Brahmā

Description

THE HINDU Triad comprises Brahmā, Vishṇu and Śiva—Creator, Protector, and Destroyer, representing the creative, preservative and destructive energies of God. Brahmā embodies ‘Rajo-guṇa’, the quality of passion or desire, the cause of creation. Śiva is the embodiment of the ‘Tamo-guṇa’, the attribute of darkness, and the destructive fire by which the world is consumed. Vishṇu is the embodiment of ‘Sattva-guṇa’, the property of mercy and goodness, by which the world is preserved.

Creation began with the Universial Spirit wishing to multiply itself, prompted by Desire. Out of Kāma or Desire, came forth the primeval male god Brahmā, who created the three worlds and all life. But the act of creation involves the acts of preservation and dissolution, hence the need for a Protector-God Vishṇu, and a Destroyer-God Śiva. This three gods, charged with the tasks of creation, preservation and dissolution, constitute the primary group of deities. Around these has grown the great system of Hindu gods and goddesses with all their countless ramifications.¹

Iconography

Brahmā is one of the important gods of the Hindu pantheon. Brahman is the cause of creation. Brahmā is the creator. He is called Svayambhū—self born. In the beginning he was the Hiraṇya-garbha—the Golden Germ. He is called Pitāmaha—the Great Father. He is called Kamalāsana since he sits on the lotus which springs from the navel of Vishṇu. He is called “four-headed”.

In the Vedic period, Brahmā was not an important god. The idea of the Creator was present, but the creator was not yet identified with Brahmā.

The Rig Veda speaks of Vishvakarman. He is God the Father. He has heads in all the four directions. The Purāṇic Brahmā probably originated from Vishvakarman. It is interesting to note that Vishvakarman was related to the sun, since the rays of the sun were considered beneficial to human life and creation. In one hymn, the Rig Veda mentions Prajāpati as Creator. that is why later when Brahmā came to be considered the Creator, he was identified with the Rig Vedic Prajāpati.

In the Sutra literature Prajāpati and Brahmā become synonymous.

In the Rig Veda, Hiraṇya-garbha is mentioned as the cause of Creation. So Brahmā became Hiraṇya-garbha.

In Purāṇic literature, Brahmā is called Creator. He said to have created Prajāpatis (their number and names are different in different Purāṇas) for the purpose of creation. Thus Brahmā became the Grandfather Pitāmaha.

He fell in love with his own daughter named variously Sāvitrī, Brahmāṇi, Sarasvatī, etc., and became one with her. To look at her wherever she turned he got four faces in the four directions and the fifth on top. This is apparently a story invented to bring him into contempt. He had another wife called Gāyatrī.

Both the Śaivites and Vaishṇavites have tried to belittle his importance. He spring from the navel of Vishṇu and sits on a lotus. Śiva cuts off his fifth head as punishment for incest. These stories are indicative of the attitude of both these sects towards Brahmā.

Till the Middle Ages, Brahmā was important. After the coming of Islam, he lost his importance. Many stories were circulated about his personal character which may have led to a loss of faith in his respectability. The Purāṇas accuse him of falsely claiming to have traced the end of the Agnistambha, when he had not. Another story tells us how when his wife Sāvitrī was delayed in coming for Yaksha’s sacrifice, he took another wife promptly. Sāvitrī, highly incensed, cursed him equally promptly !

Actually, Brahmā enjoyed respectability many centuries after these stories became current.

Brahmā has four faces, four arms, matted hair, and the skin of a black antelope as garment. He sits in Padmāsana in a chariot drawn by seven swans. One right hand holds rosary, another right hand holds kamaṇḍalu. He looks Saumya and Toshmya — happy and worthy of propitiation. His eyes are closed in meditation.

His four faces represent the four Vedas; the eastern — Rig Veda; southern — Yajur Veda; western — Sāma Veda; and the northern — Atharva Veda.

His four arms represent the four directions.

The whole universe evolves out of water. Therefore Brahmā carries water in a kamaṇḍalu (vase).

The rosary which he is counting represents Time.

The seven Lokas (worlds) are represented by seven swans.

The lotus arising out of the navel of Vishṇu represents Maṇi — the Earth.²

Informations

Colour: White

Vehicle: Goose, swan (hamsa)

Āsana: Padmāsana

Faces: Four

Hands: Four

Objects in hands/Symbols: Rosary, vase, ladle, book, antelope skin on shoulder; boon-giving attitude, sacrificial ladle, vase & ladle (AC)³

Hand pose: —

Hair dress: Matted hair

Consort: Sāvitrī, Sarasvatī

Miscellaneous: Generally shown with a pointed beard; Black deer-skin, Sarasvatī on right, Sāvitrī on left & rishis (AC)

Variations: I. — 4-handed — rosary, ladle, vase, pot of ghee; Sāvitrī on right & Sarasvatī on left (AGP); II. — Seated or standing on lotus, 4-handed — rosary & grass, sruk & sruv (sacrificial spoons), vase & grass & Ajyasthali & Kusa; or boon-giving and protection mudrās, vase & rosary, sruk & sruv, Sarasvatī & Sāvitrī (AB); III. — White; chariot of seven swans, 4-handed — two in dhyana mudra, rosary & vase, 4 faces (VID); IV. — Book, akśasūtra, sruk and kalasa (RP & RM)

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