1195. Three is Infinity.....

“Tridalam Trigunaakaaram Trinetram cha Triyaayudham

Trijanma Paapasamhaaram Eka Bilvam Shivaarpanam”

{This Trifoliate Leaf embodies the three qualities (Sattva, Rajas and Tamas). It is like the three eyes (Sun, Moon and Fire) and it is the Trident (Trishula) which destroys the sins committed in three earlier births. I offer this Bilva (Aegle Marmelos) leaf to Shiva}

This is the start of Sri Bilvashtakam composed by Sri Sri Shankara. 

A few days back I was with my business mentor Sri. H.R.Sreenatha Rao, a pioneer in Lighting Industry (if I have conducted myself satisfactorily in the business line, the credit for infusing the business ethics in me goes to this soul) While talking with him, he mentioned, “Integers of any multiples of 3, 6, and 9 add up to 3 only –which is itself an infinite.” Integer in Latin means “Whole” number that can be written without a fractional component. He feels number 3 denotes divine perfection as it is the first odd number and twice of it gives us the first perfect number (6). Also if the sum total of the individual numbers (in a number) is divisible by 3, then that number can be divided by 3.

This number 3 has its importance in fundamental places at Macro Cosmos (Brahmanda) and Micro Cosmos (Pindanda) level. Kala (Time) has 3 phase Bhuta (Past), Bhavat (Present) and Bhavya (Future). Om the 3- syllabled holy word A-U-M denotes the Avastha Traya (Three states of Consciousness) namely Jagrat (Wake), Swapna (Dream) and Shusupti (Deep Sleep). To understand this we have Prasthana Traya consisting of three major texts Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita and Brahma Sutra. 

This universe has three eternal entities - Jeeva (Living), Jada (Insentient) and Iswara (Absolute). Iswara has three qualities Sarvavyapta (Omnipresent), Sarvgana (Omniscient), and Sarvashaktha (Omnipotent). ‘He’ is embodiment of Satya (Truth), Jnana (Knowledge) and Ananta (Infinity). Symbolized by the Trinity ‘He’ is the Shrusti Kartha (Creator), Sthithi Kartha (Sustainer) and Laya Kartha (Terminator). 

Jeeva is blessed with three Upadis (Attributes) to excel – Deha (Body), Manas (Mind) and Buddhi (Intellect). To excel there are three Yuktis (Devices) – Jnana (Awareness), Bhakti (Devotion) and Vairagya (Disinclination). Jeeva gets to experience the three phases of life – Balya (Childhood), Yauvana (Youth) and Vrudhavastha (Old age) between the three acts of existence – Janana (Birth), Jivana (Life) and Marana (Death). During the stay in the Deha (Body) the Jeeva has to thrive to maintain Trikarana Shuddi, the Unity of Manas (Thought), Vachas (Word) and Karas (Deed).

In every Jada Vasthu (Insentient Object) there are three main types of stable particles - Proton, Neutron, and Electron. All solid matter consists of atoms built entirely from these three particles. Scientists say that each proton and each neutron is built from smaller particles called Quarks. If we observe there are again three quarks in proton and three quarks in neutron. On the subatomic level there are three types of charges - Positive, Negative and Neutral. There are three types of “colour charge” in Quarks - Red, Blue, and Green. This visible world is three dimensional with space which expands in Height, Width, and Depth and the Matter here is of three types - Solid, Liquid and Gaseous.

In short the number three is in all - Trikona, Tridhama, Triphala Churana, Trikala Sandhya, Triveni Sangam and many many more. Finally there is the Rahasya Traya mantra, the three secret mantras - Ashtakshara mantra, Dvaya mantra and Charama sloka. In Borromeam Ring we find three rings interlocked, if any one ring is removed, the other two falls apart. This was to show the greatness of “Unity in Strength”.

Even for the progeny to continue the arrival of the third is a must……what say….. Infinity right ???