Brahma is one of three major gods in late Vedic Hinduism. With the rise of sectarian worship, he was gradually eclipsed by Vishnu and Shiva. Brahma is associated with the Vedic creator god Prajapati, whose identity he came to assume. In classical times an attempt to synthesize the diverging sectarian traditions is evident in the doctrine of Trimurti, which considers Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma. Today there is no cult or sect that exclusively worships Brahma, but there few temples which are dedicated to him The creative principle of the universe is called Brahma in Sanskrit. Brahma, who is depicted as emerging from the navel lotus of Narayana, is a metaphor for all of creation: its laws, its inherent intelligence, and its consciously manifested potencies which operate as sages, saints, rishis, devas, celestials, and divine beings of all kinds of nature, temperament and description. Some legend states that he was born from a golden egg thus he was called the Hirnyagarbha meaning to be born from a golden womb.
Mythology has it that Brahma originally had five heads. Shiva cut one of them down in his rage. Now Brahma`s icon has four heads (chatur mukha brahma) facing the four quartem. They represent the four Vedas (Rig, Yajur, Sama, Atharva), the four yugas (krita, treta, dwapara, kali) (epochs of time), and the four varnas (brahmana, kshatriya, vaisya, sudra). The faces have beards with eyes closed in meditation. There are four arms holding up different objects, akshamala (rosary), kurcha (kusha grass), sruk (ladle), sruva (spoon), kamandala (water pot) and pustaka (book) and in different poses representing the four quartem.
Their combination and arrangement vary with the image. Akshamala symbolizes time and Kamandala, the waters of all creation. The implements kusha, sruk and sruva, denote the system of sacrifices used by creatures to sustain each other. The book represents religious and secular knowledge. Hand postures (mudras) are abhaya (protector) and varada (giver of boons). The icon may be in standing posture on a lotus or in sitting posture on a hamsa (swan). Hamsa stands for wisdom and discrimination.
Brahma`s abode is known as Brahmaloka, which is said to contain all the splendors of earth and of the heavens of the other Gods. His vehicle or Vahana is a white swan or goose, which has magical abilities: it can separate soma and milk from water. Therefore the bird Goose is also a symbol of sifting well from evil. His Consort Saraswati is the Goddess of wisdom and science, the Mother of the Vedas, and the Inventor of the Devanagari script.In classical times an attempt to synthesize the diverging sectarian traditions is evident in the doctrine of Trimurti, which considers Vishnu, SHiva and Brahma. Today there is no cult or sect that exclusively worship Brahma, but there few temple which are dedicatedto him.
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