Tridevi

The Tridevi (Sanskrit: त्रिदेवी, romanized: tridevī, lit. ‘three goddesses’) is a concept in Hinduism joining a triad of eminent goddesses either as a feminine version of the Trimurti or as consorts of a masculine Trimurti, depending on the denomination. This triad is typically personified by the Hindu goddesses Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Parvati. In Shaktism, these triune goddesses are the manifestations of Mula-Prakriti or Adi Parashakti.

As the feminine Trimurti

Part of a series on
Hinduism
Hindus History Timeline
show Origins
show Traditions
show Deities
show Concepts
show Practices
show Philosophical schools
show Gurus, sants, philosophers
show Texts
show Society
show Other topics
Glossary Outline  Hinduism portal
v t e

Part of a series on
Shaktism
History
show Deities
show Scriptures and texts
show Schools
show Scholars
show Practices
show Festivals and temples
Hinduism portal
v t e

Whereas in androcentric denominations of Hinduism the feminine Tridevi goddesses are relegated as consorts and auxiliary deities to the more eminent masculine Trimurti gods, in the Shaktidharma denomination the feminine Tridevi goddesses are given the eminent roles of Creator (Mahasaraswati), Preserver (Mahalakshmi), and Destroyer (Mahakali), with the masculine Trimurti gods being relegated as the auxiliary deities as agents of the feminine Tridevi.

As consorts of the Trimurti

Saraswati is the goddess of learning, arts, and cultural fulfillment, as well as the consort of Brahma, the creator. She is cosmic intelligence, cosmic consciousness, and cosmic knowledge.

Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth, fertility, auspiciousness, light, and material and spiritual fulfillment, as well as the consort of Vishnu, the maintainer or preserver. However, Lakshmi does not signify mere material wealth, but also abstract prosperity, such as glory, magnificence, joy, exaltation, and greatness, and spiritual fulfillment which translates to moksha.

Parvati is the goddess of power, war, beauty, love, as well as the consort of Shiva, the destroyer of evil or transformer.

Importance

Shakti or Vimarsh is the power that is latent in pure consciousness, required to reach pure consciousness and essential to create, sustain and destroy. Just as Energy can never be created nor be destroyed, but changes from one form to another; Devi took many incarnations to do different tasks. God is both male and female. But all different forms of energy or powers of God are with the Trimurti in the form of Mahasaraswati, Mahalakshmi, and Mahakali. That is to say, a non-dimensional God creates this world through Srishti-Shakti (Mahasaraswati or Sound or knowledge), preserves through Sthiti-Shakti (Mahalakshmi or Light or resources), and destroys through Samhara-Shakti (Mahakali or Heat or Strength). It is also seen that God cannot create, generate or destroy because God does not possess any attribute. So True Energy or Adi Shakti does everything on God’s behalf.

Outside India

Via Buddhism and syncretism with Japanese Shinto deities, the Tridevi entered Japanese mythology as the goddesses Benzaitennyo 弁財天女 (Sarasvati), Kisshoutennyo 吉祥天女 (Laxmi), and Daikokutennyo 大黒天女 (Mahakali).