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According to the Puranas, the Trishul, made from material taken from the Sun, represents divine power and harmony across the cosmos. Its story is closely connected to Surya, Lord Shiva, and Vishwakarma.
Characters in the story:
Lord Shiva: Lord Shiva holds significant prominence in Hinduism as a prominent deity, revered for his role as the vanquisher of malevolence and the catalyst of universal change. Depicted in various forms, he is often portrayed as a tranquil ascetic engaged in deep meditation or as the divine dancer, adorned with a third eye, an entwined serpent around his neck, and a trident grasped firmly in his hand.
Lord Surya: Lord Surya is the Sun as well as the solar deity in Hinduism. He is traditionally one of the major five deities in the Smarta tradition, all considered equivalent deities in the Panchayatana puja and a means to realize Brahman.
Vishwakarma: Vishvakarma or Vishvakarman is a craftsman deity and the divine architect of the devas. Vishvakarma crafted all of the chariots of the devas and weapons including the Vajra of the god Indra.
Trishul, the iconic trident, stands proudly as one of the symbols associated with Shiva, the revered deity of Hinduism. In human form, Shiva is often depicted wielding the Trishul. According to the Vishnu Purana, the origin of this divine weapon is intertwined with the mythos of Surya, the Sun God. It is said that the Trishul was crafted from material sourced directly from the Sun itself.
Legend has it that Surya, in his pursuit of love, married Samjna, the daughter of Vishwakarma. However, Samjna found the intense heat emanating from Surya unbearable, causing discord in their marital life. Concerned, Samjna confided in her father Vishwakarma, who resolved to address the issue.
In a compassionate gesture, Surya agreed to diminish his fiery radiance to ensure Samjna’s comfort and marital happiness. It is believed that a fraction, specifically 1/8th, of Surya’s scorching heat was relinquished.
The substance that was extracted from Surya descended upon the earth, and from it emerged the Trishul—the divine trident of Shiva.
Crafted by Vishwakarma himself, using material from the Sun, the Trishul was presented to Shiva, who accepted it as a symbol of his divine prowess.
When the Trishul was presented to Shiva, it was not merely a physical weapon, but a manifestation of cosmic harmony and divine grace. As the embodiment of the universe’s eternal principles, Shiva recognized the profound significance of the trident.
The Trishul transcended its material form to become a potent symbol of metaphysical truth. It came to embody Shiva’s three fundamental powers: iccha (will), jnana (knowledge), and kriya (action). Each prong of the trident represented an aspect of Shiva’s divine sovereignty, symbolizing his omnipotence over the cosmos.
Symbolically, Shiva’s trident also signifies his mastery over the three realms and the three temporal dimensions. It embodies the transcendence of the qualities of sattva, rajas, and tamas, while also symbolizing the processes of creation, preservation, and transformation. Additionally, it is interpreted as a sacred embodiment of the primordial sound “A-U-M” (OM).
In reverence, the Trishula stands, not merely as a weapon, but a testament to cosmic harmony and divine grace, embodying Shiva’s eternal principles. Crafted from the essence of the Sun, it symbolizes the convergence of love, sacrifice, and the eternal dance of creation.
