Brahma
| Brahma | |
|---|---|
 Brahma carving at a temple in Halebidu |
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| creation | |
| Devanagari | ब्रह्मा |
| Sanskrit Transliteration | Brahmā |
| Affiliation | Deva (Trimurti) |
| Abode | Satyaloka (Brahmaloka), not to be confused with Brahmaloka-sanatana - abode of Brahman (Vishnu) |
| Consort | Saraswati and Gayatri |
| Mount | Hamsa (Swan or goose) |
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 Hindus 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 consort is Sāvitri and Gāyatri. Saraswati sits beside him, the goddess of learning. Brahmā is often identified with Prajapati, a Vedic deity.
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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: Berahma or Berma
- Tamil: Piraman
- Thai: Phra Phrom or Thada Phrom (from Datha Brahma)
Attributes
At the beginning of the process of creation, Brahmā created eleven 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.
Creation
According to the Puranas, Brahma is self-born (without mother) in the lotus flower which grew from the navel of Vishnu at the beginning of the universe. This explains his name Nabhija (born from the navel). Another legend says that Brahmā was born in water. In this he deposited 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.
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.
Lack of Brahma worship in India
Although Brahmā is one of the three [3] 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 deities in the Trimurti, namely Vishnu and Shiva. Among the few that exist today, the most famous is the temple in Pushkar in Rajasthan. Others include one in Thirunavaya 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; 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 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.
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.
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.
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.
Appearance
The complexion of Lord Brahma is red. 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 in the form of a spoon, which is associated with the pouring of holy ghee or oil onto a sacrificial pyre, signifying Brahma as the lord of sacrifices. Another of His hands holds a 'kamandalu'- a jar made of metal or even coconut shell, containing water. The water in this jar signifies the initial, all-encompassing ether in which the first element of creation evolved. 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 and, sometimes, a lotus flower.
Another story in connection with Brahma's four heads is that when Brahmā was creating the Universe, He made a female deity known as Shatarupā (one with a hundred beautiful forms). Brahmā became immediately infatuated with Her. Shatarupā moved in various directions to avoid the gaze of Brahmā. But wherever She went, Brahmā developed a head. Thus, Brahmā developed five heads, one on each side and one above the others. In order to control Brahmā, Shiva cut off one of the heads. Also, Shiva felt that Shatarupā was Brahmā's daughter, having been created by Him. Therefore, Shiva determined it was wrong for Brahmā to become obsessed with Her. Shiva directed that there be no proper worship on earth for the "unholy" Brahmā. Thus, only Vishnu and Shiva continued to be worshiped, while Brahmā is almost totally ignored. Ever since this incident, Brahmā has been believed to be reciting the four Vedas in His attempt at repentance. However, there are many other stories in the Purānas about the gradual decrease Lord Brahmā's importance, such as in the Shiva Purana. The omission of Brahmā from most temples regarding worship is a serious concern in the orthopraxis of Hinduism. Ignoring the Supreme Creator also sidelines the importance of Saraswati, the goddess of learning, in temples. A British viceroy and admirer of Hinduism 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.
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 Rosary - Symbolizes 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
Vehicle
Brahmā's vehicle is a divine Swan. This divine bird is bestowed with a virtue called Neera-Ksheera Viveka, or the ability to separate milk and water from a mixture of the two. The swan signifies that all creatures deserve justice, however entwined they might be in challenging situations. Also, this virtue indicates that one should learn to separate the good from the bad, accepting that which is valuable and discarding what is worthless.
Temples
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; and in Goa, in the small, remote village of Carambolim in the Sattari Taluka in the northeast region of the state. 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 Bramhapureeshwarar 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. 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).
In Carnatic music
Brahma is also the name of the 9th chakra (group) of Melakarta ragas in Carnatic music. The names of chakras are based on the numbers associated with each name. In this case, there are nine Brahmas and hence the ninth chakra is Brahma.[2][3]
In literature
In 1856-1857, Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote a poem titled "Brahma".
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. Pradyumna resides at Dwarkapura and in the middle of the ocean of milk there is an island called by the name Swetadwipa which is resided by Aniruddha lying on the bed of Ananta."(Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, Chapter 5 [Handwritten])[1]
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]
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 Vishnu, and this Brahma-sampradaya is transmitting knowledge from Vishnu Himself (Narayana, Krishna) to Earth. As our Brahma is devotee of Vishnu unlike some other Brahmas in other material universes, we have this Brahma sampradaya.
Brahma samhita
Main article: Brahma Samhita Brahma's prayers are recorded in Brahma-samhita. From this scripture we know that Brahma is devotee of Vishnu, and what is structure of both material and spiritual universes. According to Brahma's authority we can know that Krishna is Supreme Personality of Godhead. Brahma says: "īśvarah paramah krsnah, sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahah anādir ādir govindah, sarva-kārana-kāranam" which means: Krishna who is known as Govinda is the Supreme Godhead. 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 Krishna expands Himself as Baladeva, as catyrvyuha (Aniruddha, Prabyumna, Sankarsana, Vasudeva), as Narayana and then as another caturvyuha, from which (Sankarsana) comes Mahavishnu. So our Brahma is one of many Brahmas who is one of many material universes which appear from Mahavishnu's breathing out. Som 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 Vishu, and we can know that still Brahma is not topmost personality in this universe, as even he worships Vishnu. Brahma lives for his 100 years of Brahma, however even after Brahma has to leave his material body, Vishnu remains always in His eternal spiritual body also after dissolution of material universe. Even when all material universes become unmanifested and Mahavishnu breathes in, still he, Mahavishnu remains untouched by material nature. Brahma lets us know that supreme abode in spiritual world is Goloka Vrindavana, and that abode is always manifested even though material world is sometimes not manifested. So Brahma worships Krishna: "govindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajami" I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord. So Brahma says that Krishna Govinda is source of countless eternal spiritual universes and temporary (which means they are either manifested or unmanifested) material universes.
See also
- Brahma (Buddhism)
- Brahma sampradaya
- Phra Phrom
- Creator deity
- Brahmastra
- Narada
- Hindu units of measurement
- Hindu cosmology
- Religious cosmology
- Brahma Samhita
- Garbhodakashayi Vishnu (Brahma is born on lotus sprout from His navel)
- Mahavishnu (when He breathes out material universes, brahmandas manifest with Brahma in each)
References
- ↑ prajapati/Kumhar
- ↑ South Indian Music Book III, by Prof. P Sambamoorthy, Published 1973, The Indian Music Publishing House
- ↑ Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications
External links
- The Brahma-Samhita - Prayers of Lord Brahma at the start of creation (Brahmasamhita.com)
- Brahma's Prayers for Creative Energy from the Bhagavata Purana (vedabase.net)
- Brahma at the Open Directory Project
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