Simone Lawson
The Trimurti, or the Hindu triumvirate, is a triad of three gods in Hinduism: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Each god is responsible for one aspect of creation: Brahma is the creator, Vishnu is the preserver, and Shiva is the destroyer. The concept of Trimurti is an attempt to reconcile different approaches to the divine and is not a significant part of Hinduism as practiced, but rather an explanation of the workings of the cosmos. The word 'Trimurti' means 'three forms', and the three gods are believed to be manifestations of a supreme higher power.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of gods | 3 |
| Names of the gods | Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva |
| Brahma's role | Creator |
| Vishnu's role | Preserver |
| Shiva's role | Destroyer |
| Alternative names for Vishnu | Vasudeva, Vaikuntha, Narasimha, Rama, Krishna |
| Alternative names for Shiva | Mahesh, Rudra, Sadyojata, Vamadeva, Aghora, Hara, Hari-Hari, Mahesha |
| Alternative names for Brahma | None found |
| Avatars of the Trimurti | Dattatreya |
| Consort of Brahma | Saraswati, goddess of knowledge and learning |
| Consort of Vishnu | Lakshmi, goddess of wealth and prosperity |
| Consort of Shiva | Parvati, goddess of fertility, love, and devotion |
| Triad of consorts | Tridevi |
| Trimurti as a single entity | Harihara, Hari-Hara |
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What You'll Learn
Brahma, the creator
In Hinduism, Brahma is regarded as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu and Shiva. Brahma is responsible for creating everything that exists, and all things come from him. He is also closely associated with wisdom and knowledge.
Brahma is frequently identified with the Vedic god Prajapati. During the post-Vedic period, Brahma was a prominent deity, but by the 7th century, he had lost his significance, overshadowed by other major deities like Vishnu, Shiva, and Mahadevi. He is often depicted as a red or golden-complexioned bearded man with four heads and hands. His four heads, or Chatur Mukha, represent the four Vedas, the sacred texts of Hinduism, and are pointed in the four cardinal directions.
Brahma is prominently mentioned in creation legends. In some Puranas, he is said to have created himself in a golden embryo known as the Hiranyagarbha, from which the universe originates. Other Puranas describe Brahma as a secondary creator, born from a lotus emerging from the navel of the god Vishnu, with Shiva born from a fire emerging from Vishnu's forehead. In yet other Puranas, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva create each other cyclically in different aeons.
Brahma is also associated with the Vedas, the oldest religious works in the world. With his daughter Sarasvati, he created the four Vedas, and all branches of knowledge. The four Vedas include Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, and Atharvaveda. They also symbolize the four Yugas, or epochs of time, and the four castes or Varnas.
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Vishnu, the preserver
Vishnu is one of the principal deities of Hinduism and is known as 'The Preserver' within the Trimurti, the triple deity of supreme divinity that includes Brahma and Shiva. In Vaishnavism, a major tradition within contemporary Hinduism, Vishnu is the supreme Lord and the god of preservation (sattva).
Vishnu is the preserver, protector, and sustainer of the world created by Brahma, as well as the law of the Vedas. He is believed to have a benevolent nature and is often depicted as an omniscient being sleeping on the coils of the serpent Shesha (or Anantha-Sesha), floating in the primeval ocean of milk called Kshira Sagara. His consort, Lakshmi, the goddess of good fortune and prosperity, massages his feet.
Vishnu is typically depicted with dark blue, blue-grey, or black skin and is richly adorned with jewellery, flower garlands, a wrapped skirt, and a large crown. He is usually shown with four arms, but two-armed representations also exist. In his four hands, he carries a conch shell (called Panchajanya), a war discus (chakra named Sudarshana), a lotus flower (padma), and a club or mace (gada named Kaumodaki). The items he holds vary, giving rise to twenty-four combinations of iconography, each representing a special form of Vishnu.
Vishnu is also known for his ten primary avatars or incarnations, known as Dashavatar, which are unique to him. Through these avatars, Vishnu fights evil and upholds the moral order. Nine of these avatars have already appeared, and the tenth is yet to come. The first avatar was a fish, known as Matsya Avatar, which saved the Vedas and other creatures from a great flood. Vishnu's other avatars include a turtle called Kurma, a boar called Varaha, and the Hindu God Krishna, who is considered the most important avatar.
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Shiva, the destroyer
In Hinduism, the Trimurti is a triad of the three gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, each responsible for creation, preservation, and destruction, respectively. In the Trimurti, Brahma is the creator, Vishnu is the preserver, and Shiva is the destroyer.
Shiva is one of the main deities of Hinduism, worshipped as the paramount lord by the Saivite sects of India. Followers of Shaivism, called "Shaivas", revere Shiva as the Supreme Being. Shaivas believe that Shiva is All and in all, the creator, preserver, destroyer, revealer, and concealer of all that is. Shiva is the primal Self, the pure consciousness and Absolute Reality in the Shaiva traditions.
Shiva is commonly depicted with a third eye, which is a symbol of his higher consciousness. With his third eye, he burned Desire (Kāma) to ashes. The third eye also has the power to destroy his enemies with fire and to kill all the gods and other creatures during the periodic destruction of the universe.
Shiva is often portrayed as a pacific cosmic dancer Nataraja, a naked ascetic, a mendicant beggar, and a yogi. He is also depicted as a householder, a role that has been traditionally mutually exclusive with that of an ascetic in Hindu society.
Shiva is known as the "Auspicious One" in Sanskrit, embodying seemingly contradictory qualities. He is the destroyer and the restorer, the great ascetic and the symbol of sensuality, the benevolent herdsman of souls, and the wrathful avenger. Shiva destroys what is evil or what has turned into evil, and he blesses everyone regardless of their orientation.
Shiva is also known as Mahakala, the Lord of Time, destroying and creating all things. He destroys ignorance and delusion to allow for higher consciousness and transformation. He destroys what is worn out and old to make way for new creation and new life.
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The Trimurti is not a significant part of Hinduism
The Trimurti is the triple deity of supreme divinity in Hinduism. The triad consists of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer. Each god is responsible for one aspect of creation, and they represent three important aspects of Brahman, the Ultimate Reality. The concept of Trimurti is present in the Maitri Upanishad, where the three gods are explained as three of his supreme forms. The word 'trimurti' means 'three forms'.
However, it is important to note that the Trimurti is not a significant part of Hinduism for several reasons. Firstly, the concept of Trimurti is a relatively new addition to Hinduism, and many Hindus reject it. Vaishnavism, for example, generally does not acknowledge the Trimurti concept and instead believes in the avataras of Vishnu like Narasimha, Rama, and Krishna. They also believe that Shiva and Brahma are both forms of Vishnu. Additionally, while Vishnu and Shiva are widely worshipped in India, there are very few temples dedicated to Brahma, as he is said to have lost his worshippers after telling a lie.
Furthermore, the Trimurti is not a significant part of Hinduism as it is not a unified concept. The three gods are not always seen as separate individuals but rather as manifestations or modes of the supreme lord. In the Shaivite tradition, for instance, Shiva is considered the supreme God who assumes various critical roles and forms, and Trimurti is seen as a form of Shiva Himself. Similarly, in the female-centric Shaktidharma denomination, the three forms of Supreme Divinity are assigned not to the masculine Trimurti gods but to the feminine Tridevi goddesses: Mahasarasvati, Mahalaxmi, and Mahakali.
Smartism, another denomination of Hinduism, emphasizes the worship of five deities rather than a single deity. This system, popularized by the philosopher Śankarācārya, invokes the five deities Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Shakti, and Surya, with Kartikeya added later, making six in total. This reformed system aimed to unite the principal deities of the six major sects on an equal status.
In conclusion, while the Trimurti is officially recognized as a triad of three Hindu gods, it is not a significant part of Hinduism due to its newness, rejection by some Hindu sects, and alternative interpretations that emphasize different deities or concepts.
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The three gods are combined into one iconographic representation
The Trimurti is a triad of the three Hindu gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, each responsible for creation, preservation, and destruction, respectively. The word "trimurti" means "three forms". In the Trimurti, Brahma is the creator, Vishnu is the preserver, and Shiva is the destroyer. These three gods are combined into one iconographic representation, depicting divinity as a three-faced figure. This representation is known as Dattatreya, a yogic deity that has been associated with yoga practice. Dattatreya is often depicted with three heads, each representing Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.
The concept of the Trimurti is found in the Maitri Upanishad, where the three gods are explained as three supreme forms of Brahman, the Ultimate Reality. Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are also mentioned together in a single verse in the Vishnu Purana, highlighting their roles within the cosmic functions of creation, preservation, and destruction. The identification of these three gods as one being is strongly emphasized in the Kūrma Purāṇa, where Brahman is worshipped as Trimurti.
While Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are considered separate deities, they are also understood as different forms or manifestations of the same divine entity. This idea is reflected in Shaivite belief, which holds that Shiva assumes various critical roles, names, and forms, transcending them all. According to Shaiva Agama, Shiva performs five actions: creation, preservation, dissolution, grace, and illusion. These actions are associated with three forms of Shiva: Sadyojata (akin to Brahma), Vamadeva (akin to Vishnu), and Aghora (akin to Rudra). Thus, Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra are considered forms of Shiva.
The Trimurti doctrine is an attempt to reconcile different approaches to the divine and align them with the philosophical doctrine of Brahman, the Ultimate Reality. This concept of a triad is also comparable to the Holy Trinity in Christianity. The three members of the Trimurti are also believed to represent earth, water, and fire, or the three planes of consciousness: spiritual, psychic, and physical.
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Frequently asked questions
The Trimurti is a triad of three Hindu gods: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.
Brahma is the creator, Vishnu is the preserver, and Shiva is the destroyer.
The word Trimurti means "three forms".
The Trimurti represents three important aspects of Brahman, the Divine One, or God. They are responsible for the creation, preservation, and destruction of the universe.
