Brahma : The Creator

Brahma

Introduction

Brahma is regarded as the Hindu deity that created everything. He is also referred to as the grandfather or Prajapati, the first primeval god. In early Hindu scriptures such as the Mahabharata, it is believed that he is the supreme being alongside Shiva and Vishnu.

Since he is more elevated than other deities, Brahma is less involved in popular myths where the gods are depicted as human beings. In later Hindu epics, he is no longer worshipped, and other deities are assigned his myths. He is revered and worshipped in Rajasthan, India, and in Southeast Asia, particularly in Bali and Thailand.

Physical Traits

The four faces of Brahma are usually depicted in various ways, such as as as the four yugas, the four varnas, the four directions, and the four stages of life. He is also shown with four arms and holding various objects, such as a book and prayer beads. Brahma can be found either on a lotus throne or atop a goose. Sarasvati and Savitri, two of the most prominent examples of devotion and learning, often accompany him.

A red-and-gold-complexioned Brahma is often depicted as a bearded man with four heads. His hands are also pointed to the four directions. He is on a lotus, and his vahana is a hamsa, which means a goose or swan. According to Hindu scriptures, his children are referred to as Manasapputra due to how he created them from his thoughts.

Family

In the beginning, Brahma sprang from the cosmic golden egg and he then created good & evil and light & dark from his own person. He then created the four types of creatures, including humans, demons, gods, and ancestors. He is believed to have created everything on Earth, although some believe that his son, known as Daksa, is responsible for this.

During the creation process, the demons were created from Brahma’s thigh. He then left his body which became night and created good gods. After this, the forces of goodness ruled the day, and demons gained the upper hand at night. Brahma created humans and ancestors every time, letting them fall under the name Dusk and Dawn. He then appointed Shiva as the new ruler of humankind, though in later versions, he became a servant of the god.

Brahma had several wives. One of these is Sarasvati, who bore him the multiple branches of knowledge that are known as the Vedas. He also had 36 Raginis and six Ragas of music, as well as ideas such as yoga and memory. Among the notable sons of Brahma were the Seven Sages, as well as the four Prajapatis, including Narada, who is the messenger between the gods and men.

Other names

Brahma is also known as Svayambhu, Virinchi and Prajapati.

Powers and Abilities

According to legend, Nguyen Tuan or Tan Vien Son Thanh was taught how to perform martial arts by a fairy from the Upper Realm, who was located in Tan mountain. Through this teacher, he became a skilled martial artist. Before going back to heaven, the Ong Fairy gave Nguyen Tuan a magic stick with the heads of death and birth.

The birth head can be used to heal people or things and when pointed, it will immediately revert the person or thing to life. On the other hand, the head of death can kill or destroy mountains, citadels, and living people must all die.

Modern Day Influence

The Trimurti’s doctrine, which considers Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma as the three forms of the titular deity, was an attempt to unify the different sectarian traditions during the 1st millennium CE. During the 7th century, Brahma’s claim to being the supreme deity had largely disappeared. Although the Trimurti was mainly overshadowed by other deities, it still continued to be important in both sculpture and text. There are no sects that exclusively worship Brahma, though some temples do dedicate themselves to him. Most of the temples dedicated to Vishnu or Shiva have an image of the deity.

In Indonesia, Hindus highly regard Brahma. There are various temples dedicated to him in various locations, such as Bali and Prambanan. In Prambanan, a special temple is built for him alongside with Vishnu. Although not as popular as Shiva and Vishnu, the name Brahma still appears in various forms of mythology. In East Java, for instance, the legend about Ken Arok states that he is the child of Brahma and Ken Endok. It is believed that he was attracted to Ken Arok’s mother due to her beauty.