The Trimurti (“Three Forms”) is a tripartite group of Hindu deities consisting of Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver), and Shiva (the destroyer). Some scholars suggest that it was proposed as a way to unify the growing sectarian trends in Hinduism. However, the Puranas usually portray either Vishnu or Shiva as the fundamental essence behind the other two deities. Typically, Brahma is cast as an emanation of one of the other deities or secondary to the other deities’ supremacy.
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