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Trimurti
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Large stone sculpture of Shiva Mahesamurti with three heads, flanked by guardian figures, set in a pillared hall in the Elephanta Island caves near Mumbai, India.
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Trimurti

sculpture, Elephanta Island, India
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Large stone sculpture of Shiva Mahesamurti with three heads, flanked by guardian figures, set in a pillared hall in the Elephanta Island caves near Mumbai, India.
Sadashiva Sadashiva, stone relief in a cave temple on Elephanta Island, India.

The Trimurti is a concept in Hinduism representing the triad of three gods: Brahma (creator), Vishnu (preserver), and Shiva (destroyer). This triad is famously depicted in an 8th- or 9th-century sculpture on Elephanta Island, India. The sculpture, a three-headed bust of Shiva known as Sadashiva, stands 20 feet high and embodies the roles of destroyer, preserver, and creator. While Vishnu and Shiva are widely worshipped, Brahma has few temples dedicated to him, with scholars suggesting the Trimurti concept aimed to reconcile different divine approaches. The cave temples on Elephanta Island, where this sculpture is housed, are designated World Heritage sites.123

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  2. Elephanta Island
  3. Trimurti: Top Questions

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