The Main Hindu Deities: Brahma, Vishnu, & Shiva

Who are the Hindu Deities?

According to Hinduism, also referred to as Sanatan Dharma (Eternal Order), Brahman is

the one supreme reality or the underlying divine entity behind everything. But there are also
a multitude of individual gods and goddesses, each with different roles and dedicated
worshippers. In this way, Hinduism can be viewed as both monotheistic, having only one
god, and also polytheistic, having many gods. Hinduism consists of a compilation of
different philosophies, rituals, cultural practices, and traditions. Because of this, there is a
wide diversity in Hindu beliefs and practice, both throughout history and among different
communities, with many considering Hinduism more a way of life than a religion.

Origin of Hinduism

Hinduism is the oldest religion in the world that is still practiced today, and the vast majority
of Hindus live in India. Because there is no single founder of Hinduism, its exact history is
difficult to determine. However, its earliest origins can be traced to the Indus Valley
Civilization (3000-2000 BCE), in what is modern-day Pakistan, where various symbols and
items have been discovered that reflect the beginnings of Hindu beliefs and of deities that
are worshipped today. The roots of Hinduism likely developed when the Indo-Aryan people
migrated to the Indus Valley and the cultures merged, leading to the religious system of
Vedism, which would later become Hinduism. During the Vedic era (1500-500 BCE), the
sacred texts called the Vedas were put into writing. They consist of poems, hymns, chants,
mantras, and instructions for religious rituals.

Brahman

For those of the Western mindset, we tend to think religion is either monotheistic, meaning
worships only one god, or polytheistic, meaning worships more than one god. Anything that
doesn't fit neatly into these two terms is rather confusing or puzzling to the Western
paradigm. However, Hinduism does just this - it steps out of these parameters and can be
seen as both monotheistic and polytheistic all at the same time.

To explain, Hindus revere many gods, like Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. Despite this
reverence of several deities, Hinduism still has a monotheistic bent. Like I said, this can be
downright confusing, so listen carefully as we put the pieces together.

Although there are many different Hindu deities, Hindus believe all of these deities are
manifestations of one divine entity known as Brahman. With this, Hindus hold to the concept
that all reality is unified under one sacred or divine entity. Known as Brahman, this sacred,
yet rather vague, divinity is at the cornerstone of Hinduism. To a Hindu, all of reality, which
includes all their gods, is part of this unified Brahman. To try to state it simply, all of reality is
part of the whole. This central belief in the divine Brahman is what leads some to consider
Hinduism monotheistic
Under this blanket of Brahman, Hindus see this divine entity broken down into a sort of triad
of three main gods. These three main Hindu deities, known as the Trimurti, are Brahma,
Vishnu and Shiva. As we study the attributes of these three, keep in mind that they are all
part of a whole.

Who are the Main Hindu gods?

The three main Hindu gods are referred to as the Trimurti and are considered the three
forms or faces of Brahman, the ultimate reality. The names of these three gods are Vishnu,
Brahma, and Shiva, and each of them has a distinct role and manifests different aspects of
Brahman.

A sculpture of Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma

The gods of the Trimurti are not simply aspects of Brahman; they are also individual
gods in their own right and they take on a variety of incarnations or avatars. While
Vishnu and Shiva are widely worshipped, each with their own set of devout followers,
Brahma is rarely worshipped in Hinduism. The concept of the Trimurti did not appear
in the earliest sacred writings and may have been a later attempt to unify the
worshippers of various Hindu gods and to establish more harmony and syncretism.

Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva

Each of the gods of the divine triad has a unique role in the universe, different
incarnations or avatars, and stories in Hindu mythology. Vishnu and Shiva also have
groups of loyal and devout Hindu followers. The Hindu sect made up of those who
worship Shiva as supreme is called Shaivism, while Vaishnavism refers to the
followers of Vishnu. The following chart provides an overview of some important
aspects related to the three divinities.
 Name Main Role or Notable Worshipper Female
Purpose Incarnations or s Consort
Avatars

Brahma Creator Rarely Saraswati

worshipped (Sarasvati)

Vishnu Preserver Rama, Krishna Worshippe Laxmi (Shri)

d as the
supreme
god by
Vaishnavite
s

Shiva Destroyer Nataraja, Bhairava, Worshippe Parvati (Durga

Ardhanarishvara d as the or Kali or Sati)
supreme
god by
Shaivists

Brahma

Brahma, the god of creation, is typically depicted with four heads and four arms and
is red in color. This symbolizes the importance of four in many aspects of Hindu
belief, such as the four Vedas, which are credited to Brahma. In Brahma's four arms
are the Vedas, a goblet or water pot, a lotus, prayer beads, and a scepter in the form
of a spoon. Brahma is the god who brought all things into being and is depicted as
the creator in the creation stories.

Brahma, the god of creation

Compared to Vishnu and Shiva, Brahma is rarely worshipped in Hinduism today, and
there are very few temples dedicated to him. This lack of worship is attributed either
to the fact that his work of creation is complete or that he received a punishment for
some kind of wrongdoing. While there are stories of Brahma coming to earth in the
Puranas, these avatars are not recognized or worshipped in the same way as those
of Vishnu and Shiva.

Vishnu

Vishnu, which means "all-pervasive", is the god who preserves, sustains, and
protects the universe, and pervades all of creation. In this role, Vishnu returns to
earth in the form of an avatar whenever he needs to restore the balance of good and
evil in creation. He has ten prominent avatars or manifestations, the most famous of
which are Rama and Krishna, who are widely revered and worshipped. Vishnu is
usually displayed with four hands, which hold a lotus, conch shell, mace, and a
discus weapon.

Vishnu, the god of preservation, surrounded

by his avatars

Vishnu is popular throughout the sacred Hindu texts as well as in Hindu worship
today. The Vishnu Purana and Bhagavata Purana are two well-known Hindu texts
that consist of narratives about Vishnu. The Vishnu Sahasranama, a Sanskrit hymn,
gives a thousand names for Vishnu and is popularly recited by his followers. Vishnu's
female cohort is Laxmi, the goddess of wealth, and she is often depicted alongside
him.

Shiva

The role of Shiva, the god of destruction, is to destroy the universe so that it can be
recreated or renewed. He also destroys that which is imperfect to prepare the way
for what is perfect. He tends toward extremes and is often considered to hold
contradictory realities, such as destruction and creation, good and evil, or asceticism
and hedonism. While there is variety in how Shiva is portrayed, he typically has four
arms, a garland of skulls, a third eye, and a snake around his neck, representing his
power over dangerous creatures. In many depictions, he is also dancing and holding
a trident. Whenever he appears as a human incarnation, his face is blue. He is often
portrayed in the pose of a yogi, is associated with meditation, and rides on the bull
Nandi.

Shiva, the god of destruction

Similar to Vishnu, Shiva takes on different forms or incarnations including the

half-male, half-female version that displays him on one side and Parvati on the other.
One of his most recognized guises is as Nataraja, the Lord of the dance. Sometimes
he is represented by the Linga, an abstract, cylindrical object that symbolizes fertility.
Shiva's female cohort also has many forms including Parvati, Durga, Kali, and Sati.

Brahma

Let's start with the first god known as Brahma. Like other parts of the Hindu faith, this
name is confusing since it sounds so much like Brahman. Fortunately for us,
Brahma's role in Hinduism gives us a clue as to why his name might sound so much
like Brahman. To explain, Brahma is considered the creator god. It was he who
created the universe and its creatures.

Again being very un-Western, Brahma is depicted with four heads and four arms. It
is from these four heads that some believe Hinduism's sacred texts, known as the
Vedas, were given.

In order to remember his role as creator, let's keep in mind that Brahma sounds very
much like Brahman, which denotes all of reality and creation.
Vishnu

Next in the Hindu Trimurti of gods is Vishnu. Vishnu is the god who preserves the
creation. Yes, Brahma may have set it in motion, but Vishnu keeps it humming.
Whenever the precarious balance between good and evil is at stake, Vishnu returns
to Earth to restore order. Being rather versatile, Vishnu can incarnate himself to fit
the present need. One of the most famous of Vishnu's incarnations is the popular
Krishna.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Brahma create Vishnu and Shiva?

Hinduism holds to an eternal and cyclical view of creation, which means that the
universe passes through many phases of creation and destruction. As a result, there
are many different creation stories in Hindu mythology. In one story, it is said that
Brahma was born from a golden egg and then created everything else, including
Vishnu and Shiva. In a different creation account, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva all
come from the Goddess. There is also a story that Brahma was born out of a lotus in
Vishnu's naval. Followers of Vishnu hold to the belief that all things begin and end
with Vishnu, whereas devotees of Shiva believe he is the origin of everything.

Who are the Hindu gods and goddesses?

There are many Hindu gods and goddesses but some of the most significant are the
three in the Hindu Trimurti - Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu. Also significant is Shakti, or
the Goddess, and all her different forms including Durga, Parvati, and Kali. Some
other popular Hindu deities include Ganesh, Laxmi, Saraswati, Hanuman, Rama,
and Krishna.

What are the 3 main Hindu gods?

The three main Hindu gods that make up the Trimurti are Brahma, Vishnu, and
Shiva. Brahma is the god of creation, Vishnu the god of preservation, and Shiva the
god of destruction.