There are three states of the supreme being; in the form of Brahma, he is the creator, in the form of Vishnu, he is the preserver and in the form of Rudra he is the destroyer.
सृज्यते ब्रह्ममूर्तिस्तु रक्षते पौरुषी तनुः। रौद्रीभावेन शमयेत् तिस्रोऽवस्थाः प्रजापतेः॥