As per Hindu Religion or Dharma (gross elements - elements that can be seen, heard and perceived), force (subtle elements - elements that cannot be seen or heard but perceived directly) and an Universal Order (laws of science, dharma - can be perceived indirectly) combine and create this universe.
They characterized the Gods based on matter, force and dharma as the trinity of Brahma, Rudra and Vishnu.
For eg,
Brahma is the gross of our universe symbolizing gross matter (he is referred to as Brahmanaspati in Vedas) ,
Rudra/Shiva is subtle of our universe symbolizing force (all forces starting from gravity) and space and
Vishnu is the Universal Order symbolizing the scientific laws, civilizational dharma and time.
Hence Brahma, Rudra and Vishnu are symbolic representation of cosmic forces. In fact Dharma has emphasised on division of godhead power into small divisions.
In every birth starting from the birth of cosmos to germination of seed, the subtle force rips apart the gross matter, making it to multiply and diversify. There are a set of laws or dharma that operate on this and make it grow, prosper and die.
Space and the Gross Universe(matter) appear Euclidean or three dimensional to our senses. In reality, they are not. Actually it is our eyes and sences which have power to understand objects in two or three dimensional but the univerce is beyond any dimensions. It is infinitely big as well as very small also. This type of structure or non-structure which is infinite as well as small is still to be understood by mathematics. And mathematics have only one word to define such type of structures or non-objects that is infinite which can also be called beyond human imagination. We only understand laws applicable to our earth and understood by our sences.
Mahesh-Rudra the (gravitational) force warps Space and makes it to converge. Rudra the force is actually the same as Shiva the Space (field of the force). That is why it is able to warp the space (itself) and everything converges back to the starting point. The Space becomes non-Euclidean with gross universe. People also call Rudra as destroyer but actually it is the binding force that is responsible for existence and destruction both. We only understand destruction as demolition or death of something but when something is destroyed it is actually recreated. This can be well understood by 'Chidambara Rahasyam'
Bhrama-Over a period of time, everything that originated from Brahma or the gross universe (like matter, energy, dark matter/energy) goes back into Brahma once again. Rudra the force that ripped apart Brahma, manifests itself as space, warps and brings back everything back to Brahma.
Vishnu-The Universal dharma or the laws of nature as we understand it, that operates above all and across all times and that is totally eternal and unchangeable is Vishnu.As we call energy is neither is neither created nor destroyed so is Vishnu It is uninfluenced and uncorrupted. The dharma that is referred to here ranges from the universal physical laws of nature to the Universal Dharma that man keeps hoping for. This dharma exists beyond all chaos at all stages of universe.Time is the manifestation of the Universal Dharma or Universal order. It is also unchanged, uninfluenced and eternal.
The The trinity of Brahma, Rudra and Vishnu represent the cosmic forces in this way and Purans have also explained Three gods but there point was that cosmic Gods are not easy to understand by human beings so they have explained gods in the way they can be easily understood by human.
In Purans God is explained by so many stories and it seems like these gods were not like cosmic Gods as explained in vedas but the Powerful Human beings who had extreme powers to run the whole world.
