User:Xamralco/Those Three Hindu Gods

Brahma (left) was always the least cooperative member of the Blue Man Group.

“There are two of them.”

~ Captain Understatement on Those Three Hindu Gods

Those Three Hindu Gods (also called the "Trimurti" or the "Great Trinity" by those who want to get technical) are the three most important deities in Hinduism, representing creation, maintenance, and destruction, respectively. Often referred to as "The Three Stooges of Hinduism," Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are the sole members of the Trinity, while Ganesha, the elephant-headed Hindu god of wisdom, is considered less important despite the fact that he is the only Hindu god that any non-Hindu has ever heard of. The Trimurti is also referred to as the "Brahma-Vishnu-Maheshwara," although no one's quite sure why.

The Trinity

Brahma

Brahma is often referred to as the Creator by modern Hindus or the "Stuff-maker" in traditional Hindu texts. He has four heads, representing each of the natural numbers from one to four, and four arms, representing each of the heads. He is usually shown carrying prayer beads which represent regular beads, a book which represents reading, gold which represents shininess, and a lotus flower which represents things that rhyme with motus power. He is often depicted wearing a crown or, in more recent illustrations, a baseball cap.

Appearance

Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, like all other Hindu gods, have multiple forms, including various animals and avatars, the most common being either hermaphrodites, flat-chested Indian women, or very tall 12-year-old girls. However, on occasion, Brahma can be drawn with a beard, the only implication that he is male. The members of the Trimurti are almost always depicted with four arms, except on the rare occasion that they share a body, in which they would have seven heads (four for Brahma and two for the rest of them), twelve arms (four times three is twelve) and nineteen testicles.

See also

• Bhagavad-gita
• Tantra
• Hinduism