Thetrishula (Sanskrit:त्रिशूल,romanized: triśūla) is atrident, a divine symbol, commonly used as one of the principal symbols inHinduism.[1] It is most commonly associated with the deityShiva and widely employed in his iconography.[2]
The nametrishula ultimately derives from theSanskrit wordत्रिशूल (triśūla), fromत्रि (trí), meaning "three", andशूल (śū́la), meaning "a sharp iron pin or stake", referring in this case to the weapon's threeprongs.[3]
Thetrishula has a number of interpretations in Hindu belief. The three points of the weapon have various meanings and significance have many stories behind them. They are commonly said to represent various trinities: creation, preservation, and destruction; past, present, and future; body, mind and atman;Dharma (law and order), bliss/mutual enjoyment and emanation/createdbodies; compassion, joy and love; spiritual, psychic and relative; happiness, comfort and boredom; pride, repute and egotism; clarity, knowledge and wisdom; heaven, mind and earth; soul, fire and earth; soul, passion and embodied-soul; logic, passion and faith; prayer, manifestation and sublime;insight,serenity and bodhisattvahood or arhatship (anti-conceit); practice, understanding and wisdom; death, ascension and resurrection; creation, order and destruction; the threegunas:sattva,rajas, andtamas.[4][5]
According to theShiva Purana, Shiva issvayambhu, self-created, born of his volitions. He is described to bear atrishula from the very beginning of creation.
According to theSkanda Purana, Shiva employed thetrishula to beheadGanesha, who refused to allow him passage in order to visit the bathingParvati.[6]
According to theVishnu Purana, the sun godSurya marriedSanjna, the daughter of the divine architectVishvakarma. Unable to bear his brilliance, Sanjna brought this issue to her father, who arranged for his energy to be reduced to one-eighth of its previous intensity. The blazing energy descended towards the ground, used by Vishvakarma to create the trishula for Shiva, theSudarshana Chakra forVishnu, a palanquin forKubera, thelance forKartikeya, and all the other weapons of the gods.[7][8]
According to theDevi Bhagavata Purana, the goddessDurga holds atrishula among other weapons and attributes in her hands and amongst her accouterment, having received celestial weapons from both Shiva and Vishnu.[9]
In Nepal and Thailand, the term also often refers to a short-handled weapon which may be mounted on adaṇḍa "staff". Unlike theOkinawan sai, thetrishula is often bladed. In Indonesian,trisula usually refers specifically to a long-handled trident, while the diminutive version is more commonly known as acabang ortekpi.
A similar word, ”trushul”, is theRomani word for 'cross' specifically referring to the cross Jesus was crucified on.
Trisula is also the name of a militaryoperation by theABRI to crack down onPKI remnants in southernBlitar.
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![A seven-pronged trishula on top of Wat Arun, also known as the "trident of Shiva".[10]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWat-Arun-menorah-8845.jpg)
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