Why did the one and only Unimaginable God appear in many forms like Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva?

[Reply to a question by Śrī Rajashekar during online Satsanga held on January 10, 2021]

Swāmi replied: Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva are the three faces of the One Divine Personality. We say that a certain person has a multifaceted personality. It does not mean that the person has several faces and is split into several persons. The three facets of the personality are in the one face of the person. Similarly, the three divine personalities are in that one single divine personality. But some devotees have a great liking for a specific side of God’s personality. To please such devotees, the one God became three Gods. For the devotee who likes all the three sides of God’s personality, God appears as the single God Datta. This is the concept of unity in diversity and diversity in unity. In spite of the observed diversity of His forms, God is not actually divided. He only appears to be divided (Avibhaktaṃ vibhakteshu, vibhaktamiva ca sthitam…—Gītā).

Keywords:

| Shri Datta Swami | Why did the one and only Unimaginable God appear in many forms like Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva? | Brahma Vishnu Shiva Aviibhaktam vibhakteshu vibhaktamiva cha sthitam Gita