Within the hindu
trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, Brahma is the creator,
Vishnu the preserver and Shiva the destroyer. Nevertheless,
Brahma grew in a lotus out of the navel of the sleeping
Vishnu. The daily alternation of light and dark is attributed
to the activity of Brahma.
Lord Brahma, the creator God of the Trinity appears
seated on a lotus (a symbol of glorious existence),
He has four heads and hands. Each hand is holding a
sacrificial tool (sruva), the Vedas (knowledge), a water
pot (kamandalu) and a rosary respectively.His vehicle
is a swan (hans) which is known for its judgment between
good and bad.Lord Brahma's consort is Goddess Saraswati,
the Goddess of Learning.
Brahma's mind born sons are the seers Marici, Atri,
Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratuj, Pracetas, Vashishta,
Bhrgu and Narada. From Brahma's body came his nine sons
Daksa, Dharma, Kama, Anger, Greed, Delusion (Maya),
Lust, Joy, Death and Bharata and one daughter called
Angaja.
In order to create the world and produce the human
race, Brahma made a goddess out of himself. One half
was woman and the other half was man. Brahma called
the woman Gayatri, but she also became known by many
other names such as Saraswati.
BrahmaBrahma has four heads, but used to have five.
The four extra heads appeared when Gayatri was very
ashamed with Brahma's love for her and tried to escape
from his gaze. The tremendous tapas that Brahma had
practiced for the purpose of creation was entirely annihilated
through his desire to unite with his daughter. One head
was lost later when Brahma lied to Vishnu and thus caused
Shiva to become very angry.
The four Veda's are said to have sprung from his heads.
In the Life of Ganga, Brahma advised Bhagiratha to ask
the help of Shiva in containing the power of Ganga (goddess
of the Ganges river).
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