The Divine

• The three main deities are referred to as the tri-murti
• Who are the 3 main deities within the tri-murti?

  Brahma (the Creator) , Vishnu (the Preserver) and Shiva (the Destroyer) - This can be remembered with the abbreviation BSV
• Some Hindus believe that the Supreme Being is beyond gender, name and form
• Some Hindus talk of the Divine as a perfect form , e.g. the eternal mother or perfect man
• Some Hindus see the Divine as a family of deities
• What are the 3 ways that Hindus think of the Divine?

  Existing everywhere , a non personal God (Brahman) - Existing in the heart of everyone ,' the god within ' (antaryami) - A personal Lord or God called bhagavan , approached through many deities living in the spiritual world (called vaikuntha)
• What is antaryami?

  The belief that God is within the heart of everyone
• Vaikuntha is a term for a spiritual world (Where bhagavan is living)
• For Hindus, there are three very important ways in which God or the Divine is presented or shown - Each emphasize different aspects of God - This is known as the tri-murti
• The tri murti are often pictured together
• Stories and Information about the tri-murti and other deities are found in Hindu scriptures, especially the Puranas
• Purana means history and the many stories show deities as personal gods