Trinity in Hinduism: Decoding the Mystery Behind it
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The Holy Trinity in Hinduism is the three Hindu Gods, Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh (Shiva). They govern the entire life cycle of every being on Earth (the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth). Brahma, according to Vedas, is the creator of the universe, Vishnu is the preserver of life, and Mahesh (Lord Shiva) is the ultimate destroyer. It is the existence and prominence of the trinity (also known as Trimurti) that we’re going to elaborate on in this guide.
Trinity and Their Prominence in Hinduism
Did you know that Hindu mythology is divided into 2 periods – The Puranic Period and the Vedic Period? The puranic period indicates the popular beliefs in Gods like Chandra Dev (the Moon), Surya Dev (the sun), Indra dev (the God of heaven), and so on.
On the other hand, the Vedic period shows its inclination towards worshipping the Trinity (Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh). There are so many fascinating facts about these mighty Gods in Hindu Mythology that you’ll be amazed at how rich the Vedic period is. Let’s have a look at the Trinity in Hinduism one by one and decode all the mysteries around and about them.
The First God of the Trinity in Hinduism – Brahma
Brahma, like we already mentioned, is the creator of the universe. His depiction in Hindu mythology is of an old man with four heads, four hands, a golden book, a crown on all his heads, and a swan. Every single detail about Lord Brahma has some meaning.
- Four Heads – They are the depiction of the 4 Hindu Vedas that are, a). The Rig Veda, b). Yajur Veda, c). Sama Veda, and d). Atharva Veda.
- Four Hands – They depict the 4 directions.
- The Holy Beads – They signify the entire process of the creation of the universe.
- The Golden Book – The book of knowledge that ledgers every activity of creation.
- The Crown – It is the signifier of the supreme authority of the creator (Brahma).
- The Lotus – It is symbolic of the real essence of life.
- The Beard – It is a signifier of knowledge of the soul and wisdom.
- The swan – It is the vahana (ride) of Lord Brahma. It is symbolic of grace.
The Second God of the Trinity in Hinduism – Vishnu
Lord Vishnu is depicted in mythology as the preserver (rakshak) of life. Lord Vishnu is depicted as reclining (also known as Shaiya) against Sheshnag (serpent with 5 heads). He is known to live in the ocean since it was the ocean that existed before Brahma created the Earth.
Fascinating Facts About Lord Vishnu
- His two popular avatars on Earth are Lord Krishna and Lord Rama.
- It is believed that Vishnu takes birth on Earth to destroy evil.
- Goddess Lakshmi, who is the wife of Lord Vishnu, is known to take birth on Earth every time Lord Vishnu incarnates to destroy evil and restore the balance.
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The Third God of the Trinity in Hinduism – Mahesh (Lord Shiva)
Shiva, the destroyer, is the only God according to Hindu Mythology who favours rakshas just as much as devatas. He’s known to be fair to everybody. In fact, it is believed that he’s the easiest to please. Anyone who worships Lord Shiva with full devotion is protected from all evil by Shiva himself. He’s also known by the names Rudra, Neel-Kanth, and Bholenath.
Fascinating Facts About Lord Shiva
- It is believed that Lord Shiva drank poison – during Samudra Manthan – instead of Amrit to establish peace between Rakshas gan and Dev gan.
- It is believed that Lord Shiva cursed Lord Brahma (more on that a bit later) that he won’t ever be worshipped. Hence, you’ll not find many Brahma temples despite Brahma dev is the creator of the universe.
- It is believed that the third eye of Lord Shiva opens when he’s extremely angry.
- Lord Shiva is known to be the originator of the dance form, Tandav.
Shiva’s Curse for Lord Brahma
According to a legendary tale in Hinduism, there used to be a frequent clash between Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma on who of the two was superior. Worried that the ego might erupt into a clash, Lord Shiva turned into a pillar (Agni-stambh) with no beginning and no end. It was decided that whoever of the two – Vishnu and Brahma – could find the end of the pillar would be the superior most of all three.
The search lasted for thousands of years. Vishnu searched the underground and Brahma searched the sky. In the end, while Lord Vishnu accepted his defeat, Brahma conspired and lied that he found the edge. The lie angered Lord Shiva and he cursed Brahma dev that no human will ever worship him. That’s Brahma’s curse. And it is a popular belief that due to Shiva’s curse there aren’t many temples dedicated to the worship of Lord Brahma.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What does the trinity of Hinduism Depict?
Trinity in Hinduism is the depiction of Brahma (the creator of the universe), Vishnu (the preserver of life), and Mahesh (the destroyer).
2. Did Lord Shiva curse Brahma Dev?
Yes. It is believed that Brahma dev once lied to Lord Shiva. Angered by the treachery, Lord Shiva cursed Brahma Dev that he will never be worshipped.
3. Who is Mahesh Trinity God in Hinduism?
Mahesh is another name of Lord Shiva. His angry form is known as Rudra Dev.
4. Who is the creator of the Universe?
Lord Brahma is the creator of the Universe.
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