In the beginning, there was nothing.
Just an endless ocean of stillness, silence, and possibility. From this cosmic void, a lotus emerged. And seated upon that lotus was a figure with four heads, gazing in every direction, reciting the Vedas that hadn’t even been written yet. This was Brahma, the Creator. The first of the Hindu Holy Trinity.
But Brahma was not alone.
Beneath the lotus, in the vast ocean of consciousness, rested Vishnu, the Preserver. Eyes closed, floating upon the coils of the serpent Ananta, he dreamt the world into being. And from his navel came that sacred lotus, upon which Brahma began his divine task: creating the universe.
And above them both — beyond time, space, and matter — stood Shiva, the cosmic force who would one day bring it all to an end, only so it could begin again. Thus was born the sacred trio of Hinduism: the Trimurti — Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva — the creators of time, fate, and destiny.
1) Brahma – The Forgotten Creator of Hindu Holy Trinity
Brahma is the architect of the universe. With four faces representing the four Vedas and the four directions, he symbolizes the boundless knowledge required to construct existence itself. His every breath brought forth elements of nature — earth, fire, water, wind, and space — and from these, life began to stir.
Brahma’s consort, Saraswati, goddess of wisdom and learning, guided his hand as he populated the universe with stars, planets, and living beings. Mythology describes how he created the first man, Manu, and established the cycle of time with the four Yugas: Satya, Treta, Dvapara, and Kali.
Yet, despite being the Creator, Brahma is barely worshipped in modern Hinduism. Temples dedicated to him are rare — the most famous one stands in Pushkar, Rajasthan.
Why has he been forgotten?
Ancient texts hint at a fall from grace. In one myth, Brahma grows arrogant and falsely claims to have seen the top of an infinite fiery pillar created by Shiva. For his deceit, he is cursed to have no following on Earth. In another tale, he develops an inappropriate attachment to his own creation, leading to a similar curse.
Whatever the reason, the message is clear: creation without humility has no lasting glory.
2) Vishnu – The Preserver of Dharma of Holy Trinity
Where Brahma starts the story, Vishnu keeps it from unraveling.
Vishnu is the sustainer — the divine force that maintains cosmic order, or dharma. His skin is often depicted as blue, symbolic of the infinite sky and deep oceans, and he holds four items: a conch (sound of creation), a discus (weapon of protection), a mace (power), and a lotus (purity).
Resting on the cosmic ocean with the goddess Lakshmi, Vishnu intervenes whenever the world is threatened by adharma (injustice or chaos). His ten avatars, or Dashavatara, are each responses to crises in cosmic history:
- Matsya (fish) saves the Vedas from a great flood
- Narasimha (half-man, half-lion) protects the innocent from tyranny
- Vamana humbles the demon king Bali
- Rama, the ideal king, defeats Ravana
- Krishna, the divine statesman, guides Arjuna in the Mahabharata
And it is said the final avatar, Kalki, will come at the end of the current age to restore righteousness.
Vishnu’s role reminds us that preservation is not passive — it requires courage, wisdom, and timely action.
3) Shiva – The Liberating Destroyer of Holy Trinity
If Brahma is the beginning, and Vishnu the journey, Shiva is the awakening.
Shiva’s domain is both terrifying and divine. He is called the Destroyer, but what he truly destroys is illusion, ignorance, and ego. With his third eye, he sees through maya — the illusion of the material world.
Shiva lives in the icy solitude of Mount Kailash, far removed from worldly pleasures. Covered in sacred ash and adorned with serpents, he represents renunciation. His cosmic dance, the Tandava, is said to pulse with the rhythms of creation and destruction, shaking the cosmos into motion.
His consort is Parvati, goddess of fertility and devotion. Their union is not just marital — it symbolizes the merging of Shakti (divine feminine energy) and Shiva (pure consciousness).
Worshipped as the lingam, a symbol of the formless, Shiva reminds us that all forms must dissolve for new life to emerge. He is also Bholenath, the innocent one — easily pleased, quick to bless.
The Cycle Within: Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva in You
These gods are not distant beings, they are archetypes within us.
- When you spark a new idea, that’s Brahma working through you.
- When you nurture your relationships, protect your dreams, or fight for what’s right, you channel Vishnu.
- When you break free from past patterns or let go of something that no longer serves you — you are invoking Shiva.
This trinity plays out in the microcosm of our lives: beginnings, middles, and ends. Their interplay represents the eternal cycle of samsara — birth, life, death, and rebirth.
One Divine Source, Three Expressions
Despite their differing roles, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are not separate gods vying for power. They are three aspects of the same supreme reality — Brahman — formless, infinite, and eternal.
Hinduism doesn’t bind divinity to a single image. It embraces paradox: the divine can create, sustain, and destroy — all at once. It can be masculine, feminine, both, or neither. The Trimurti represents this dynamic balance.
In different traditions:
- Shaivites view Shiva as the Supreme.
- Vaishnavites uphold Vishnu as the highest.
- Smartas worship all as equal aspects of the One.
This diversity of worship reflects the unity of belief — that all is divine.
From creation comes life. From preservation, growth. From destruction, transformation.
This is not just mythology. This is the heartbeat of the cosmos.
Sources:
Rigveda (10.129 – Nasadiya Sukta)
Bhagavata Purana (Canto 3, Chapter 8–12)
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 4, Verse 7–8
