Here’s Part 8 as I wind down this series on The Trinity, a rabbit hole I decided to explore from a Zoom book club I’m part of that’s been reading the Theosophy book, The Masters and The Path.
In Hindu thought, Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma form the Trimurti, a threefold expression of the one ultimate reality (Brahman), but they are not a “Trinity” in the same sense as the Christian doctrine of three co‑equal persons in one God. The Trimurti instead symbolizes three cosmic functions—creation, preservation, and destruction/transforming—that work together in a single, cyclical process.
Who Brahma Is
- Brahma is the creator aspect: he represents the power through which the universe and living beings come into manifestation.
- In many traditions he is understood as one “form” or mode of Brahman, responsible for the initiating, imaginative, and knowledge‑oriented side of reality.
Who Vishnu Is
- Vishnu is the preserver or sustainer: he maintains cosmic order (dharma), protects the world, and restores balance when it is disturbed.
- His many avatars (such as Rama and Krishna) are seen as interventions of the preserving aspect of the divine within history and myth.
Who Shiva Is
- Shiva is the destroyer/transformer: he dissolves forms, ego, and ignorance so that new creation can arise, emphasizing transformation rather than mere annihilation.
- As the ascetic yogi and ecstatic dancer (Nataraja), Shiva embodies the power that ends a cycle and simultaneously opens the way for renewal.
Trimurti and the Christian Trinity
- The Trimurti gathers Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva as three functions or forms of one ultimate reality (Brahman), expressing a dynamic cycle of creation, preservation, and destruction.
- The Christian Trinity, by contrast, is three distinct, co‑equal persons (Father, Son, Spirit) sharing one essence, not three functional roles of one God acting in time, so any one‑to‑one mapping (e.g., “Brahma = Father, Vishnu = Son, Shiva = Spirit”) is a comparative analogy used in interfaith dialogue, not a native Hindu teaching.
Part 8 of a series on Aspects of The Trinity.
For the basis of this series, check out this post (where I will also list all the links to each part of the series in case you miss any):
Integrating the Spirals
I’m encouraging those “over 60” to open to lifelong learning (observe and gently question their pre-conceived beliefs, aka ‘Programming’), become more aware of their thoughts and emotions, consistently move their bodies (too many are stuck in their heads and physically unhealthy), become strong, and resilient in spirit, soul, mind, body. And to question EVERYTHING!
Link to my YouTube channel where you can see the videos: https://youtube.com/@spiralsister
Yours in consciousness-expansion as we evolve and revolve during our mystical awakening. All while doing-my-egoless-best, to take you on a limitless, spiraling thought ride to better health, through doing more with ease, to help us sustain the JOY in our lives! (With lots of Gratitude throughout.)
Sheila “Spiral Sister” Murrey
The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to treat, diagnose or prescribe.
About us
My husband is an award-winning illustrator, plus he’s a seasoned guitarist, bass player, and songwriter (with over 400 original songs). You can view some of his artwork and listen to many of his songs at: https://www.youtube.com/user/richardmurrey
Here’s a video of us performing on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/416711742?ref=fb-share
My books on Amazon
I have four books on Amazon. The two most recent are: Have Yourself a Wholly Vibrant Life: Reversing Asthma and Other Chronic Illness Naturally and Blue Eyes: Ethereal Messages of Connection.
Connect with us
Here are the social channels where I am most active:
Integrating the Spirals 
One academic who analyzed “The Life Divine”, the classic book authored by Sri Aurobindo, as “intellectually perfect”. Having read the book and listened to audio versions, one would take this opportunity to highly recommend spiritual seekers invest the time to absorb its profound messages. Aurobindo’s writing style includes extraordinarily lengthy sentences, which some find difficult to read, however by plowing through one obtains a comfortable awareness of the messages. For example, I shared the book with a relative who is a mechanical engineer/spiritual seeker, and he told me he couldn’t grasp the first few pages. and ultimately (immediately) gave up the effort to read “The Life Divine”.
(NewWorldEncyclopedia.org): Sri Aurobindo has had a significant impact on Eastern and Western thought. The incorporation of evolutionary ideas into Hindu philosophy provided Hinduism with an infusion of modernity.
One of Sri Aurobindo’s main contributions to Indian philosophy was to introduce the concept of evolution into Vedantic thought. Samkhya philosophy had already proposed such a notion centuries earlier, but Aurobindo rejected the materialistic tendencies of both Darwinism and Samkhya, and proposed an evolution of spirit rather than matter.
He rejected the Hindu doctrine of Maya (the illusionary world) found in Advaita Vedanta, and suggested a linkage between the ineffable Brahman or Absolute and the world of multiplicity by positing a transitional hypostasis between the two, which he called “The Supermind.” The supermind is the active principle present in the transcendent Satchidananda; a unitary mind of which our individual minds and bodies are minuscule subdivisions.
Best regards.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That all sounds very fascinating and complex, Jerry. I might try “The Life Divine” after I finish the books I have. I feel like I need to live to at least 90 years to read everything on my list.
Speaking of Darwin, I don’t subscribe to much of his work, preferring Lamarck’s views instead (think “use it or lose it”).
I do find all of the “he rejected” this or that doctrine/dogma interesting throughout these discussions because everything is subject to interpretation. And that makes religion, especially world religions, a vastly deep topic of study. Thank you so much for your addition here!
LikeLiked by 1 person
A thoughtful, generous, and beautifully articulated exploration. You present the Trimurti with clarity and respect, while carefully distinguishing it from the Christian Trinity in a way that deepens understanding rather than flattening difference. The integration of philosophy, spirituality, lifelong learning, and embodied awareness makes this series especially meaningful—inviting curiosity, humility, and conscious growth at any age. An inspiring contribution to interfaith reflection and inner evolution.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, Mr. Verma. I am really interested in the interfaith message. If it’s one thing that really annoys me is when I read (in many Christian books), that their way is the ONLY way.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for sharing that so honestly—I hear you.
That insistence on only one way can feel deeply limiting, especially when so many faith traditions, at their core, are pointing toward the same human values: compassion, humility, service, love. An interfaith lens doesn’t dilute belief; it deepens it by inviting understanding instead of fear, dialogue instead of division.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, I believe this deeply, Mr. Verma. I sooo appreciate you!
LikeLiked by 1 person