Brahma

Brahma In Hinduism, creator god in the triad of deities called Trimorti, including Vishnu and Shiva.

Brahma in present-day Hinduism is often called the first of the gods, the framer of the universe, and the guardian of the world. In the ancient Vedas, however, he is not named; there the creator is called Hiranya-garbha (the golden egg) or Prajapati (lord of creatures). Prajapati was later used as a title for Brahma
and also for his sons, who in Hindu mythology are progenitors of the human race.

Various accounts, which differ considerably, are given of Brahma’s origin. In the Hindu epic poem The Mahabharata Brahma is said to have issued from the lotus that sprang from the navel of the god Vishnu. In another text Brahma is said to have lived in a cosmic egg for 1,000 years and then burst out. Seeing that the earth was sunk beneath the waters, Brahma assumed the form of a boar (in later Hindu writings the role is assigned to Vishnu in one of his avatars, or incarnations) and diving, raised the earth on his tusks. After this Brahma continued the work of creation. Concerning this role as supreme creator of the universe, Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote in his poem “Brahma”:

If the red slayer think he slays,
Or if the slain think he is slain,
They know not well the subtle ways
I keep, and pass, and turn again.
Far or forgot to me is near;
Shadow and sunlight are the same;
The vanished gods to me appear;
And one to me are shame and fame.
They reckon ill who leave me out;
When me they fly,
I am the wings;
I am the doubter and the doubt,
And I the hymn the Brahmin sings.
The strong gods pine for my abode,
And pine in vain the sacred Seven;
But thou, meek lover of the good!
Find me, and turn thy back on heaven.

Emerson was questioned about the meaning of his poem because many readers were upset by the imagery and reference to an alien god. He said to his daughter: “Tell them to say Jehovah instead of Brahma.”

Numerous myths are told of the god in various Hindu texts. Once Brahma, as Apava (who sports in the waters), formed two beings from his body, a male, Viraj, and a female, Shatarupa (the hundred-formed). After creating Shatarupa, Brahma lusted for her. “How beautiful you are,” he said to his daughter.

Shatarupa turned to avoid Brahma’s lustful look, but the god sprouted a second head. As she passed to the left, two other heads appeared. At last Shatarupa sprang up to the sky, and Brahma grew yet another head to view her. Shatarupa then came down, and the two made love, producing offspring that later populated the earth. She was then made Brahma’s wife.

Brahma, however, did not keep his fifth head, for it was cut off by the god Shiva. Once when the holy sages were assembled at Brahma-pura, the heavenly city of Brahma on Mount Meru, they asked Brahma to display his true nature. Brahma, influenced by delusion brought on him by a demon and obscured by spiritual darkness (both gods and people in Hindu mythology often share the same virtues and faults), said: “I am the womb of the universe, without the beginning or end, and the sole and self-existent lord; and he who does not worship me shall never attain beatitude.”

On hearing this reply Kratus (a form of the god Vishnu) smiled and said: “Had thou not been misled by ignorance, thou would not have made an assertion contrary to truth; for I am the framer of the universe, the source of life, the unborn, eternal and supreme. Had I not willed it, creation would not have taken place.”

The two gods then fought, finally agreeing to let the sacred writings, the Vedas, decide the issue. The Vedas declared that Shiva was the creator, preserver, and destroyer. Shiva then appeared and Brahma’s fifth head asked Shiva to worship him. Shiva then assumed a horrible form and cut off Brahma’s fifth head with the thumb of his left hand.

Brahma is also called Srashtri (creator), Ka (who), Dhatri and Bidhatri (sustainer), Pitamaha (the great father), Lokesa (lord of the world), Parameshta (supreme in heaven), Adikavi (the first poet), Drughana (the ax, the mallet), and Hiranya-garbha (the golden egg), referring to the myth that Brahma “continued a year in the egg” and then “divided it into two parts by his mere thought, and with these two shells he formed the heavens and the earth.”

The four mind-born sons of Brahma are Sanaka (the ancient), Sananda (joyous), Sanatana (eternal), and Sanatkumara (eternally a youth).

SOURCE:

Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, Third Edition – Written by Anthony S. Mercatante & James R. Dow– Copyright © 2009 by Anthony S. Mercatante