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Hindu Mythology

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The Trimurti, major deities, and the vast Hindu pantheon

The Trimurti (Triple Deity)

The three primary aspects of the divine in Hinduism:

Deity Role Consort Symbol
Brahma Creator Saraswati Lotus, four faces
Vishnu Preserver Lakshmi Conch, lotus, discus, mace
Shiva Destroyer/Transformer Parvati Trident, third eye, crescent moon

The three aspects of the divine, with their consorts, Vishnu's avatars, and Shiva's family, map the core of the pantheon.

flowchart TD
    T["The Trimurti"]
    T --> B["Brahma — creator"]
    T --> V["Vishnu — preserver"]
    T --> S["Shiva — destroyer and transformer"]
    B -->|"consort"| Bc["Saraswati"]
    V -->|"consort"| Vc["Lakshmi"]
    V -->|"avatars"| Av["Krishna, Rama, Kalki"]
    S -->|"consort"| Sc["Parvati"]
    S -->|"sons"| Sf["Ganesha, Kartikeya"]

Major Deities

Vishnu & Avatars

Vishnu the Preserver descends to earth in ten avatars when dharma is threatened. The most significant: Krishna (8th avatar, hero of the Mahabharata, teacher of the Bhagavad Gita), Rama (7th avatar, hero of the Ramayana), Buddha (9th, in some traditions), and Kalki (10th, yet to come).

Shiva & Family

Shiva the Destroyer/Transformer, with his consort Parvati (Divine Mother), son Ganesha (remover of obstacles), and son Kartikeya/Murugan (god of war).

Devi (Divine Feminine)

Parvati (the gentle Divine Mother, consort of Shiva), Durga (warrior goddess), Kali (goddess of time and destruction), Lakshmi (goddess of wealth and prosperity), and Saraswati (goddess of knowledge and arts).

Other Important Deities

Hanuman (monkey god, devotee of Rama), Indra (king of gods, god of rain and thunder), Agni (fire god), Surya (sun god), Yama (god of death), and Varuna (god of water and oceans).

Concepts & Philosophy

Dharma: Cosmic law and order, duty and righteousness. Karma: Action and consequence, the cycle of cause and effect. Maya: Illusion, the material world as veil over ultimate reality. Moksha: Liberation from the cycle of rebirth, the ultimate spiritual goal.

Sacred Texts

The four Vedas (Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda, Atharvaveda) form the oldest layer. The great epics -- the Mahabharata (containing the Bhagavad Gita) and the Ramayana -- provide narrative theology. The Puranas tell stories of gods and creation.

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