of the past, and the world of the mind as a representation of the sensing and acting processes.
This destruction is supposed to bring forth peace, serenity, and bliss. The destruction will create a single plane of existence for all.
Our human body also channelizes the trishula. The meeting point between our brows of the three energy channels of Ida, Pingala, and Shushmana.
The central Nadi or energy channel Shushmana continues to the 7th Chakra. The other two end at the brow where our 6th energy center is supposed to be located.
The trident’s central point is a representation of the Shushmana which is the reason for being a longer prong than the other two, each of which represents the Ida and the Pingala.
Other References:
1. Shiva Puran mentions that Shiva is self-created. He is a direct incarnation of Sadashiv and carries the trident from the beginning of the universe.
2. Vishnu Puran tells the story of how Vishwakarma used the sun’s matter to create the trishula. Vishwakarma’s daughter was unhappy in her marriage to Suryadeva so Vishwakarma requested him to decrease his heat. With that excess heat that fell on earth, Vishwakarma forged the Trishula.
3. The Buddhist doctrine of Triratna is also associated with the Trishula.
4. In Nepal, the Communist Party of Nepal uses the Trishula as their election symbol.
5. The Romani word ‘Trishel’, which sounds similar to Trishul, means the ‘cross’.
The magic of the Trishul is multifaceted. Its symbol connects us with your inner world, the outer world and the spiritual world too.
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