TRINITY OF GODS

TRIMURTI – Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva

BRAHMA VISHNU SHIVA

BRAHMA – CREATOR – SHRISHTI

VISHNU – PRESERVATION – STHITI

SHIVA – DESTRUCTION – PRALAYA

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BRAHMA – Some Facts!

OTHER NAME - PRAJAPATHI

WIFE – SARASWATHI

VEHICLE – SWAN

FAVOURITE FLOWER - LOTUS

CHILDREN – DAKSHA, AHALYA, SANAT KUMAR, NARADA

TEMPLE – PUSHKARA, near AJMER

SPECIAL FACT – 4 HEADS, 4 ARMS 1 hand – a spoon to pour oil/ghee 2 hand – pot of water 3 hand – string of beads 4 hand – holy book of Vedas

Interesting stories about Brahma: Brahmarishi Bhrigu was a highly regarded saint. He was planning to perform a great yagna. He wanted all Gods and Goddesses to attend the yagna - so he visits their abodes and invites them. When he visits Lord Brahma, he finds Brahma totally immersed in the music played by Saraswati. He calls out Brahma’s name numerous times but there is no response from Lord Brahma. So he curses Lord Brahma that no one will ever worship him.

Parent’s Info Lord Brahma’s vehicle is a holy swan. It is believed that this swan can separate milk from water (signifying the ability to separate good from evil).

 Vedas - The four Vedas are believed to have sprung from his four heads - Vedas represent wisdom and knowledge in Hinduism.  Water Pot - this signifies the importance of the water in the universe.  Scepter in the form of a spoon, which is linked with the pouring of ghee or oil into a sacrificial pyre. Lord Brahma is believed to be the Lord Of Sacrifices.  Rosary Beads which he uses to keep track of time in universe.

Kindergarten – Trinity of Gods Page 2of 10 SHLOKA - GAYATRI MANTRA

OM BHOOR BHUWAH SWAHA TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM BHARGO DEVASAYA DHEEMAHI DHIYO YO NAH PRACHODAYAT

Oh God! Thou art the Giver of Life, Remover of pain and sorrow, The Bestower of happiness, Oh! Creator of the Universe, May we receive thy supreme sin-destroying light, May Thou guide our intellect in the right direction.

Simple meaning

O Lord – We meditate on your adorable glory. You have blessed us with the gift of life. May you also guide our minds.

Parents’s info: 'Sloka' , also called, 'Shloka' is a Sanskrit word which means a prayerful verse written according to certain grammatical rules. Slokas are recited in praise of Hindu Gods. Learning and chanting slokas is a way to pray to God. Gayatri mantra is the foremost mantra in Hinduism. Its meaning is that "May the Almighty God illuminate our intellect to lead us along the righteous path". The mantra is also a prayer to the "giver of light and life" - the sun (savitur). Gayatri is unique in that it embodies the three concepts of stotra (singing the praise and glory of God), dhyaana (meditation) and praarthana (prayer). The first nine words of this mantra contain a ninefold description of the Ultimate Reality, as follows: AUM - The Symbol of Brahman BHUR - The Earth, the gross, the physical plane of existence BHUVAH - The Atmosphere, the ether, the subtle, the astral plane SWAHA - Heaven, (Swarga) the Causal, the celestial plane TAT - Stands for THAT The Ultimate Reality is simply referred to as THAT because it defies description through language SAVITUR - Stands for the Divine Savitri, equated with the vivifying power contained within the Sun VARENYAM - Most excellent BHARGO - Radiance, Effulgence, Illumination DEVASYA - Divine Radiance or Grace

The Remaining line constitutes the PRAYER: DHEEMAHI - We contemplate or meditate upon DHIYO - The Intellect YO - Who NAH - Our PRACHODAYATH - Requesting, Urging, Praying.

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VISHNU – A FEW FACTS

OTHER NAMES – NARAYANA, HARI

WIFE – LAKSHMI

VEHICLE – GARUDA (EAGLE)

FAVOURITE PLACE – OCEAN OF MILK, KSHEERA SAMUDRA IN VAIKUNTA

BED – ADISESHA/ANANTA, the SNAKE!

1 HAND - LOTUS 2 HAND – MACE (weapon) 3 HAND – CONCH (shell) 4 HAND – CHAKRA (spinning weapon)

GARLAND AROUND NECK - VYJAYANTHIMALA

SPECIAL FACT – THE COLOR OF HIS BODY IS SKY-BLUE!

Parents’ info: Lord Vishnu is the preserver of the universe.In the Puranas, Vishnu is described as being the color of clouds, four-armed, holding a lotus, mace, conch and chakra. Vishnu is also described in the Bhagavad Gita as having a 'Universal Form' which is beyond the ordinary limits of human sense perception .In the Trimurti, Vishnu is responsible for the maintenance or 'preservation' of the Universe, with the other roles of creation and destruction being under the care of Brahma and Shiva, respectively.He is to be depicted as a four-armed male-formThe color of his skin has to be new-cloud-like-blueHe has the mark of sage Bhrigu's feet on his chest.Also on his chest is the srivatsa mark, symbolising his consort Lakshmi. It is on the chest of Vishnu, where Lakshmi residesAround his neck, he wears the auspicious "Kaustubha" jewel, and a garland of flowers It is in this jewel, on Vishnu's chest that Lakshmi dwells. A crown should adorn his head: The crown symbolizes his supreme authority. He is to shown wearing two earrings: The earrings represent inherent opposites in creation - knowledge and ignorance; happiness and unhappiness; pleasure and pain. He rests on Ananta: the immortal and infinite snake. Vishnu is always to be depicted holding the four attributes associated with him, being conch, chakra, mace or gada, lotus Standing upright on a lotus flower, often with Lakshmi, his consort, beside him on a similar pedestal.

Kindergarten – Trinity of Gods Page 4of 10 SHLOKAS

SHANTHAKARAM BHUJAGA SHAYANAM PADMANAABHAM SURESHAM VISHWADHAARAM GAGANA SADRUSHAM MEGHAVARNAM SHUBAANGAM LAKSHMI KAANTHAM KAMALA NAYANAM YOGI HRIDDHYANA GAMYAM VANDE VISHNUM BHAVA BHAYA HARAM SARVA LOKAIKA NAATHAM

I bow to you - Lord Vishnu who is the embodiment of peace, who lies on the Shesha serpent, whose navel is the source of the Lotus, whose complexion is swarthy like the clouds, whose body shines with heavenly beauty, who is the beloved of Goddess Lakshmi, whose eyes are like Lotus, who is meditated upon by the yogis, who is the remover of the fear of the world-process.

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SHIVA

Other Names: NATARAJA, RUDRA, SANKARA, SADASHIVA, NEELAKANTA, PASHUPATI

Wife: PARVATHI

Sons: GANESHA & SUBRAMANYA

Vehicle: NANDI (BULL)

Unique Facts: THIRD EYE, CRESCENT MOON ON HIS HEAD, BLUE THROAT, GANGA RIVER FLOWING FROM HIS HAIR, SITS ON A TIGER SKIN

Garland around his neck: SERPENT/SNAKE

In his hand: Weapon – TRIDENT/TRISUL Drum – DAMARU

Lives in – Mount KAILASA

Parents Info: *Five is a sacred number for Shiva.One of his most important mantras has five syllables (nama śivāya). *The holiest Shiva temples are the 12 Jyotirlinga temples. They are Somnath—Prabhas Patan, Nageshwar—Dwarka, Mahakaleshwar—Ujjain, Mallikārjuna—Srisailam, Bhimashankar, Omkareshwar, Kedarnath Uttaranchal, Kashi Vishwanath—Varanasi, Trimbakeshwar—near Nasik, Rameswaram— Rameswaram, Grishneshwar—near Ellora and Vaidyanath—Deoghar. *Rudraksha necklace: Rudra is another name of Shiva. Rudra also means "strict or uncompromising" and aksha means "eye." Rudraksha necklace worn by the Lord illustrates that He uses His cosmic laws firmly - without compromise - to maintain law and order in the universe. The necklace has 108 beads which symbolize the elements used in the creation of the world. *The third eye is a symbol of higher consciousness. It is also something with which he can destroy his enemies "with fire." He can also kill all the gods and other creatures during the periodic destruction of the universe. Shiva's third eye first appeared when Parvati his wife, playfully covered his other two eyes, therefore plunging the world into darkness and putting it in danger of destruction.

Kindergarten – Trinity of Gods Page 6of 10 Interesting story

The sage Mrikandu did not have children for quite a long time. He performed tapas to get the blessings of Lord shiva. God appeared in front of him. He told the sage to pick either a son who would be cruel and mean living for a long time, or a son who will be loving, intelligent but live for only 16 years. The sage chose the second one. His wife gave birth to a child MARKANDEYA, who grew up learning the great scriptures, caring and loving, devotional towards God. His parents were very pleased with him. When he became 16, he found his parents weeping. He came to know that he would die at 16 that was the reason they were sad. But Intelligent MARKANDEYA realized that Lord Shiva can save him from death. Determined and devotional, he started doing Shiva pUja and surrendered himself completely to the Lord. Then YAMA the god of death came to take away. Young MARKANDEYA did not lose his devotion. He embraced the statue of Lord Shiva. As YAMA pulled him, Shiva appeared furious and told YAMA that the boy was his devotee. He blessed the sincere devotion of the young boy and saved his life.

SHIVA GAYATRI MANTRA

OM PANCHAVAKRAYA VIDMAHE MAHADEVAAYA DEEMAHI TANNO RUDRA PRACHODAYAAT

Kindergarten – Trinity of Gods Page 7of 10 Coloring Pages:

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