Brahma
Encyclopedia
Brahma 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. Brahma'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. Brahma is often identified with Prajapati
, a Vedic deity.
grammar, the noun stem brahman forms two distinct nouns; one is a neuter noun bráhman
, whose nominative
singular form is ; this noun has a generalized and abstract meaning.
Contrasted to the neuter noun is the masculine noun brahmán, whose nominative singular form is . This noun is used to refer to a person, and as the proper name of a deity it is the subject matter of the present article.
Variations of the god's name include the following. (bjəmà)
s (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. 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 Brahma 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
.
flower. Another legend says that Brahma 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, Brahma is also called Kanja (born in water). Brahma 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.
temple in Pushkar
in Rajasthan
. Others include two in
Thirunavaya
, Thiruvallam in Kerala
and one in the temple town of Kumbakonam
,
(Thanjavur District) in Tamil Nadu
. Pujas are held for Brahma at the temple in
Thirunavaya
and during Navaratri.
One more temple is at khedbrahma
in Gujarat.
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 Brahma's importance. Admirer of Hinduism
believe that Humans cannot afford to lose the blessings of Brahma and Saraswati
, without whom the populace
would lack creativity
, knowledge
to solve
mankind's woes
.
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 Brahma indicates that He is actively involved in the process of creating the Universe.
The Swan – The swan is the symbol of grace and discernment. Brahma uses the swan as his vāhana, or his carrier or vehicle.
The Crown – Lord Brahma'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 – Brahma'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
Though almost all Hindu religious rites involve prayer to Brahma, 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 Brahma's honour. Thousands of pilgrims come to bathe in the holy Pushkar Lake
adjacent to the temple.
Temples to Brahma 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 Brahma at the temple in Thirunavaya
, and during Navrathris this temple comes to life with colourful festivities. There is also a shrine for Brahma within the Brahmapureeswarar Temple in Thirupatur, near Trichy, and a famous murti
of Brahma exists at Mangalwedha, 52 km from the Solapur
district of Maharashtra
. Statues of Brahma may be found in Khedbrahma
, Gujarat, and in Sopara
near Mumbai
. There is a temple dedicated to Lord Brahma in the temple town of Sri Kalahasti near Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh
. The largest and most famous shrine to Lord Brahma 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).
s above Tapoloka. Thus the distance from the Sun to Satyaloka is 233,800,000 yojana
s, or 1,870,400,000 mile
s. The Vaikuṇṭha
planets begin 26,200,000 yojana
s (209,600,000 mile
s) 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])http://prabhupadabooks.com/?g=176590
. 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.
, 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 1000,000,000 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.
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
god (deva
Deva (Hinduism)
' is the Sanskrit word for god or deity, its related feminine term is devi. In modern Hinduism, it can be loosely interpreted as any benevolent supernatural beings. The devs in Hinduism, also called Suras, are often juxtaposed to the Asuras, their half brothers. Devs are also the maintainers of...
) of creation and one of the Trimurti
Trimurti
The Trimurti is a concept in Hinduism "in which the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction are personified by the forms of Brahmā the creator, Vishnu the maintainer or preserver, and Śhiva the destroyer or transformer," These three deities have been called "the Hindu triad" or...
, the others being Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
and Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
. According to the Brahma Purana
Brahma Purana
The Brahma Purana is one of the major eighteen Mahapuranas, a genre of Hindu religious texts. The extant text comprises 246 chapters. It is divided into two parts, namely the Purvabhaga and the Uttarabhaga . The first part narrates the story behind the creation of the cosmos, details the life and...
, he is the father of Mānu
Manu (Hinduism)
In various Hindu traditions, Manu is a title accorded to the progenitor of mankind, and also the very first brahman king to rule this earth, who saved mankind from the universal flood. He was absolutely honest which was why he was initially known as "Satyavrata"...
, 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
Vedanta
Vedānta was originally a word used in Hindu philosophy as a synonym for that part of the Veda texts known also as the Upanishads. The name is a morphophonological form of Veda-anta = "Veda-end" = "the appendix to the Vedic hymns." It is also speculated that "Vedānta" means "the purpose or goal...
philosophy known as Brahman
Brahman
In Hinduism, Brahman is the one supreme, universal Spirit that is the origin and support of the phenomenal universe. Brahman is sometimes referred to as the Absolute or Godhead which is the Divine Ground of all being...
, which is genderless. Brahma's wife is Saraswati
Saraswati
In Hinduism Saraswati , is the goddess of knowledge, music, arts, science and technology. She is the consort of Brahma, also revered as His Shakti....
. 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. Brahma is often identified with Prajapati
Prajapati
In Hinduism, Prajapati "lord of creatures" is a Hindu deity presiding over procreation, and protector of life. He appears as a creator deity or supreme God Viswakarma Vedic deities in RV 10 and in Brahmana literature...
, a Vedic deity.
Name
In SanskritSanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
grammar, the noun stem brahman forms two distinct nouns; one is a neuter noun bráhman
Brahman
In Hinduism, Brahman is the one supreme, universal Spirit that is the origin and support of the phenomenal universe. Brahman is sometimes referred to as the Absolute or Godhead which is the Divine Ground of all being...
, whose nominative
Nominative case
The nominative case is one of the grammatical cases of a noun or other part of speech, which generally marks the subject of a verb or the predicate noun or predicate adjective, as opposed to its object or other verb arguments...
singular form is ; this noun has a generalized and abstract meaning.
Contrasted to the neuter noun is the masculine noun brahmán, whose nominative singular form is . This noun is used to refer to a person, and as the proper name of a deity it is the subject matter of the present article.
Variations of the god's name include the following. (bjəmà)
Attributes
At the beginning of the process of creation, Brahma created ten PrajapatiPrajapati
In Hinduism, Prajapati "lord of creatures" is a Hindu deity presiding over procreation, and protector of life. He appears as a creator deity or supreme God Viswakarma Vedic deities in RV 10 and in Brahmana literature...
s (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. 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 Brahma 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
Soma
Soma , or Haoma , from Proto-Indo-Iranian *sauma-, was a ritual drink of importance among the early Indo-Iranians, and the subsequent Vedic and greater Persian cultures. It is frequently mentioned in the Rigveda, whose Soma Mandala contains 114 hymns, many praising its energizing qualities...
to give Tara
Taraka
' was the second wife of Hindu God Brihaspati, God of planet Jupiter. According to the Puranas, Tara sired or mothered child named Budha through Chandra ....
back to her husband, Brihaspati
Brihaspati
Bṛhaspati also known as Brahmanaspati and Deva-guru , is the name of a Vedic deity...
. He is considered the father of Dharma
Dharma
Dharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
and Atri
Atri
This article is about the sage named Attri. See also the gotra named Atri. For the Italian city, see Atri, AbruzzoIn Hinduism, Attri or Atri is a legendary bard and scholar and was one of 9 Prajapatis, and a son of Brahma, said to be ancestor of some Brahmin, Prajapatis, kshatriya and Vaishya...
.
Creation
According to the Puranas, Brahma is self-born in the lotusNelumbo nucifera
Nelumbo nucifera, known by a number of names including Indian Lotus, Sacred Lotus, Bean of India, or simply Lotus, is a plant in the monogeneric family Nelumbonaceae...
flower. Another legend says that Brahma was born in water. A seed that later became the golden egg. From this golden egg, Brahma the creator was born, as Hiranyagarbha
Hiranyagarbha
Image:Hinducosm Map1.svg|thumb|Click an area to go there. This is one of many material universes, Brahmāṇḍa, which expand from Mahā Viṣṇu when He breathes.|400px|alt=One Brahmāṇḍa, with Garbhodakaśāyī-Viṣṇurect 216 61 277 80 Brahma...
. The remaining materials of this golden egg expanded into the Brahm-anda or Universe. Being born in water, Brahma is also called Kanja (born in water). Brahma is said also to be the son of the Supreme Being, Brahman, and the female energy known as Prakrti
Prakrti
Prakrti or Prakriti or Prakruti means "nature". It is, according to Hindus, the basic nature of intelligence by which the Universe exists and functions. It is described in Bhagavad Gita as the "primal motive force". It is the essential constituent of the universe and is at the basis of all the...
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.
Temples Devoted to Brahma
Today, India has very few temples dedicated to Brahma. Among the few that exist today, the most famous is thetemple in Pushkar
Pushkar
Pushkar is a town in the Ajmer district in the state of Rajasthan, India. It is situated at 14 km North West from Ajmer at an average elevation of 510 metres , and is one of the five sacred dhams...
in Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
. Others include two in
Thirunavaya
Thirunavaya
Thirunavaya is a small village in Malappuram district of Kerala, south India. This village is famed as the theatre of the Mamankam festival held in the Thirunavaya Temple on the banks of the Bharathapuzha River....
, Thiruvallam in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
and one in the temple town of Kumbakonam
Kumbakonam
Kumbakonam , also spelt as Coombaconum in the records of British India , is a town and a special grade municipality in the Thanjavur district in the southeast Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Located 40 kilometres from Thanjavur and 272 kilometres from Chennai, it is the headquarters of the Kumbakonam...
,
(Thanjavur District) in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
. Pujas are held for Brahma at the temple in
Thirunavaya
Thirunavaya
Thirunavaya is a small village in Malappuram district of Kerala, south India. This village is famed as the theatre of the Mamankam festival held in the Thirunavaya Temple on the banks of the Bharathapuzha River....
and during Navaratri.
One more temple is at khedbrahma
Khedbrahma
Khedbrahma is a city and a municipality in Sabarkantha district in the Indian state of Gujarat.-Demographics: India census, Khedbrahma had a population of 25,547. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Khedbrahma has an average literacy rate of 65%, higher than the national...
in Gujarat.
Appearance
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
. He is often depicted with a white beard (especially in North India), indicating the nearly eternal nature of his existence. Unlike most other Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
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
Puranas
The Puranas are a genre of important Hindu, Jain and Buddhist religious texts, notably consisting of narratives of the history of the universe from creation to destruction, genealogies of kings, heroes, sages, and demigods, and descriptions of Hindu cosmology, philosophy, and geography.Puranas...
about the gradual decrease in Lord Brahma's importance. Admirer of Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
believe that Humans cannot afford to lose the blessings of Brahma and Saraswati
Saraswati
In Hinduism Saraswati , is the goddess of knowledge, music, arts, science and technology. She is the consort of Brahma, also revered as His Shakti....
, without whom the populace
Populace
A populace is a group of people forming the total population of a certain place. It is taken from the Latin word populus, which means "people", but also in the sense of a race, nationality, or locality. This can be compared with the Spanish word pueblo, which derives from the same Latin...
would lack creativity
Creativity
Creativity refers to the phenomenon whereby a person creates something new that has some kind of value. What counts as "new" may be in reference to the individual creator, or to the society or domain within which the novelty occurs...
, knowledge
Knowledge
Knowledge is a familiarity with someone or something unknown, which can include information, facts, descriptions, or skills acquired through experience or education. It can refer to the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject...
to solve
Sölve
Sölve was a sea-king who conquered Sweden by burning the Swedish king Östen to death inside his hall.The Heimskringla relates that he was the son Högne of Nærøy, and that he had his home in Jutland...
mankind's woes
WOES
WOES is a non-commercial educational high school radio station that broadcasts from Ovid-Elsie High School. It is known as "The Polka Palace."...
.
Symbols
The Four Hands – Brahma'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
Prayer beads
Prayer beads are used by members of various religious traditions such as Roman Catholicism, Orthodox Christianity, Anglicanism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Bahá'í Faith to count the repetitions of prayers, chants or devotions, such as the rosary of Virgin Mary in Christianity and dhikr ...
– Symbolize the substances used in the process of creation.
The Book – The book symbolizes knowledge.
The Gold – Gold symbolizes activity; the golden face of Brahma indicates that He is actively involved in the process of creating the Universe.
The Swan – The swan is the symbol of grace and discernment. Brahma uses the swan as his vāhana, or his carrier or vehicle.
The Crown – Lord Brahma'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 – Brahma's black or white beard denotes wisdom and the eternal process of creation.
The Four Faces – The four Vedas
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
(Rik, Sāma, Yajuh and Atharva).
The Vedas Symbolises his four faces, heads and arms
Temples
Though almost all Hindu religious rites involve prayer to Brahma, very few temples are dedicated to His worship. Among the most prominent is the Brahma temple at Pushkar
Pushkar
Pushkar is a town in the Ajmer district in the state of Rajasthan, India. It is situated at 14 km North West from Ajmer at an average elevation of 510 metres , and is one of the five sacred dhams...
. Once a year, on Kartik Poornima
Kartik Poornima
Kartik Poornima is a Hindu holy day celebrated on the full moon day or the fifteenth lunar day of Kartik . It is also known as Tripuri poornima and Tripurari Poornima. It is sometimes called Deva-Diwali or Deva-Deppawali - the festival of lights of the gods...
, the full moon night of the Hindu lunar month of Kartik
Kartika (month)
Kartika , is a month of Hindu and Bengali calendars, named after the Hindu god, Kartikeya....
(October – November), a religious festival is held in Brahma's honour. Thousands of pilgrims come to bathe in the holy Pushkar Lake
Pushkar Lake
Pushkar Lake or Pushkar Sarovar is located in the town of Pushkar in Ajmer district of the Rajasthan state of western India. Pushkar Lake is a sacred lake of the Hindus. The Hindu scriptures describe as it as "Tirtha-Raj" – the king of pilgrimage sites related to a water-body and relate it to the...
adjacent to the temple.
Temples to Brahma also exist in Thirunavaya
Thirunavaya
Thirunavaya is a small village in Malappuram district of Kerala, south India. This village is famed as the theatre of the Mamankam festival held in the Thirunavaya Temple on the banks of the Bharathapuzha River....
in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, in the temple town of Kumbakonam
Kumbakonam
Kumbakonam , also spelt as Coombaconum in the records of British India , is a town and a special grade municipality in the Thanjavur district in the southeast Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Located 40 kilometres from Thanjavur and 272 kilometres from Chennai, it is the headquarters of the Kumbakonam...
in the Thanjavur District of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
in Kodumudi
Kodumudi
Kodumudi is a panchayat town in Erode district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.- Geography :Kodumudi is located at . It has an average elevation of 144 metres ....
, Tamil Nadu in Asotra
Asotra
Asotra is the site of world's second Brahma Temple built by late Brahmarshi Sant Khetaram ji Maharaj. The first being Pushkar.-Location:...
village in Balotra
Balotra
Balotra is a city in Barmer District of Rajasthan state in India. It is about 100 km from Jodhpur. The town is famous for hand block printing and textile industry and for an annual desert and tribal fair at Tilwara. The town is well connected with Jodhpur by rail and buses at frequent...
taluka of Rajasthan's Barmer district
Barmer district
Barmer is a district of Rajasthan state, India. Barmer is the district headquarters. Balotra, Guda Malani, Baytoo, Siwana, Jasol and Chohatan are other major towns.-Geography:...
, known as Kheteshwar Brahmadham Tirtha.In the coastal state of Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
,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 Brahma at the temple in Thirunavaya
Thirunavaya
Thirunavaya is a small village in Malappuram district of Kerala, south India. This village is famed as the theatre of the Mamankam festival held in the Thirunavaya Temple on the banks of the Bharathapuzha River....
, and during Navrathris this temple comes to life with colourful festivities. There is also a shrine for Brahma within the Brahmapureeswarar Temple in Thirupatur, near Trichy, and a famous murti
Murti
In Hinduism, a murti , or murthi, or vigraha or pratima typically refers to an image which expresses a Divine Spirit . Meaning literally "embodiment", a murti is a representation of a divinity, made usually of stone, wood, or metal, which serves as a means through which a divinity may be worshiped...
of Brahma exists at Mangalwedha, 52 km from the Solapur
Solapur
Solapur is a city in South Western Maharashtra, India governed by municipal corporation.Solapur is one of the four districts that form the region of Western Maharashtra . It is the fourth largest district in Maharashtra in terms of land area and seventh largest in terms of population...
district of Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
. Statues of Brahma may be found in Khedbrahma
Khedbrahma
Khedbrahma is a city and a municipality in Sabarkantha district in the Indian state of Gujarat.-Demographics: India census, Khedbrahma had a population of 25,547. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Khedbrahma has an average literacy rate of 65%, higher than the national...
, Gujarat, and in Sopara
Sopara
Sopara or Soparaka was an ancient port town and the capital of the ancient Aparanta. The site of this ancient town is located near the present day Nala Sopara town in the Thane district of the state Maharashtra, India.Nala Sopara is one of the busiest western suburbs of Mumbai city...
near Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. There is a temple dedicated to Lord Brahma in the temple town of Sri Kalahasti near Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
. The largest and most famous shrine to Lord Brahma may be found in Cambodia's Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat is a temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built for the king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation – first Hindu,...
.
In Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, the 9th century Prambanan
Prambanan
Prambanan is a ninth century Hindu temple compound in Central Java, Indonesia, dedicated to the Trimurti, the expression of God as the Creator , the Sustainer and the Destroyer...
Trimurti
Trimurti
The Trimurti is a concept in Hinduism "in which the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction are personified by the forms of Brahmā the creator, Vishnu the maintainer or preserver, and Śhiva the destroyer or transformer," These three deities have been called "the Hindu triad" or...
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
Erawan Shrine
The Erawan Shrine is a Hindu shrine in Bangkok, Thailand that houses a statue of Phra Phrom, the Thai representation of the Hindu creation god Brahma. A popular tourist attraction, it often features performances by resident Thai dance troupes, who are hired by worshippers in return for seeing...
in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
. The golden dome of the Government House of Thailand
Government House of Thailand
The Government House in Bangkok houses the offices of the Prime Minister of Thailand and his cabinet ministers. It also contains conference rooms and is used for state functions and receptions of foreign guests. It consists of several palace-like structures extending over...
also contains a statue of Phra Phrom (Thai representation of Brahma).
Satyaloka – abode of Brahma
Satyaloka is by 120,000,000 yojanaYojana
A Yojana is a Vedic measure of distance used in ancient India. The exact measurement is disputed amongst scholars with distances being given between 6 to 15 kilometers ....
s above Tapoloka. Thus the distance from the Sun to Satyaloka is 233,800,000 yojana
Yojana
A Yojana is a Vedic measure of distance used in ancient India. The exact measurement is disputed amongst scholars with distances being given between 6 to 15 kilometers ....
s, or 1,870,400,000 mile
Mile
A mile is a unit of length, most commonly 5,280 feet . The mile of 5,280 feet is sometimes called the statute mile or land mile to distinguish it from the nautical mile...
s. The Vaikuṇṭha
Vaikunta
Vaikuntha , Param Padam , or Paramapadam is the abode of Lord Vishnu. It is believed, in the tradition of Vaishnavites, to be the place of eternal bliss, exclusive to the Lord, His eternal consort, the Goddess Lakshmi, and the three-folded Serpent Sesha Naga, upon whom the Lord, and His Shakti ,...
planets begin 26,200,000 yojana
Yojana
A Yojana is a Vedic measure of distance used in ancient India. The exact measurement is disputed amongst scholars with distances being given between 6 to 15 kilometers ....
s (209,600,000 mile
Mile
A mile is a unit of length, most commonly 5,280 feet . The mile of 5,280 feet is sometimes called the statute mile or land mile to distinguish it from the nautical mile...
s) 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
Vaikunta
Vaikuntha , Param Padam , or Paramapadam is the abode of Lord Vishnu. It is believed, in the tradition of Vaishnavites, to be the place of eternal bliss, exclusive to the Lord, His eternal consort, the Goddess Lakshmi, and the three-folded Serpent Sesha Naga, upon whom the Lord, and His Shakti ,...
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
Ocean of milk
In Hindu cosmology, the Ocean of Milk is the fifth from the center of the seven oceans that surround loka or directional space and separate it from aloka or non-directional space. It surrounds the continent known as Krauncha. The gods and demons worked together for a millennium to churn the sea...
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])http://prabhupadabooks.com/?g=176590
Duration of day of Brahma
"Lord Brahma'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) http://vedabase.net/sb/12/8/2-5/Brahma sampradaya
Brahma has his own sampradaya. Brahma appeared on lotus flower which sprout from navel of Garbhodakashayi VishnuGarbhodaksayi Vishnu
Garbhodakśāyī Viṣṇu is second in the hierarchy of Viṣṇu Avatāras in the mahā Tattva . In Gauḍīya Vaishnavism, a school of Vaiṣṇavism, the Sātvata-tantra describes three different forms, or aspects, of Vishnu as Mahā Vishnu, Garbhodakaśāyī Vishnu and Kṣīrodakaśāyī Vishnu , with each form having a...
. 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
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
from Om
Om
Om is a sacred syllable of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.OM and similar may also refer to:-Music:* Om , a stoner metal band* Om , a 1965 album* OM , a 2006 album* 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.
Brahma samhita
This section, and the foregoing, provide interesting insight into the way devotees of one of the TrimurtiTrimurti
The Trimurti is a concept in Hinduism "in which the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction are personified by the forms of Brahmā the creator, Vishnu the maintainer or preserver, and Śhiva the destroyer or transformer," These three deities have been called "the Hindu triad" or...
, in this case Om
Om
Om is a sacred syllable of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.OM and similar may also refer to:-Music:* Om , a stoner metal band* Om , a 1965 album* OM , a 2006 album* 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 1000,000,000 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
Aum
Om or Aum Om or Aum Om or Aum (also , written in Devanāgari as and as , in Sanskrit known as (lit. "to sound out loudly"), ', or ' (also as ') (lit. "Auṃ form/syllable"), is a sacred/mystical syllable in the Dharmic or Indian religions, i.e...
: 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.
See also
- Brahma (Buddhism)Brahma (Buddhism)' in Buddhism is the name for a type of exalted passionless deity , of which there are several in Buddhist cosmology.-Origins:The name originates in Vedic tradition, in which Brahmā appears as the creator of the universe...
- Brahma SamhitaBrahma SamhitaThe Brahma Samhita is a Sanskrit Pancaratra text, composed of verses of prayer spoken by Brahma glorifying the supreme The Brahma Samhita is a [[Sanskrit]] [[Pancaratra]] text, composed of verses of prayer spoken by [[Brahma]] glorifying the supreme...
- PrajapatiPrajapatiIn Hinduism, Prajapati "lord of creatures" is a Hindu deity presiding over procreation, and protector of life. He appears as a creator deity or supreme God Viswakarma Vedic deities in RV 10 and in Brahmana literature...
- KumharKumharKumhar or Kumbhar ; also known as Prajapati, is a caste or community of India, mainly belonging to the Hindu religion. The word "Kumhar" literally means "potter" in Indian languages, pottery being the traditional occupation of the Kumhars....
- Brahma sampradayaBrahma SampradayaThe Brahma Sampradaya refers to the disciplic succession of gurus starting with Brahma in Hinduism. The term is most often used to refer to the beliefs and teachings of Madhvacharya and his Dvaita philosophy. Sometimes it may also refer to the teachings of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and his Gaudiya...
- Brahmapureeswarar
- BrahmastraBrahmastraIn ancient Sanskrit writings, the Brahmastra was a weapon created by Brahma.-Features:It is sometimes known as the Brahma Astra . As described in a number of the Puranas, it was considered the deadliest weapon...
- Creator deityCreator deityA creator deity is a deity responsible for the creation of the world . In monotheism, the single God is often also the creator deity, while polytheistic traditions may or may not have creator deities...
- Garbhodakashayi VishnuGarbhodaksayi VishnuGarbhodakśāyī Viṣṇu is second in the hierarchy of Viṣṇu Avatāras in the mahā Tattva . In Gauḍīya Vaishnavism, a school of Vaiṣṇavism, the Sātvata-tantra describes three different forms, or aspects, of Vishnu as Mahā Vishnu, Garbhodakaśāyī Vishnu and Kṣīrodakaśāyī Vishnu , with each form having a...
(Brahma is born on lotus sprout from His navel) - Hindu cosmologyHindu cosmologyIn Hindu cosmology the universe is, according to Hindu mythology and Vedic cosmology, cyclically created and destroyed.-Description:The Hindu cosmology and timeline is the closest to modern scientific timelines and even more which might indicate that the Big Bang is not the beginning of everything...
- Hindu units of measurementHindu units of measurementVedic and Puranic units of time span from the Paramáńu to the mahamanvantara . Its clearly given in Hindu Vedic knowledge that the creation and destruction of the universe is a cyclical process and the timespan of the universe is 311.04 trillion years...
- MahavishnuMahavishnuImage:Hinducosm Map1.svg|thumb|Click an area to go there. This is one of many material universes which expand from Mahavishnu when He breathes.|300px|alt=One Brahmanda, with Garbhodakashayi-Vishnurect 216 61 277 80 Brahma...
(when He breathes out material universes, brahmandas manifest with Brahma in each) - NaradaNaradaNarada or Narada Muni is a divine sage from the Vaisnava tradition, who plays a prominent role in a number of the Puranic texts, especially in the Bhagavata Purana, and in the Ramayana...
- Phra Phrom