The Trimurti or triad is also known as Brahma-Vishnu-Maheshwara, meaning Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer. In the Hindu religion, the concept of the cosmos is personified by a triad of deities, namely the Trimurti. The three represent the aspects of human existence: birth, life, and death.
Although there are many representations of the Trumurti, they often have three heads branching from one neck, each facing in a different direction.It was introduced in the Rig Veda, the oldest of the Hindu sacred books, and written in the ancient form of Sanskrit around 1500 BC. Although each of the deities has its own role and their attributes are differentiated, many Hindus believe that they are manifestations of a single god with varying properties.
Origin
Within the origins of this god of Hindu mythology, we can find a classification that can guide us through all the myths, rites, and beliefs surrounding him.
Brahma
Brahma is the first of the Trimurti gods: the creator. There are multiple theories about how he was born. Some myths say he was born from the primordial feminine energy called Maya and the supreme being Brahman, from his seed in the water transforming into an egg. Others say he was born from a lotus flower. Either way, he was the first of the Trimurti, and he created the universe with the help of the 11 ancestors of the human race, the Prajapatis, the seven sages Saptarishi, and the “sons of the mind” born from his brain, not his body, the Manasputras. He also created Vishnu and Shiva and is considered the creator of all Hindu gods.
Brahma has four faces, representing the four Vedas and the four corners of the universe. The Rig-Veda, Yajur-Veda, Sama-Veda, and Atharva-Veda are the ancient Hindu texts. He originally had five heads, but according to legend, Shiva cut off one of them in a fit of rage. He also has four arms, red skin, and never carries a weapon—only a jar of holy water, a spoon, and the book of the Vedas. He wears a mala (Hindu prayer beads).
Similar to other deities in Hindu mythology, he sits on a lotus flower. There are very few temples in India dedicated to Brahma. The largest is in Pushkar, one of the oldest cities, located in the state of Rajasthan. There are temples dedicated to him in other countries.
Vishnu
The second god of the Trimurti is Vishnu, the Lord of Preservation and Sustenance. He is the supreme god of the Vaishnavites, a tradition of Hinduism. He preserves the universe and is highly valued in all belief systems. He is often considered more powerful and of greater importance than Brahma. He sometimes appears in a reclining position with Brahma emerging from his navel, so there are myths that say he even created the creator.
Vishnu can take different forms representing his various manifestations and functions. He is depicted as blue in color and holding a lotus flower, a mace, a conch shell, and the wheel of chakras representing the seven energy forces present in the human body.
He is widely worshipped in his original form or in the form of one of his avatars (manifestations in an alternative form). There are many temples dedicated to Vishnu throughout India. One of the largest and most famous is the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, which covers 156 acres and contains 49 shrines, all dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
Shiva
The third deity of the Trimurti is Shiva, the destroyer and transformer. He is the slayer of demons and has authority over death, rebirth, and immortality, all concepts revered in Hindu mythology.
Shiva’s worshippers are called Shaivites, and they believe that he is the ultimate deity. His habitat is Mount Kailash, a real mountain in Tibet. There he remains in a perpetual state of meditation, accompanied by his wife. He represents the primitive soul and the truth of reality and consciousness for his believers.
He was formerly known as Rudra, but now Shiva is more commonly used, and they have exactly the same personalities and traits, so the two are considered interchangeable. Images of Shiva show him as a handsome, strong young man who is often meditating or dancing. He has a third eye, which he opens when he feels particularly disturbed.
A crescent moon on his head signifies that he controls his own mind. In statues, he is also depicted with snakes around his neck and arms, signifying his powers over evil. He wears earrings in both ears as a sign of fertility, sexual power, and union. He is considered the patron deity of yoga and meditation.
The worship of Shiva often makes use of the linga, a rounded vertical column similar to the lingas of ancient Egypt, which were phallic symbols that also represented the gods. Some say that they only represent his regenerative energy. Shiva temples are common throughout India. In the south, there are five well-known temples, each representing one of the five elements: fire, water, air, earth, and space.
Wives of Trimurti
Each of the three supreme deities of the Trimurti had a wife who is considered a very important counterpart in mythology. Brahma’s wife is Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge and the arts. Her name is a combination of two words, saras, meaning flow, and wati, meaning woman.
Her job is to subdue Brahma’s wandering mind. When the universe was created, Brahma had five heads. He obsessively stared at the first of the goddesses, Sharupta, which distracted him from finishing the rest of creation. As a result, Shiva came and cut off one of his heads. After that unfortunate event, he married Saraswati, and she helped him focus and hold on to his remaining four faces. Vishnu’s wife is Lakshmi, the goddess of love, beauty, and prosperity. She is a favorite in the culture, especially among women, and has multiple arms in which she holds gold coins.
Pavarati, Shiva’s wife, is the goddess of power and transformation. She is the reincarnation of his first wife Sati, who jumped into the fire because her father disapproved of her marriage. When she was reborn as Pavarati many hundreds of years later, she suffered the penances of Sati, including periods of starvation, until Shiva accepted her and married her. Their story and union represent the fact that aspirations can overcome human suffering and lead to the attainment of nirvana, happiness, and freedom from reincarnation.
Modern Influence
Modern Hinduism has several factions and there is no single philosophy. Most belief systems trace their roots back to the Trimurti. Smartism is a contemporary version in which the three deities are believed to be manifestations of a higher, formless supreme power. The Shaktis believe that the three deities come from the divine mother and are aspects of her nature.
Some cults worship Vishnu, others Shiva, and some see divinity in all of nature. All are considered good Hindus. Throughout the world, the sound of Om is the symbol of Hinduism. It is the primordial sound, the very breath of creation, and the justification for our existence. According to legend, it all began with the Trimurti.
