welcome to Dharmagnan: Creator of World-Brahma

Brahma (Sanskrit: ब्रह्मा; IAST:Brahmā) is the Hindu god (deva) of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the Mahābhārata, he is often referred to as the progenitor or great grandsire of all human beings. He is not to be confused with the Supreme Cosmic Spirit in Hindu Vedānta philosophy known as Brahman, which is genderless. Brahmā's wife is Saraswati. He has two other wives Savitri and Gayatri. All his three wives are Vedic Goddesses and are revered as Vedamata meaning Mother of the Vedas. Brahmā is often identified with Prajapati, a Vedic deity.

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[edit] Name

In Sanskrit grammar, the noun stem brahman forms two distinct nouns; one is a neuter noun bráhman, whose nominative singular form is brahma ब्रह्म; this noun has a generalized and abstract meaning.
Contrasted to the neuter noun is the masculine noun brahmán, whose nominative singular form is brahmā ब्रह्मा. This noun is used to refer to a person, and as the proper name of a deity Brahmā it is the subject matter of the present article.
Variations of the god's name include the following.

Burmese: ဗြဟ္မာ (IPA: [bjəmà])
Malay: Betara Berahma or Adi Berma
Tamil: Piraman
Thai: พระพรหม (Phra Phrom) or ธาดา (Thada, from Dhātā)

[edit] Attributes

Head of Brahma in sandstone from the Phnom Bok in Bakheng style now in Guimet Museum in Paris.

At the beginning of the process of creation, Brahmā created ten Prajapatis (used in another sense), who are believed to be the fathers of the human race. The Manusmriti enumerates them as Marici, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratuj, Vashishta, Pracetas or Daksha, Bhrigu, and Nārada.^[1] He is also said to have created the seven great sages or the Saptarishi to help him create the universe. However since all these sons of his were born out of his mind rather than body, they are called Manas Putras or mind-sons or spirits.
Within Vedic and Purānic scripture Brahmā is described as only occasionally interfering in the affairs of the other devas (gods), and even more rarely in mortal affairs. He did force Soma to give Tara back to her husband, Brihaspati. He is considered the father of Dharma and Atri.

[edit] Creation

According to the Puranas, Brahma is self-born in the lotus flower. Another legend says that Brahmā was born in water. A seed that later became the golden egg. From this golden egg, Brahma the creator was born, as Hiranyagarbha. The remaining materials of this golden egg expanded into the Brahm-anda or Universe. Being born in water, Brahmā is also called Kanja (born in water). Brahmā is said also to be the son of the Supreme Being, Brahman, and the female energy known as Prakrti or Maya.^{[citation needed]}
The image depiction displaying the connection by lotus between Brahma and Vishnu can also be taken as a symbolism for the primordial fetus and primordial placenta. The placenta is generated upon conception, but only the fetus continues into the world afterward. Likewise, Brahma is involved in creation, but Vishnu continues thereafter.

Vishnu with Lakshmi, on the serpent Ananta Shesha, as Brahma emerges from a lotus risen from Vishnu's navel

[edit] Lack of Brahma worship in India

Although Brahmā is one of the three major gods in Hinduism, few Hindus actually worship him. Today, India has very few temples dedicated to Brahmā, as opposed to the tens of thousands of temples dedicated to the other two deities in the Trimurti (Vishnu and Shiva) except for Brahma Kumaris religion where every center, now more than 8,500, keeps his picture behind the guddhi and so do 1,000,000 devotees. Among the few that exist today, the most famous is the temple in Pushkar in Rajasthan. Others include two in Thirunavaya,Thiruvallam in Kerala; one in the temple town of Kumbakonam, (Thanjavur District) in Tamil Nadu; another in Kodumudi, Erode district, Tamil Nadu; Nerur village in Kudal taluka of Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra; one in Asotra village in Balotra taluka of Barmer district in Rajasthan known as Kheteshwara Brahmadham Tirtha; one in Brahmā-Karmali village in Sattari Taluka in Goa; one in Khedbrahma in Gujarat;two temples in Orissa namely Bindusagar and another in Niali Brahma Temple dating to medieval period; and one in the village of Khokhan in the Kullu Valley, 4 km from Bhuntar. Regular pujas are held for Lord Brahmā at the temple in Thirunavaya, and during Navaratri the temple comes to life with colourful festivities. Another temple for Lord Brahmā, Sri Brahmapureeswarar Temple is located at Thirupattur, near Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, South India. The idol of Lord Brahma is fully covered with turmeric everyday morning. This temple also has the Samadhi for Sage Patanjali and the nearby Kasi Vishwanathar Temple in the same temple complex has a Samadhi for Sage Vyakrapatha.
Mythology states that when Brahmā created the world, he received Saraswati as the form of Mother Goddess to assist him in the process of creation. Eventually he created Kamadeva, the god of lust. Kamdeva decides to test his powers on Brahmā and Saraswati was only female around him at that moment. Brahmā was deeply attracted by her beauty and even considered to make her his consort. Brahmā then full of guilt scorched his own body and resumed another body which is free from any kind of lust. As an act of remorse towards Vishnu who has given Brahmā the previous body, Brahmā decides to wash off his sin and intended to perform a Yajna. Saraswati was then offered to be his wife to sit beside him in the Yajna. Thus there was a reconciliation between Brahma and Saraswati. It is however said that Brahmā did not go unpunished for his attempt and was cursed by lord Shiva that no one in the entire world will pray to him as he could not overpower his thoughts despite being one of the Trimurti.
Various stories in Hindu mythology talk about curses that have supposedly prevented Brahmā from being worshiped on Earth. Interestingly, the Bhavishya Purana states that, certain 'daityas' or demons had begun to worship Brahma and therefore the 'devas' of heaven could not defeat them. In order to mislead the daityas from the worship of Brahma, Vishnu appeared on Earth, as Buddha and Mahavira. With various arguments he convinced the daityas to leave the worship of Brahma. Having left the worship of Brahma, the daityas lost power and were hence defeated. The Bhavishya Purana lays out that altogether, giving up the worship of Brahma, was unacceptable in Hindu religion. This is because Brahma signifies a personification of Brahman (God) or is a manifestation of Brahman (God).
According to a story in the Shiva Purana (dedicated to Lord Shiva), at the beginning of time in Cosmos, Vishnu and Brahmā approached a huge Shiva linga and set out to find its beginning and end. Vishnu was appointed to seek the end and Brahma the beginning. Taking the form of a boar, Vishnu began digging downwards into the earth, while Brahma took the form of a swan and began flying upwards. However, neither could find His appointed destination. Vishnu, satisfied, came up to Shiva and bowed down to him as a swarupa of Brahman. Brahmā did not give up so easily. As He was going up, he saw a ketaki flower, dear to Shiva. His ego forced him to ask the flower to bear false witness about Brahmā's discovery of Shiva's beginning. When Brahmā told his tale, Shiva, the all-knowing, was angered by the former's ego. Shiva thus cursed him that no being in the three worlds will worship him.^{[citation needed]}

A depiction of Khambhavati Ragini, A lady worshiping Brahma

According to another legend, Brahmā is not worshiped because of a curse by the great sage Brahmarishi Bhrigu. The high priest Bhrigu was organising a great fire-sacrifice (yajna) on Earth. It was decided that the greatest among all Gods would be made the presiding deity. Bhrigu then set off to find the greatest among the Trimurti. When he went to Brahmā, the god was so immersed in the music played by Saraswati that he could hardly hear Bhrigu's calls. The enraged Bhrigu then cursed Brahmā that no person on Earth would ever invoke him or worship him again.^{[citation needed]} Brahma worship was widely practiced across India in the earlier years of Hinduism, however his popularity diminished. With spreading of Shaivism and Vaishnavism Brahma's role became secondary among the Trinity. In the Brahma Purana and Hindu cosmology, Brahmā is regarded as the creator but not necessarily as God. Rather, He is regarded as a creation of God / Brahman. The lifespan of Brahmā is 100 Brahmā years, equivalent to 311,040,000,000,000 solar years (311 trillion and 40 billion Earth years). At the end of His lifespan, there will be a gap of 100 Brahmā years, after which another Brahmā or creator will begin the process of creation anew. This cycle is thought to repeat without end.

[edit] Appearance

A handcoloured engraving of Brahma.

He is clad in red clothes. Brahma is traditionally depicted with four heads, four faces, and four arms. With each head, He continually recites one of the four Vedas. He is often depicted with a white beard (especially in North India), indicating the nearly eternal nature of his existence. Unlike most other Hindu gods, Brahma holds no weapons. One of his hands holds a scepter. Another of his hands holds a bow. Brahma also holds a string of prayer beads called the 'akshamālā' (literally "garland of eyes"), which He uses to keep track of the Universe's time. He is also shown holding the Vedas.
There are many other stories in the Purānas about the gradual decrease in Lord Brahmā's importance, such as in the Shiva Purana. A British viceroy and admirer of Hinduism^[who?] reportedly remarked in philosophical reflection that India cannot afford to lose the blessings of Brahmā and Saraswati, without whom the populace would lack creativity, knowledge, and education.

[edit] Symbols

The Four Hands – Brahmā's four arms represent the four cardinal directions: east, south, west, and north. The back right hand represents mind, the back left hand represents intellect, the front right hand is ego, and the front left hand is self-confidence.
The Prayer beads – Symbolize the substances used in the process of creation.
The Book – The book symbolizes knowledge.
The Gold – Gold symbolizes activity; the golden face of Brahmā indicates that He is actively involved in the process of creating the Universe.
The Swan – The swan is the symbol of grace and discernment. Brahmā uses the swan as his vāhana, or his carrier or vehicle.
The Crown – Lord Brahmā's crown indicates His supreme authority.
The Lotus – The lotus symbolizes nature and the living essence of all things and beings in the Universe.
The Beard – Brahmā's black or white beard denotes wisdom and the eternal process of creation.
The Four Faces – The four Vedas (Rik, Sāma, Yajuh and Atharva). The Vedas Symbolises his four faces, heads and arms

[edit] Vehicle

Brahmā's vehicle or vahana is the hamsa.

[edit] Temples

Deity inside the Brahma temple at Pushkar, Rajasthan

The 9th century Javan statue of Brahma inside the Brahma shrine in Trimurti Prambanan temple, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

The four-faced Brahma (Phra Phrom) statue

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Though almost all Hindu religious rites involve prayer to Brahmā, very few temples are dedicated to His worship. Among the most prominent is the Brahma temple at Pushkar. Once a year, on Kartik Poornima, the full moon night of the Hindu lunar month of Kartik (October – November), a religious festival is held in Brahmā's honour. Thousands of pilgrims come to bathe in the holy Pushkar Lake adjacent to the temple.
Temples to Brahmā also exist in Thirunavaya in Kerala, in the temple town of Kumbakonam in the Thanjavur District of Tamil Nadu in Kodumudi, Tamil Nadu in Asotra village in Balotra taluka of Rajasthan's Barmer district, known as Kheteshwar Brahmadham Tirtha.In the coastal state of Goa,a shrine belonging to 5th century AD, in the small, remote village of Carambolim in the Sattari Taluka in the northeast region of the state is found. Regular pujas are held for Lord Brahmā at the temple in Thirunavaya, and during Navrathris this temple comes to life with colourful festivities. There is also a shrine for Brahmā within the Brahmapureeswarar Temple in Thirupatur, near Trichy, and a famous murti of Brahmā exists at Mangalwedha, 52 km from the Solapur district of Maharashtra. Statues of Brahmā may be found in Khedbrahma, Gujarat, and in Sopara near Mumbai. There is a temple dedicated to Lord Brahmā in the temple town of Sri Kalahasti near Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. The largest and most famous shrine to Lord Brahmā may be found in Cambodia's Angkor Wat.
In Java, Indonesia, the 9th century Prambanan Trimurti temple mainly is dedicated to Shiva, however Brahma and Vishnu also venerated in separate large shrines inside the temple compound, a single large shrine dedicated to Brahma on southern side of Shiva temple. There is a statue of Brahma at the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok. The golden dome of the Government House of Thailand also contains a statue of Phra Phrom (Thai representation of Brahma).

[edit] Satyaloka – abode of Brahma

Satyaloka is by 120,000,000 yojanas above Tapoloka. Thus the distance from the Sun to Satyaloka is 233,800,000 yojanas, or 1,870,400,000 miles. The Vaikuṇṭha planets begin 26,200,000 yojanas (209,600,000 miles) above Satyaloka. "In the Padma Puranam it has been definitely stated that on the four sides of the spiritual sky there is four different transcendental abodes occupied by Vasudeva, Samkarshan, Pradyumna and Aniruddha respectively. So also in the material sky also they are similarly placed on all the four sides. The Vaikuṇṭha sphere which is covered with spiritual water is inhabited by Vasudeva and this Vaikuntha is known as Devavatipur. Above the Satyaloka there is Vishnuloka where Sankarshan resides. In the middle of the Ocean of Milk there is an island called Swetadwipa which is resided in by Aniruddha lying on the bed of Ananta."(Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, Chapter 5 [Handwritten])[1]

[edit] Duration of day of Brahma

"Lord Brahmā's day, consisting of his 12 hours, lasts 4 billion 320 million years, and his night is of the same duration."(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 12.8.2–5) [2]

[edit] Brahma sampradaya

Main article: Brahma sampradaya

Brahma has his own sampradaya. Brahma appeared on lotus flower which sprout from navel of Garbhodakashayi Vishnu. After meditation Brahma created 14 planetary systems and many living beings came there in 8400000 kinds of material bodies according to their past desires. Brahma received Vedas from Om, and this Brahma-sampradaya is transmitting knowledge from Om Himself to Earth. As our Brahma is devotee of Om just like other Brahmas in other material universes, we have this Brahma sampradaya.

[edit] Brahma samhita

Main article: Brahma Samhita

This section, and the foregoing, provide interesting insight into the way devotees of one of the Trimurti, in this case Om, relegate another of the three to devotee status. Here, Om is established as "supreme God," using a Vaisnavite-oriented scripture as evidence.
Brahma's prayers are recorded in Brahma-samhita. From this scripture we know that Brahma is devotee of Om the empty space everlasting peace and abode, and what is home for both material, non-material and spiritual universes. According to Brahma's authority we can know that Om is the Supreme God. Brahma says: Om is the Supreme God. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin and He is the prime cause of all causes. Brahma lets us know that all Brahma is one of many Brahmas who is one of many material universes which appear from Om's breathing out. Brahma samhita is important scripture of Brahma-sampradaya which lets us know about material and spiritual from Brahma, who is first lving being in this material world. Brahma created material planets in this material world on order of Om, and we can know that still Brahma is not topmost personality in this universe, as even he worships Om. Brahma lives for his 100 years of Brahma, however even after Brahma has to leave his material body, Om remains always in Om's eternal spiritual body also after dissolution of material universe. Even when all material universes become unmanifested and Om breathes in Om remains untouched by material nature. Brahma lets us know that supreme abode in spiritual world is Om the empty space which is God filled by all matter, and that abode is always manifested by matter, antimatter, remnants of bigbang. So Brahma worships only the Om or Aum: I worship Om, the primeval God. So Brahma says that Om Govinda is source of countless eternal spiritual universes and temporary (which means they are either manifested or unmanifested) material/antimatter universes.
Brahma