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It is said during universal dissolution the universe gets merged into Supreme Brahman. Do Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara also die at that time?

Please try to answer with Vedas as proof if possible.

Say No To Censorship
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Lokesh
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1 Answers1

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It is said during universal dissolution the universe gets merged into Supreme Brahman.

Now, if Supreme Brahman = Shiva; the sentence can be said as:

It is said during universal dissolution the universe gets merged into Shiva.

if Supreme Brahman =Vishnu;

It is said during universal dissolution the universe gets merged into Vishnu.

similarly if Supreme Brahman = Brahma, Devi, xyz... etc..

It is said during universal dissolution the universe gets merged into Brahma/ Devi/ xyz etc..

"Please try to answer with Vedas as proof."

I discuss in my answer here how can Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva be intrepreted as Supreme Brahman through Vedas:

How were the Trimurthi born?

I discuss in my answer here how Devi can be Supreme Brahman through Vedas:

Is there any hierarchy for Devi's incarnations?

So, it depends on to whom you call Supreme Brahman.

From, Advaita Perspective Nirguna Brahman is the Ultimate reality and the universe which is characterized by name and form which we see is just an illusion. Chandogya Upanishad states that infinite alone is Immortal and anything which is finite is not Eternal:

VII-xxiv-1: ‘In which one sees nothing else, hears nothing else, understands nothing else, that is infinite. But that in which one sees something else, hears something else, understands something else, is the finite. That which is infinite, is alone immortal, and that which is finite, is mortal’. ‘Revered sir, in what is that infinite established ?’ ‘On its own greatness or not even on its own greatness’.

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Tezz
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    "So, it depends on to whom you call Supreme Brahman" -- Probably, not the answer OP was looking for :P – Say No To Censorship Dec 28 '16 at 07:32
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    @sv. Haha.. we can't answer who will die.. for eg Shiva Purana will say Only Shiva will remain, Vishnu Purana will say Only Vishnu will remain and so on.. so it depends on whom one considers Brahman... – Tezz Dec 28 '16 at 08:03
  • I think Brahma will merge into Vishnu, Vishnu will merge into Rudra and Rudra will merge into Maha Shambhu at the end of Brahma's lifetime. Earth(Brahma) -> Water(Vishnu) -> Fire(Shambhu) -> Air(Maha Shambhu) -> Ether(Sadashiva) -> Nirguna Brahman(Para Shiva/Shiva). – Pinakin Dec 28 '16 at 12:44
  • If you refer to Yog Vasistha you will find sage Vasistha saying that even Gods like Vishnu and Mahesh are not immortal which means they also die. Also Vishnu and Mahesh are born at the creation of universe strongly suggesting that they die too because who is born also dies. The reason I asked this question is because I wanted to know what the Vedas suggest in such regard. – Lokesh Dec 29 '16 at 03:51
  • I do not agree with this answer. Of course Shiva and Vishnu are Supreme Brahman because they are of pure Sattvic essence. In fact me, you and everyone are Supreme Brahman according to Advaita Vedanta. So, no one dies. But that's not the answer I am looking for. – Lokesh Dec 29 '16 at 03:55
  • @Lokesh Not only Shiva and Vishnu, every God can be Supreme Brahman. In Sanskrit, when you come across a "name" such as Vishnu or Shiva, you consider them as "attributes" or "qualities" rather than proper nouns. Vishnu means all pervading and Shiva means auspicious. Sanskrit doesn't have proper nouns. Thus, there are verses in Vedas for Indra, Brahma too as Supreme. They are at absolute level and they denote attributes of Supreme Brahman. – The Destroyer Dec 29 '16 at 04:52
  • @TheDestroyer yes that's my understanding too. – Lokesh Dec 29 '16 at 05:34
  • @Lokesh Don't confuse Atma alone and Atma with body. Atma is same as Paramatma and all Advaitic statements are applied at Paramarthika level not at Vyavaharika level. You and me are supreme Brahman only at Paramartika Level. – The Destroyer Feb 15 '17 at 07:42