Trimūrti: Difference between revisions

From Theosophy Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
No edit summary
Line 1: Line 1:
The Trimūrti, from the [[Sanskrit]] "three forms" is a concept in [[Hinduism]] "in which the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction are personified by the forms of [[Brahma]] the creator, [[Vishnu]] the maintainer or preserver, and [[Shiva]] the destroyer or transformer."<ref>For quotation defining the trimurti see Matchett, Freda. "The {{IAST|Purāṇas}}", in: Flood (2003), p. 139.</ref><ref>For the Trimurti system having Brahma as the creator, Vishnu as the maintainer or preserver, and Shiva as the transformer or destroyer see: Zimmer (1972) p. 124.</ref> hese three deities have been called "the Hindu triad"<ref>For definition of trimurti as "the unified form" of Brahmā, {{IAST|Viṣṇu}} and Śiva and use of the phrase "the Hindu triad" see: Apte, p. 485.</ref> or the "Great [[Trinity]]".<ref>For the term "Great Trinity" in relation to the Trimurti see: Jansen, p. 83.</ref> Of the three members of the Trimurti, the Bhagavata Purana, which espouses the [[Vaishnavite]] viewpoint, explains that the greatest benefit can be had from Vishnu.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://vedabase.net/sb/1/2/23/en |title=Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 1 Chapter 2 Verse 23 |publisher=Vedabase.net |date= |accessdate=2011-11-30}}</ref>
'''Trimūrti''' is a [[Sanskrit]] word that means "three forms", and refers to a concept in [[Hinduism]] "in which the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction are personified by the forms of [[Brahma]] the creator, [[Vishnu]] the maintainer or preserver, and [[Shiva]] the destroyer or transformer."<ref>For quotation defining the trimurti see Matchett, Freda. "The Purāṇas", in: Flood (2003), p. 139.</ref><ref>For the Trimurti system having Brahma as the creator, Vishnu as the maintainer or preserver, and Shiva as the transformer or destroyer see: Zimmer (1972) p. 124.</ref> These three deities have been called "the Hindu triad"<ref>For definition of trimurti as "the unified form" of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva and use of the phrase "the Hindu triad" see: Apte, p. 485.</ref> or the "Great Trinity".<ref>For the term "Great Trinity" in relation to the Trimurti see: Jansen, p. 83.</ref>


== Notes ==
== Notes ==


<references/>
<references/>

Revision as of 19:45, 22 March 2012

Trimūrti is a Sanskrit word that means "three forms", and refers to a concept in Hinduism "in which the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction are personified by the forms of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the maintainer or preserver, and Shiva the destroyer or transformer."[1][2] These three deities have been called "the Hindu triad"[3] or the "Great Trinity".[4]

Notes

  1. For quotation defining the trimurti see Matchett, Freda. "The Purāṇas", in: Flood (2003), p. 139.
  2. For the Trimurti system having Brahma as the creator, Vishnu as the maintainer or preserver, and Shiva as the transformer or destroyer see: Zimmer (1972) p. 124.
  3. For definition of trimurti as "the unified form" of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva and use of the phrase "the Hindu triad" see: Apte, p. 485.
  4. For the term "Great Trinity" in relation to the Trimurti see: Jansen, p. 83.