Who is Brahma?

How do we view Brahma? There are stories about him and the most popular one is about the loss of his fifth head. Brahma was referred to as Pachanan (having five faces) but after losing his fifth head he became Chaturan. (having four faces). There are several stories given in the Shiva Purana.

Once trillions of years ago Brahma and Vishnu had a quarrel, which escalated into a war. They started attacking each other with deadly weapons of destruction. Shiva had to step in to end this war. He became a radiant pillar and came between them. On seeing this luminous pillar, they both stopped fighting. They were flummoxed.

Brahma went upwards and Vishnu went downwards. Neither could find the beginning or end of the pillar. Vishnu being truthful and the preserver, admitted that he could not find the end of the pillar. Brahma on the other hand being the creator lied and said that he had seen the summit of the pillar. Shiva appeared as Sadashiva and cut off his fifth head from which he had spoken this untruth.

The other story is about creation of the universe and how Brahma lost his fifth head. When Brahma created the universe, the first thing he created was a Goddess named Shatarupa. He was lovestruck by her beauty. He pursued her, wherever she went. Because of that he kept sprouting heads in the four directions, north, east, west and south. The frantic goddess leapt over him to avoid his lustful gaze. Brahma sprouted a fifth head to gaze at her. At this moment Shiva appeared, and, in a rage, he severed Brahma’s fifth head. Since he lusted after his daughter, he has been denied a temple and worship.

Now we come to Brahma’s birth. He is associated with the vedic creator god, Prajapati, whose identity he assumed. He was born from a golden egg called Hiranyagarbha. Hiranyagarbha emerged from an eternal ocean. The Rig Veda suggests that the egg was created from the embryonic sound AUM. It is believed that a seed appeared in the primordial waters. This seed transformed into a brilliant golden egg. Braham meditated for one year within the egg, emerged from the egg and created the sky and earth. Thereafter he created the universe. He is also described as emerging from a lotus rising from Vishnu’s navel.

How is Brahma portrayed?

He is depicted as holding no weapons. In his four hands he has a copy of the Vedas, symbolizing wisdom, a rosary exemplifying the cyclical nature of existence, a pot of water indicating the creation of life and a lotus flower representing purity. He rides a swan.

Brahma reminds us that we have a soul and are the children of the cosmic entity. He is credited with creating the first beings, the Prajapati, the progenitors of the human race. The Prajapati’s were those who were spiritually enlightened and had received Brahma’s blessings.

Brahma’s attributes are many. He is the creator of the universe and of all life in it. He is the source of all knowledge and the source of the oldest Hindu scriptures, the Vedas. He helps people to understand Brahman. He is part of the Trimurti.

The mantra for Brahma is Om Kham Brahma. It is said to be a powerful mantra for inner peace and spiritual enlightenment.

Aim Hrim Klim

Picture by Probably Nurpur, Punjab Hills, Northern IndiaPublic Domain

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