Lord Brahma and his Beautiful Creation of Universe

 Lord Brahma is the creator of Life in Universe. He is the first member of trinity that includes Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. His divine consort is Saraswathi, the goddess of learning and knowledge. He is also known as Vaagish ( Lord of speech and sound). He is traditionally depicted with four heads, four faces and four arms. Each head recites one of the four Vedas (Rig, Sama, Yajur, Atharva ). He carries a rosary with the upper right hand, a book with the upper left hand, Kamandal (water pot) with the lower left hand, bestows grace with lower right hand.

A book in the back hand (symbolizing the intellect) illustrates that right knowledge is important for any kind of creative work. A water pot (kamandalu) in the front left hand symbolizes the cosmic energy by which Brahma brings the universe into existence. The hand symbolizing ego (the front right hand) is shown in the pose of bestowing grace. This conveys the idea that the Lord bestows grace and protects all sincere devotees. 

            The white beard denotes wisdom and the long beard conveys the idea that creation is an eternal process. The crown on the head of the Lord implies that the Lord has supreme power and authority over the process of creation. 

The lotus symbolizes the Supreme Reality, the essence of all things and beings in the universe. Brahma sitting or standing on a lotus indicates that He represents the creative power of the Supreme Reality. The color white symbolizes purity. Thus Brahma wearing clothes that are off-white, represents the dual nature of creation, that is purity and impurity, happiness and unhappiness, vice and virtue, knowledge and ignorance, and so on. 

In Hindu mythology, a swan is said to possess a unique discriminating faculty, which enables it to distinguish pure milk from a mixture of milk and water. The swan is therefore used to symbolize the power of discrimination. Brahma uses the swan as a vehicle. As creation is the work of the mind and the intellect, Lord Brahma symbolizes the Universal Mind.

Birth of Brahma:-

According to Shri MadhBhagawatam, Lord Brahma is born from the Navel of Shri Maha Vishnu. Therefore Lord Vishnu is the father as well as mother of ALL creation beginning first and foremost with Brahma.

Just born Brahma doesn’t know the purpose of his being. He tries to look all around him simultaneously and he sprouted 5 heads to enable him to spot even a hint of an activity in any direction yet could not see anything except darkness all around him. To clear his confusion lord Vishnu made himself visible to Brahma and explains him the reason for his birth.

Each Universe has the personal form of lord Vishnu and Brahma as well.

Creation of Universe:

 Creation starts stage wise like this:

• Shri Maha Vishnu wishes to arise  disturbance in equilibrium of the 3 qualities of Satva, Rajas and Tamas which result in formation of “Mahat-Tattva” from which “Buddhi”/ Intelligence  along with “Aham”/ego manifests.
• Pancha- MahaBhoot : Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Sky the basic five elements rise from the Mind.
• The five senses – Vision, Hearing ,Touch, Smell and taste are raised.

All the three creations does not belong to Brahma and they come into being naturally and hence it is known as Prakriti.

•  Brahma first creates the Immovable objects such as Planets, Land, Mountains.
• Secondly he creates 6 different types of vegetation, 12 different types of birds and 28 different animals.

• Demigods and other advanced specified of life are created.
• 4 sons of Brahma as the first Incarnations of Lord Vishnu were created from his mind- Elaborated in below section Sons of Brahma. However they decide to be spiritual and vow to celibacy. Lord Brahma gets angry of their decision and on his top voice…in anger..

• A child emerges from Brahma’s forehead who is Rudra. However he also chooses the path of Tapas. On request of Brahma he creates 10 more beings with the same appearance as him. So there are total 11 Rudras, among them one is Lord Shiva.

• When the Manas putras of Brahma given below prefer to follow footsteps of kumaras, Brahma again filled up with negative energy from which Asuras or Rakshas took birth.
• Focusing on the positive energy, Devas are created.
•  Next creation was Manes or pitras. For them one day and night equals our fortnight.
• He now Manifests Goddesses Saraswati and gayatri, Prasuti; the 4 vedas; other elements such as Emotions, Music and Rishi Kardama.

• Prasuti becomes the consort of the eldest Manas putra Daksh and hence he is the second prajapati after Brahma.
•  From his body emerges the first man, Swayambhu Manu who resembles just like him. Along with Manu, emerged the female Shatrupa on Earth who are the actual Hindu Adam and Eve, has populated the globe.
• He then creates other species with magical powers Yakshas, Gandharvas,Sarpas and Apsaras etc.,

Marriage of Brahma:-

          As per MATSY PURAN, There was a time when GOD BRAHMA was only alone when the cosmos did not exist. He felt and long for company. Accordingly he decided to split himself in to two parts, creating a feminine counterpart. As mythology mentioned her in the name of SANDHYA, BRAHMI or SARASWATI who emerged from BRAHMA'S mouth.

           Brahma was attracted and fell in love with her. His longing for her increased and he started looking at her constantly. To avoid his gaze, SARASWATI started moving from one side to another even flied on top but Brahma started looking towards her with out turning his head but creating heads all around, total of FIVE HEADS. Brahma finally requested her to help him to create the Universe.

 Saraswati as his wife helped Brahma to execute his plan accordingly and created the demigod Manu, who ultimately created the world.

Sons of Brahma:-

Sanaka, Sanatana, Sanandana and Sanatkumara are the first mind-born creations and sons of Lord Brahma. Brahma, who had        received knowledge of Puranas from Narayana, imbibed this to his 4 kumaras who taught Narada and from there transmitted to Krishna Dwaipayana, who scripted them into 18 puranas. The 4 mind born son’s of Brahma undertook lifelong vows of celibacy(Brahmacharya) against the wishes of her father. They are said to wander throughout the materialistic and spiritualistic universe without any desire but with purpose to teach.

As all the sons are born from his mind, they are called Manas Putras. Manusmrti and Bhagavat purana enumerate them as:

1.      Marichi

2.      Atri

3.      Angirasa

4.      Pulaha

5.      Pulasthya

6.      Krathu

7.      Vashista

8.      Prachethasa

9.      Bhrigu

10.  Narada

11.   The only daughter Shatrupa-One who can take hundred forms.

Incarnations of Brahma:-

Dasam Granth of Sikhs written by Guru Govind singh mentioned the below avtaras as Incarnations of Brahma:

1.      Valmiki

2.      Kashyap

3.      Sukra

4.      Baches

5.      Vyas

6.      Khat Rishi

7.      Kalidas.

Temples:-

Lord Brahma doesn’t have much temples to say about the reasons are called in different myths as below:

Brahma lied to Lord Shiva

Once it was decided that Brahma would go up (towards the sky) and try to find the head of this pillar of Light (Shiva) and Vishnu would go down (under the earth) to find the foot of Shiva. Brahma then assumed the form of a swan and began his journey into the sky. Vishnu on the other hand, assumed the form of Varaha (wild boar) and bored through the earth to descend into the very depths of the world. The two of them went thus on their quest for thousands of years and even still could find no end to the pillar of light (as light has no limit). After proceeding in their quest for so long, the two of them got tired.

Vishnu decided to end his search (becoming humbled) and proceed back to the earth. At the same time, Brahma saw a Ketaki (fragrant screw pine – Pandanus Sativa, kewra in hindi and thazhampu in tamil) flower slowly wafting downwards from the sky. He stopped the flower on its way down and asked it where it was coming from. On being questioned by the creator, the flower replied that it had been placed at the top of the pillar of fire as an offering by a devotee and had fallen from there. Unable to find the head of the pillar, Brahma decided to end his search and instead use the ketaki flower as evidence of him having reached the head.

Both Brahma and Vishnu came back to the earth in the end and when asked, Vishnu replied truthfully that he had been unable to find the feet of the fiery pillar even after a very long search going to the very ends of the universe. Brahma on the other hand (to prove his superiority over Vishnu) lied by saying that he had in fact reached the head of the pillar of fire and that he had brought the ketaki flower from the top as proof of having reached there. This false claim angered Shiva and he revealed his true form and then cursed Brahma that he would have no temple dedicated to his worship as he was undeserving (as a result of his falsity) and he also cursed the ketaki flower that henceforth she shall not be used in the worship of Shiva (as she had given false testimony when questioned).

Curse of Lord shiva towards Shatarupa Episode:

When Brahma was creating the universe, He made a female deity known as Shatarupa (one with a hundred beautiful forms). Brahma became immediately infatuated with Her. Shatarupa moved in various directions to avoid the gaze of Brahmā. But wherever She went, Brahma developed a head. Thus, Brahma developed five heads, one on each side and one above the others. In order to control Brahma, Shiva cut off one of the heads. Also, Shiva felt that Shatarupa was Brahmā's daughter, having been created by Him. Therefore, Shiva determined, it was wrong for Brahmā to become obsessed with Her. He directed that there be no proper worship on earth for the "unholy" Brahmā.

Curse of Sage Brahmarishi Bhrigu

According to another legend, Brahma is not worshiped because of a curse by the great sage Brahmarishi Bhrigu. Once a great fire-sacrifice (yajna) was being organised on Earth with Bhrigu being the high priest. 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 Brahma, he was so immersed in the music played by Saraswati that he could hardly hear Bhrigu's calls. The enraged Bhrigu then cursed Brahma that no person on Earth would ever invoke him or worship him again.

On Karthik poornima, the full moon night of the Hindu Lunar Month of karthik a religious festival is held in Lord Brahma’s Honour. The largest and most famous shrine is Cambodia’s Angkor wat, It’s a 7 feet four faces deity at bangalore Few more  temples exist for Brahma in the vedic land, among them the famous are :

1.      Pushkar in Rajasthan

The Brahma temple is an important pilgrim center for the Hindus. It is nestled in the Pushkar valley, which lies beyond Nagaparvat and the Anasagar Lake. This place, full of natural beauty, holds a special place in the hearts of Indian for it is believed that Lord Brahma, together with all the gods and goddesses, performed a Yagya here. Legends also has it that the ancient lake Sarovar had appeared miraculously, when a lotus fell from the hands of Lord Brahma and dropped into this valley. Brahma Temple The most famous temple in Pushkar, this is the only temple dedicated to Lord Brahma (the creator of the universe according to Hindu mythology) in the entire country. You can identify it by its red spire and by the image of a hans (the goose considered sacred to Lord Brahma). This temple built with marble is decorated with silver coins and there is a silver turtle on the floor of the temple.

There are other temples also at below locations, each have its own significance.

2.      Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu

3.      Chaturmuka temple in Andhra Pradesh

4.      KhedBrahma in Gujarat.

5.      Uttamar kovil in srirangam, TamilNadu.

Gudi Padwa is celebrated as the day Brahma created this Universe and the Satyayug begun, it marks the commencement of new year.