Trimurti

Refers to a triad of the three main Hindu gods, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Some scholars consider the Trimurti as a way to reconcile different monotheistic approaches with one another and with the concept of ultimate reality (Brahman) since the Trimurti manifests the cosmic functions of the Supreme Being. Brahma represents the equilibrium between the opposing forces of preservation and destruction, represented by Vishnu and Shiva respectively. The Trimurti was classically expressed in the poem 'Kumarasambhava' by Kalidasa (ca. 4th-5th century).