Trishula, a spear or trident, is a significant symbol in Hinduism, often associated with the god Shiva, the destroyer. Unlike Poseidon’s trident in Greek mythology, Shiva’s trishula has wide prongs, symbolising its use as a weapon for destruction. It is a celestial weapon carried by many deities, including Durga and Vishnu, but it is especially tied to Shiva. The trishula symbolises Shiva’s power to destroy old customs and create new ones, demonstrated when he replaced Ganesha’s original head with that of an elephant. Shiva’s trishula is an eternal symbol, representing the god’s uncreated, infinite nature.
In Hinduism, the three prongs of the trishula represent the divine acts of creation, preservation, and destruction. They also symbolise a variety of spiritual meanings, such as wisdom, action, and knowledge, the past, present, and future, and the mind, body, and soul. Each prong stands for aspects of law, prayer, love, resurrection, and more, highlighting the spiritual significance of this weapon. The trishula also symbolises joy, love, wisdom, compassion, and even opposing concepts like death and resurrection.
The trishula also represents the three fundamental powers of Shiva—iccha shakti (willpower), jnana shakti (knowledge), and kriya shakti (action). The middle prong of the trishula points upward, symbolising the all-seeing eye and spiritual knowledge. The Sanskrit name trishula derives from “tri,” meaning three, and “sula,” meaning a sharp stake.
The trishula also connects to the body’s spiritual energy channels—ida (feminine) and pingala (masculine) channels, which intertwine and reach the Vishuddha or throat chakra. Yogis focus on balancing these energy currents through meditation, symbolically represented by the trishula.
- What does the trishula primarily symbolise in Hinduism?
a) Shiva’s role as a creator
b) The protection of nature
c) Preservation of life
d) Destruction of old customs and creation of new ones - Which of the following is not mentioned as one of the symbolic meanings of the three prongs of the trishula?
a) Love, wisdom, and compassion
b) The mind, body, and soul
c) Birth, growth, and decay
d) Creation, preservation, and destruction - How is the trishula connected to spiritual energy in the human body, according to the passage?
a) It represents the balance of physical and mental strength.
b) It symbolises the energy channels ida and pingala, which intersect at the Vishuddha chakra.
c) It signifies the flow of energy through all seven chakras.
d) It is used as a tool to awaken spiritual energy in meditation. - What does the middle prong of the trishula specifically symbolise?
a) The third eye and spiritual knowledge
b) The preservation of life
c) Destruction and rebirth
d) The mind, body, and soul - Which Sanskrit words combine to form the name “trishula”?
a) “Tri,” meaning three, and “shakti,” meaning power
b) “Tri,” meaning three, and “jnana,” meaning knowledge
c) “Tri,” meaning three, and “kriya,” meaning action
d) “Tri,” meaning three, and “sula,” meaning a sharp stake
Answers with Explanations:
- d) Destruction of old customs and creation of new ones
Explanation: The passage states that the trishula symbolises Shiva’s power to destroy old customs and create new ones, as demonstrated in the story of Ganesha. - c) Birth, growth, and decay
Explanation: While many symbolic meanings are attributed to the three prongs of the trishula, “birth, growth, and decay” is not mentioned in the passage. - b) It symbolises the energy channels ida and pingala, which intersect at the Vishuddha chakra.
Explanation: The passage explains that the trishula represents the ida and pingala energy channels, which meet at the throat chakra, the Vishuddha. - a) The third eye and spiritual knowledge
Explanation: The passage mentions that the middle prong of the trishula points upward and symbolises the all-seeing eye and spiritual knowledge. - d) “Tri,” meaning three, and “sula,” meaning a sharp stake
Explanation: The name “trishula” comes from the Sanskrit words “tri,” meaning three, and “sula,” meaning a sharp stake, as stated in the passage.
Passage 62
There is a long-standing tradition in India of analysing the issues within the discipline of sociology, dividing its history into three key phases: colonial, nationalist, and post-nationalist. These discussions highlight four major tension points in the discipline’s development. The first tension concerns whether sociology in India aligns with traditions in social anthropology or sociology, or if it adopts a unique interdisciplinary approach with a sociological perspective. The second deals with the theoretical direction: should it follow European and North American sociological traditions or develop indigenous perspectives? The third point focuses on the professional orientation of sociology—whether it remains an academic discipline limited to teaching and research or addresses public policy and social movement concerns. The final tension lies in its geographical focus: whether sociology in India should engage with both global and national issues or prioritise regional and local matters.
Considering this historical context, sociology in India has always been pluralistic, drawing on diverse theoretical and methodological models. Despite nationalist political projects pushing for homogenised models, global sociology thrives on diversity. However, the construction of new theoretical models in India still struggles with this pluralism and diversity. As sociology in India refashions itself, it needs to address contemporary challenges by examining its contradictory growth patterns, allowing for contestation among varied paradigms.
What is one of the key phases in the history of sociology in India?
a) Industrial
b) Post-colonial
c) Post-nationalist
d) Revolutionary
Which tension in the development of sociology in India focuses on its professional orientation?
a) Whether it follows European and North American traditions or Indigenous perspectives
b) Whether it aligns with social anthropology or sociology
c) Whether it should engage with global or regional issues
d) Whether it should focus on teaching and research or address public policy and social movements
What does the passage suggest about the construction of new theoretical models in Indian sociology?
a) It has successfully overcome the challenges of pluralism and diversity.
b) It struggles with pluralism and diversity, making theoretical development difficult.
c) It has fully adopted European and North American sociological models.
d) It is moving away from indigenous perspectives and focusing solely on global issues.
How does the passage describe the approach of sociology in India to theoretical and methodological models?
a) Homogenised
b) Focused only on European traditions
c) Pluralistic, drawing on diverse models
d) Based primarily on public policy concerns
What does the passage imply about the future direction of sociology in India?
a) It will move towards a completely homogenised model.
b) It will continue to thrive through diversity but must address its contradictory growth patterns.
c) It will abandon regional and local concerns in favour of global issues.
d) It will primarily focus on academic teaching, avoiding public policy concerns.
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