Three Forms Of Eeshwara/Ishwara
"Ishwara is another name for Lord Shiva. "Ishwara is said to have three forms. One is Viraat-Swaroopa (the Cosmic Form). The entire myriad Forms and Names in the universe are contained in his form. This is described as 'Jaagrata-Swaroopa' (the Cosmic Form as experienced in the waking state). The second one is the Divine as experienced in the Dream State: 'Hiranyagarbha'. In the waking state, we use limbs, see with our eyes and hear with our ears. In the Dream State, we perform many actions. What are the hands that we use? What are the legs with which we walk? What is the mouth that speaks in dreams? When all the organs and senses of the body are not functioning in the Dream State, how do these experiences occur? That is the subtle form of Hiranyagarbha. 'Avyaakruta', the third form, is the casual entity. It has no specific form and therefore is called 'Avyaakruta'. But bliss (Ananda) is present. There is consciousness of experience. The physical, the subtle and the casual are the three forms respectively of Vishwaroopa, Hiranyagarbha and Avyaakruta. You are the same person experiencing the waking state, dreaming in the sleeping state, and in the deep sleep (Sushupti). The one entity exists in all the three states is the Atma - in the body in the waking state, the mind in the dream state and in the Chitta (Higher Consciousness) in the deep state. The Eeshwara principle unifies all the three entities." Sai Baba. SS. 4/89. p. 89
Where To Search For Shiva?
"Who is this Shiva and where is he to be found? AH kinds of answers are given. Kailasha or other places are mentioned only 'care of' addresses. The true answer is: 'Ishaavaasyam idam sarvam.' All this is pervaded by Ishwara (God).' He is omnipresent. There is no place, object or being where God is not present. You have to correct your outlook and recognise the unity in the apparent diversity. When God is omnipresent, what need is there to go in search of God? The search is meaningless. If one gets rid of the attachment and hatred in him, he will experience the divinity inherent in him. This is the Sadhana (spiritual exercise), one has to do today, to get rid of desires and hatred which conceal the divinity within." Sai Baba, SS. 4/89, p. 89
Status Of Shiva/Ishwara/Eeshwara In Trinity
"Our life should be devoted to understanding the ways of the Lord. In understanding this, the first aspect to be recognised is 'Srishti' (creation of the cosmos). What is involved in this process should be understood. For instance, if a giant bridge has to be constructed, a large number of engineers and other personnel are required. Besides a chief manager, there will have to be engineers and men working under him. It is only their combined effort that can build a bridge. In the same manner, for the creation, protection and mergence of the cosmos, three principal agencies are required. The principal authority responsible for creation is known as Brahma. He is in charge of all that is related to creation. Next comes protection. What has been created has to be fostered and protected. The authority responsible for this function is called 'Vishnu'. After growth inevitably there comes the stage of dissolution. There is an authority responsible for laying down the rules for dissolution and enforcing those regulations. This authority is called 'Eeshwara' or 'Ishwara'. Thus, there are three authorities who share functionally the responsibility for creation, protection and dissolution. There must be someone who presides over these three functionaries, like the Prime Minister in a cabinet. Brahma, Vishnu and Eeshwara are the presiding deities for three different functions. This supreme authority was called by Bharatiyas as 'Bhagavan'. Members of different faiths have given different names to this authority. The term that is most used is 'God'. Bhagawan refers to the One who governs the three functions of creation, protection and dissolution. In the word 'God', you have three letters: G, 0, D. 'G' refers to 'Generation' (or creation). '0' refers to 'organization' (that is/keeping creation going). 'D' stands for destruction. 'God' combines the three aspects of generation, organization and destruction. When people refer to God, they regard Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva as each a God. God is the one who wields authority over all the three." Sai Baba, SS, 4/95. pp. 85 & 86 -
"In a government, there are different departments like education, finance etc. Likewise, in the spiritual field also there are different departments. They are Srishti, Sthiti and Layam. Each department has a head. Each head has to govern his department on right lines. There is an overlord presiding over all departments. He is like the Prime Minister in a cabinet. He is God. He is called Allah. By attributing different names and forms to God, Divinity is fragmented in various ways. The one Divine is responsible for the three-fold cosmic process. These three aspects of God can be seen in the English word 'God'. 'G' represents generation (Srishti); '0' Organization (Sthiti); 'D' represents dissolution (Layam). God represents the unity of the three aspects. There is a misunderstanding about these three. 'Layam' is considered as destruction or dissolution. Its real meaning is mergence. '0' represents Organization. It means protection. 'G' stands for Generation or Creation. Brahma, Vishnu and Ishwara are three potencies immanent in man. To understand this, it is essential to follow the spiritual path. Spirituality does not mean leading a lonely ascetic life. Spirituality means getting rid of attachment and hatred and looking upon the whole humanity as one." Sai Baba, SS, 3/96, p. 5