Vayaviya Samhita
This section consists of two parts: the Purva Khanda and the Uttara Khanda, detailing the knowledge imparted by Lord Shiva to the wind god Vayu.
Answer in Details
The trident, known as the Trishula in Sanskrit, is one of the most significant symbols associated with Lord Shiva. The Trishula has profound spiritual and philosophical meanings in Shaivism:
1. Three Gunas: The three prongs represent the three fundamental qualities of nature—Sattva (goodness, harmony), Rajas (activity, passion), and Tamas (ignorance, inertia). Lord Shiva, holding the trident, signifies mastery over these gunas.
2. Three Aspects of Time: The trident symbolizes past, present, and future, indicating Lord Shiva's transcendence over time.
3. Three Powers: It also represents the three main powers (Shakti): Iccha (will), Kriya (action), and Jnana (knowledge).
4. Destruction of Evil: The Trishula is a weapon used by Shiva to destroy evil and ignorance, paving the way for creation and transformation.
Thus, the Trishula is not just a weapon but a powerful symbol of Lord Shiva's role as the destroyer of ignorance, the master of time, and the harmonizer of cosmic energies.