Lord Brahma Is Not Considered As God In Hinduism But As A Creation Of God

[suchandra]

Lord Brahma Is Not Considered As God In Hinduism But As A Creation Of God

 

posted August 14 2008

http://www.encyclocentral.com/25223-Lord_Brahma_Is_Not_Considered_As_God_In_Hinduism_But_As_A_Creation_Of_God.html

 

The Hindu God of creation, Lord Brahma is among the three Gods that form the Trimurti or the Holy Trinity, the other two gods being Vishnu and Shiva. In Sanskrit, the word Brahma means masculine Brahman. The Puranas describe Brahma as self-born, when they depict the story of Brahma’s birth from the lotus flower in the navel of Lord Vishnu at the foundation of the

universe.

 

 

This fetches Brahma, the name of Nabhija. But according to another legend, Brahma took birth as Hiranyagarbha from a golden egg deposited in water and the Brahm-anda or the Universe was created from the residual materials of the golden egg. Being born in water, Brahma is also referred to as Kanja. The god of creation is also referred to as the son of Brahman, the Supreme Being and Maya or Prakrti, the female energy.

 

The legend believes Brahma to have created eleven Prajapatis named Narada, Atri, Marichi, Bhrigu, Kratu, Pulastya, Angirasa, Vasistha, Pulaha and Daksha who are considered to be the fathers of human race. Brahma also created the Saptarshi or the seven great sages to aid Him in the process of creation of the universe. These sages were referred to as Manas Putras as they took birth from the mind of Brahma. Saraswati, the goddess of learning, is said to be the consort of Brahma.

 

Brahma’s physical appearance has achieved a specialty with four heads, each of which recites one of the four different Vedas and four arms, none of which carry a single weapon like the other Hindu deities. The description of Brahma as the lord of sacrifices is associated with the pouring of holy ghee into a sacrificial pyre from a scepter held in Brahma’s hands in the form of a spoon. The water pot held in another hand of Brahma signifies the all- encompassing ether which led to the evolution of the first element of creation. The string of prayer beads in one of His hands is the counting device of Brahma by which he keeps track of the time of the Universe. In the fourth hand he sometimes holds a lotus and sometimes the Vedas.

 

There are definite symbolic representations of the associations of Brahma. His four hands specify four directions- East, West, North and South and represent the interim meanings like ego, mind, intellect and self confidence. The Rosary represents the materials used during creation process; knowledge is symbolized by The Book, the active state of Lord Brahma during the creation of the universe is indicated by the god’s golden face. The swan that is used by Brahma as His vehicle signifies the power of discrimination and the Crown on His head establishes the supreme authority of Brahma. The Lotus denotes the living essence of everything in the nature and in the universe and Brahma’s beard symbolizes wisdom while a longer beard explains the eternal process.

 

There is lack of Brahma worship in India although He is considered to be one of the major Gods among the Hindus. There are various mythological stories that try to establish this fact. In one such legend, we came to know about the curse of Sage Bhrigu on Brahma. The sage was about to choose the greatest God from among the Trinity who was to be selected as the presiding deity, but Lord Brahma was so much immersed into the music played by Saraswati, His consort, that He failed to respond to the sage’s calls which made Bhrigu to curse Brahma.

 

Another legend explains that during the creation of the universe, Lord Brahma created Shatarupa, a female entity with hundred forms which made Brahma attracted towards the woman. But Lord Shiva declared that it was wrong on Brahma’s part to develop infatuation towards His own creation or towards His own creation. Lord Shiva directed that there would be no worship of the unholy “Brahma” from then onwards.

 

In Hinduism, Brahma is actually defined as a creation of God, rather than God Himself. In India, the most famous Brahma temple is situated in Pushkar, Rajasthan. The other temples are located in the village of Khokhan in Kullu, in Khedbrahma in Gujarat and other one in Sattari Taluka in Goa. A six feet tall statue of Brahma has also been spotted in Sopara located near Mumbai. Brahma