Trimurti or Trinity is a triad of three deities namely Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. They are responsible for the Creation, Preservation, and Destruction of every element in this Universe. There are various theories and ideologies that revolve around the Hindu Trimurti. Their origin remains unknown as different scriptures have different stories. Brahma is never worshipped among these three but the Hindu community is largely divided as Vaishnavites and Shaivites. Those who worship Lord Vishnu are Vaishnavites or Vaishnavas and those who majorly believe in Lord Shiva are Shaivites.
Lesser known facts about the Hindu Trimurti
A) Brahma is not worshipped
When Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma were arguing over who was superior among the two, an illuminating pillar of light appeared. None of them could see its beginning or ending point. A Godly voice declared that the one who finds the end of this pillar will be considered the most superior. Lord Vishnu went downwards whereas Lord Brahma started climbing upwards. Neither of the deities could find the end but when they came back, Lord Brahma lied and stated that he found the apex. On the other hand, Lord Vishnu honestly admitted that he could not locate the end. Angered by Lord Brahma’s lie, Lord Shiva cursed him that in spite of being the Creator of the Universe, he will not be worshipped by anyone.
B) Lord Brahma originated from Lord Vishnu
It is believed that Lord Brahma was born from the navel of Lord Vishnu. While Lord Vishnu was in His meditative state (Yog Nidra), lying on Adisesha, Lakshmi Devi was at His service. As He awakened from the deep meditation, He saw a Lotus flower that rose out of His navel. This flower further bloomed and Brahma came into being. Brahma Dev took the blessings of Lord Vishnu and began the Creation of the world.
C) 10 Avatars of Lord Vishnu
Lord Vishnu is a prime deity with 10 descending avatars that keep recurring in different phases to maintain the cosmic order. They are called Dashavtar or Dasavatara. As per Puranas, Lord Vishnu first incarnated as Matsya, a fish. Further, He appeared in the form of Kurma (tortoise), Varaha (boar), Narasimha (a human body with the head of a lion), Vamana (Brahmin dwarf), Parshurama (Rama with an axe, a warrior sage), Rama, Krishna, Buddha, and Kalki (yet to appear in the Kali Yuga). These ten avatars are highly revered and have unique significance.
D) Lord Vishnu is also known as Kaustubhadhari
During Samudra Manthan, the Mandar Mountain was used as a churning rod and the Vasuki serpent as the rope for churning. A lot of things emerged out of the Kshirsagar (Ocean of Milk) as the Gods and demons started the churning process. One of them was Kaustubh Mani, the most precious and luminous jewel. Its brightness and shine could not be handled by anybody and it was decided that the Kaustubh Mani will be given to Lord Vishnu. The Kaustubh Mani stays near the chest of Lord Vishnu and that is how He is called “Kaustubhadhari”.
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E) Shiva, the only God who is as still as He is furious
Lord Shiva is known to remain calm in His deep meditative state for the longest time. On the contrary, His aggressive nature is also observed in various occurrences in mythology. The snake around His neck, the Bhasma applied to His body, the snow-capped mountains where He resides- all are symbolic of His Bairagi form. It means the one who is detached from everything and everyone. While this represents His calm and peaceful state of mind, He gets equally ferocious when something cruel happens. The Tandava is a popularly known dance that was performed by Lord Shiva in His most fierce shape.
F) Urdhva Pundra and Tripundra
Devotees of Lord Vishnu i.e. Vaishnavas wear the Urdhva Pundra tilak on the forehead. Some apply this tilak on a daily basis and others on special occasions to represent their lineage. Tripundra is worn by Shaivites, the devotees of Lord Shiva. These tilak patterns are beautifully applied on the forehead and other parts of the body with sandalwood paste and Kumkum (vermillion). The Urdhva Pundra is a U-shaped pattern made with two vertical lines and a red circle in between. It is said to symbolize the feet of Lord Vishnu. The Tripundra is created with three horizontal lines and a dot in the middle. There are various interpretations of the three lines in Tripundra such as they represent the Trinity- Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshwar. Another text says it shows the powers of Shiva- will, knowledge and action.
