ब्रह्मा

गैर.

ब्रह्म,

पु

का

गाना

१,

अंशुमान्,

अचला,

अब्ज,

अमृतांशु,

अवनि,

आदि,

आस्य,

इन्दु,

इला,

उडुपति,

उर्वरा,

उर्वी,

ऋक्षेश,

एक,

एणधर,

औषधीश,

क,

कलाधर,

कलि,

कु,

कुमुदाकरप्रिय,

क्षपाकर,

क्षमा,

क्षिति,

क्षोणि,

क्षोणी,

क्षमा,

गो,

गोत्र,

गोत्रा,

ग्लौ,

चन्द्र,

चन्द्रमस्,

जगती,

जैवातृक,

ज्या,

तनु,

दाक्षायणीप्राणेश,

धरणी,

धरा,

धरित्री,

नायक,

निशाकर,

निशेश,

पितामह,

पृथिवी,

पृथ्वी,

प्रालेयांशु,

ब्रह्मा,

भुवन्यु,

भू,

भूमि,

मही,

मुख,

मृगलाञ्छन,

मृगाङ्क,

मेदिनी,

रजनीकर,

रजनीश,

रात्रिप,

रात्रीश,

रुग्ण,

रूप,

लपन,

वक्त्र,

वदन,

वसुधा,

वसुन्धरा,

वाक्,

विधु,

विरञ्चि,

विश्वम्भरा,

शशधर,

शशभृत्,

शशलाञ्छन,

शशाङ्क,

शशि,

शशी,

शीतकर,

शीतकिरण,

शीतद्युति,

शीतमयूख,

शीतरश्मि,

शीतांशु,

शुभ्रभानु,

श्वेत,

श्वेतांशु,

सितरश्मि,

सुधांशु,

सोम,

स्थिरा,

हरिणधृत्,

हरिणाङ्क,

हिमकर,

हिमगु,

हिमरश्मि,

हिमांशु

ब्रह्मा

/

BRAHMĀ:

One

of

the

trimūrtis

of

the

Hindu

Pantheon.

The

trimūrtis

are

brahmā,

viṣṇu

and

śiva.1

)

General

information.

God

who

is

the

creator

of

the

Universe.

It

is

mentioned

in

the

Purāṇas

that

brahmā

creates,

viṣṇu

preserves

and

Paramaśiva

destroys

the

universe.2

)

The

birth

of

brahmā.

The

birth

of

brahmā

is

from

the

nave

of

viṣṇu.

It

is

mentioned

in

devī

purāṇa,

skandha

1,

about

the

birth

of

brahmā

as

follows:-In

the

beginning

Mahāviṣṇu

lay

on

a

banian

leaf

in

the

shape

of

a

baby

and

began

to

think,

“Who

am

I?

Who

created

me?

What

for?

What

is

my

work?

Where

to

work?”

and

so

on.

At

that

time

an

ethereal

voice

said:-“Sarvaṁ

khalvidamevāhaṁ

nānyadasti

sanātanam”.(

*

Idaṁ

sarvaṁ

khalu

aham

eva,

Sanātanam

anyad

nāsti.

All

these

are

myself.

Except

me

there

is

nothing

eternal.

)

Mahāviṣṇu

was

amazed

at

this

ethereal

voice.

He

did

not

know

whose

oracle

it

was.

Still

He

lay

meditating

upon

the

words.

Then

Mahādevī,

with

four

hands

and

weapons

such

as

śaṅkha

(

conch

),

cakra

(

wheel

),

gadā

(

club

),

padma

(

lotus

)

and

maids

who

are

prosperities

and

having

worn

glorious

clothes

and

ornaments,

and

accompanied

by

the

Śaktis

(

powers

)

named

rati,

Bhūti,

buddhi,

mati,

kīrti,

dhṛti,

smṛti,

śraddhā,

medhā,

Svadhā,

svāhā,

Kṣudhā,

Nidrā,

Dayā,

Gatī,

tuṣṭi,

puṣṭi,

kṣamā,

Lajjā,

Jṛṁbhā

and

Tandrā,

appeared

before

Mahāviṣṇu,

who

was

struck

with

wonder.

Mahādevī

said,

“Oh,

viṣṇu,

what

is

there

to

wonder

at?

Every

time

the

universe

is

subjected

to

creation,

preservation

and

destruction,

you

are

born

thus

due

to

the

great

power

of

the

supreme

spirit.

It

seems

that

you

have

forgotten

those

matters.

Know

that

the

supreme

power

is

beyond

qualities.

We

are

all

with

qualities.

Your

main

quality

is

Sattva.

From

your

nave

brahmā

will

be

born.

His

attribute

is

Rajoguṇa

(

activity,

passion

or

motion

).

From

the

middle

of

the

eyebrows

of

brahmā,

will

be

born

rudra,

whose

attribute

will

be

Tāmasaguṇa

(

darkness

).

brahmā,

with

the

power

of

penance,

will

acquire

the

ability

of

creation

and

by

his

attribute

of

Rajoguṇa

will

create

the

world

in

the

colour

of

blood.

You

will

be

the

preserver

of

that

world.

The

same

world

will

be

destroyed

by

rudra

at

the

end

of

the

kalpa

(

world

age

)”.

Accordingly

from

the

nave

of

viṣṇu

a

lotus

grew

up

and

in

that

lotus

flower

brahmā

took

his

form.

The

same

brahmadeva

did

penance

before

Mahāviṣṇu

and

Jagadambā,

who

were

pleased

at

his

penance

and

gave

him

all

the

boons

he

wanted.

After

that

brahmā

began

the

work

of

creation.

He

created

with

his

mind

the

saptarṣis,

(

seven

sages

)

and

then

the

prajāpatis

(

the

lords

of

emanation

).

From

them

all

the

movables

and

the

immovables

in

the

universe

came

into

existence.

(

devī

bhāgavata,

skandha

7

).

In

manusmṛti,

Chapter

1,

the

following

stanza

about

the

creation

of

brahmā

occurs.“Tadaṇḍamabhavad

haimam

Sahasrāṁśusamaprabhaṁ

।

Tasmin

jajñe

svayaṁ

brahmā

Sarvalokapitāmahaḥ”

।।

That

egg

was

as

radiant

as

the

Sun,

with

the

colour

of

gold.

brahmā

the

great

grandfather

of

everything

in

the

world

took

birth

by

himself

in

it.

From

the

supreme

power,

an

egg

fell

on

the

water

which

was

the

first

creation.

That

egg

became

a

germ

of

golden

colour.

Creating

a

life,

which

had

done

penance

in

its

former

births

in

such

a

way

as

to

enable

it

to

become

brahmā,

in

the

golden

germ

of

the

egg,

the

supreme

power

entered

the

life

that

is

to

become

brahmā

as

its

inner

guide.

That

brahmā

is

known

as

the

Pitāmaha

(

Grandfather

of

the

manes

)

or

Paternal

grandfather

of

all

the

worlds.”

vāmanapurāṇa

Chapter

43

states

as

follows

about

the

creation

of

brahmā:--

Ages

before

the

beginning,

when

all

the

worlds

with

everything

they

contained

were

submerged

in

the

single

ocean

of

the

great

flood,

the

germ

of

living

things

formed

itself

into

a

big

egg.

brahmā

who

had

been

inside

the

egg

went

to

a

long

sleep.

The

sleep

continued

for

a

thousand

yugas

(

ages

)

when

brahmā

woke

up

as

Sattva

guṇa

(

purity

)

was

the

foremost

attribute

of

him,

he

saw

that

the

world

was

void.

When

the

thought

of

creation

occurred

in

his

mind

Rajoguṇa

(

activity

or

passion

)

became

his

foremost

attribute.

Rajas

is

the

attribute

that

creates

and

Sattva,

that

which

preserves.

At

the

time

of

destruction

Tamoguṇa

(

darkness

)

becomes

the

foremost

attribute.

That

Bhagavān

(

Supreme

Spirit

)

the

puruṣa

(

the

Male

creative

Energy

)

pervades

over

everything,

in

all

the

living

worlds.

That

Eternal

Being

is

brahmā,

viṣṇu,

śiva.

Knowing

that

the

world

was

lying

in

pure

water,

the

Bhagavān

(

Supreme

Being

)

cut

the

egg

open.

From

it

the

Oṁkāra

(

the

sacred

syllable

‘Om’

)

emanated.

The

first

sound

of

it

was

‘Bhūḥ’,

the

second,

sound,

‘Bhuvaḥ’

and

the

third

sound

‘Svaḥ’.

So

they

came

to

be

known

as

“Bhūrbhuvaḥ

Svaḥ”.

Then

the

glorious

radiance

of

the

sun

was

born

from

it

and

brahmā

the

grandfather

of

the

worlds

originated

in

the

centre

of

the

egg.3

)

Instigation

to

compose

rāmāyaṇa.

It

was

brahmā

who

instigated

vālmīki

to

compose

the

rāmāyaṇa.

A

fowler

of

the

forest

tribe

shot

down

one

of

a

couple

of

snipes

which

were

carrying

on

love-making,

on

the

banks

of

the

River

tamasā.

Seeing

this

vālmīki

cursed

the

fowler.

The

curse

came

out

of

the

mouth

of

vālmīki

in

the

form

of

a

verse,

(

1

)

You

forester,

your

life

will

not

continue

for

many

years

since

you

have

killed

one

of

the

couple

of

snipes.

)

“mā

niṣāda

pratiṣṭhām

tvamagamaḥ

śāśvatīḥ

samāḥ,

yat

krauñcamithunādekam,

avadhīḥ

kāmamohitam,

”

which

according

to

hearsay,

is

the

first

piece

of

poetry

in

the

world.

brahmā

who

was

attracted

by

the

poetry

came

to

the

hermitage

of

vālmīki

and

instigated

him

to

compose

the

story

of

rāma

in

verse.

It

is

stated

in

vālmīki

rāmāyaṇa,

Bālakāṇḍa,

sarga

2,

that

the

rāmāyaṇa

was

composed

thus.4

)

rāvaṇa

is

given

a

boon.

It

was

brahmā

who

made

rāvaṇa

an

ever-powerful

hero.

Penance

was

done

by

rāvaṇa

in

the

vicinity

of

the

Himālayas

and

brahmā

appeared

before

him

and

granted

him

the

boon

that

no

living

creature

except

man,

would

kill

him.

(

vālmīki

rāmāyaṇa,

Bāla

Kāṇḍa,

sarga

16

).5

)

The

loss

of

a

head.

Long

ago

śiva

plucked

off

a

head

of

brahmā.

This

story

occurs

in

various

purāṇas

with

slight

changes.

Two

of

them

are

given

below:--(

1

)

In

olden

days,

in

the

period

of

satyayuga,

Mahāviṣṇu

did

penance

in

śvetadvīpa

(

the

island

śveta

)

to

obtain

Eternal

Bliss,

being

deeply

engaged

in

the

study

of

Brahmavidyā.

brahmā

also

went

to

another

place

and

began

to

do

penance

for

the

suppression

of

passions.

Both

were

doing

severe

penance.

So

they

began

to

walk

in

order

to

take

rest

from

the

penance.

On

the

way

they

met

each

other.

One

asked

“who

are

you?”

The

other

also

asked

the

same

question.

The

talk

ended

in

a

contest

as

to

who

was

the

greater

of

the

two.

Each

claimed

himself

to

be

the

supreme

power

of

the

world.

Neither

of

them

was

prepared

to

recognize

the

claims

of

the

other.

In

the

midst

of

this

contest,

a

phallus,

extra-ordinarily

bulky

and

fair

appeared

before

them

and

an

ethereal

voice

said

from

the

sky:

“You

need

not

quarrel

as

to

who

is

superior.

He

who

reaches

the

extremity

of

this

phallus

is

the

superior

person.

So

both

of

you

proceed,

one

upwards

and

the

other

downwards

and

find

out

the

end.”

Hearing

this

viṣṇu

went

downwards

to

find

out

the

bottom

and

brahmā,

upwards

to

the

top.

viṣṇu

travelled

for

a

long

time

and

finding

no

end

thought

the

attempt

futile

and

returned

to

the

starting

point

with

disappointment

and

sat

down.

brahmā

travelled

upwards

for

a

long

time

and

found

no

end.

On

the

way

he

saw

the

petal

of

a

paṇḍānus

flower,

coming

down

from

the

sky.

brahmā

took

it

and

joyfully

returned

and

said

haughtily

to

viṣṇu:

“See,

I

have

taken

this

flower

from

the

head

of

the

Phallus.

I

have

brought

this

to

convince

you.

You

have

been

defeated.

So

can

you

not

admit

that

I

am

the

superior?”

Mahāviṣṇu

did

not

believe

the

words

of

brahmā.

So

he

called

the

Paṇḍānus

flower

to

him

and

questioned

it.

The

Paṇḍānus

flower

took

false

oath

and

witnessed

in

favour

of

brahmā,

who

had

asked

the

flower

beforehand

to

be

on

his

side.

Mahāviṣṇu

did

not

believe

this

either

and

said,

“Let

śiva

be

witness

to

this

flower”.

śiva

at

these

words

appeared

before

them

and

revealed

the

deceit

played

by

brahmā

and

the

flower

and

then

cursed

the

Paṇḍānus

flower

that

thenceforward

it

should

not

have

a

place

among

the

flowers

of

oblation

to

śiva.

Then

śiva

got

angry

and

plucked

off

a

head

of

brahmā.

That

is

the

skull

śiva

uses

for

receiving

alms.

(

devī

bhāgavata,

Śkandha

5.

)(

2

)

In

days

of

old

all

the

worlds

with

everything

in

them

were

under

water

in

a

single

ocean.

The

Sun,

the

Moon,

the

Stars,

air,

fire,

everything

was

destroyed.

A

day

of

utter

darkness

appeared.

Grass,

bush

all

were

destroyed.

Nothing

could

be

seen

and

recognized.

All

existents

and

non-existents

were

destroyed.

Bhagavān,

(

Supreme

Being

)

was

sleeping

continuously

for

so

many

thousands

of

nights.

At

the

end

of

the

night

Bhagavān

assumed

the

attribute

of

Rajas

(

Activity

)

and

got

ready

for

the

work

of

creation.

He,

the

knower

of

all

Vedas

and

Vedāṅgas

appeared

in

the

shape

of

a

wonderful

being

with

five

faces.

Another

being

with

three

eyes,

matted

hair,

a

trident

in

one

hand,

and

a

garland

of

beads

in

the

other,

and

with

darkness

as

its

attribute

took

shape.

That

being

was

called

puruṣa

(

the

male

creative

energy

).

Then

the

Mahātmā

(

the

Supreme

Spirit

)

created

Ahaṁkāra

(

Egoism

).

It

affected

brahmā

and

śiva.

Overcome

by

egoism,

śiva

said

to

brahmā:--“Who

are

you?

Who

created

you?”

Swelled

with

egoism

brahmā

asked

in

reply:--“Who

are

you?

Who

are

your

parents?

Let

me

hear

it.”

This

talk

ended

in

a

quarrel.

The

origin

of

Bhagavān

(

the

Lord

)

was

from

this

quarrel.

Immediately

after

his

birth

the

Lord

took

an

unparralleled

lute

and

playing

it,

went

up

to

the

sky.

śiva

being

defeated

by

brahmā,

bowed

his

head

and

coloured.

While

Parameśvara

was

standing

angrily

thus,

the

fifth

face

told

him,

“You,

who

are

having

three

eyes

and

whose

attribute

is

darkness!

look

here!

I

will

tell

you

all.

You,

who

wear

air

as

garments,

and

ride

on

an

ox,

are

the

destroyer

of

the

world.”

Hearing

these

words

śiva

grew

more

and

more

angry,

opened

his

third

eye

and

looked

steadily

at

brahmā

to

burn

him.

Seeing

the

faces

shining

like

the

Sun

brahmā

said,

“When

you

beat

on

water,

bubbles

will

appear.

But

do

they

have

any

prowess?

Hearing

this,

śiva

plucked

off

the

head

of

brahmā

with

the

tip

of

his

finger

nails.

(

vāmana

purāṇa,

Chapter

2

).5

)

Changing

vijayalakṣmī

to

laṅkālakṣmī,

by

curse.

vijayalakṣmī,

one

of

the

eight

Lakṣmīs,

was

the

treasurykeeper

of

brahmā.

Once

she

became

careless

in

discharging

her

duties.

brahmā

got

angry

and

cursed

her.

“You

go

to

rāvaṇa

and

keep

his

tower”.

She

humbly

requested

for

absolution

from

the

curse.

brahmā

said,

“At

the

time

of

the

incarnation

of

śrī

rāma,

a

monkeyhero

named

Hanumān

will

reach

laṅkā

in

search

of

Śrī

Rāma's

wife,

whom

rāvaṇa

had

kidnapped.

You

will

obstruct

him,

and

he

will

strike

you

down.

On

that

day

you

will

be

absolved

from

the

curse

and

you

will

return

here

instantly.”

Accordingly

vijayalakṣmī

was

born

in

laṅkā

under

the

name

laṅkālakṣmī.

When

Hanumān

jumped

to

laṅkā

she

prevented

him,

and

he

struck

her

down

to

the

ground.

(

Kaṁpa

rāmāyaṇa,

sundara

Kāṇḍa

).6

)

brahmā

cursing

the

daughters

of

himavān.

three

daughters

named

kuṭilā,

rāgiṇī

and

pārvatī

and

a

son

named

sunābha

were

born

to

himavān

by

his

wife

menā.

The

three

daughters

went

to

the

Himālayas

for

penance,

to

get

śiva

as

husband.

They

were

not

even

six

years

old

then.

The

devas

saw

them.

The

Ādityas

and

the

Vasus

took

kuṭilā

who

was

doing

penance,

to

the

world

of

the

gods.

All

the

gods

gathered

together

and

asked

brahmā.

“Oh

Lord,

be

pleased

to

tell

us

if

this

girl

will

be

able

to

bear

a

son

who

could

kill

Mahiṣāsura”.

brahmā

replied.

“This

poor

girl

will

not

be

capable

of

bearing

the

radiance

of

śiva.

So

let

her

go

away.”

kuṭilā

got

angry

at

brahmā

and

said

“Lord,

I

will

try

to

become

fit

to

bear

the

unbearable

radiance

of

śiva.

Harken,

I

will

do

penance

properly

and

please

viṣṇu

and

make

śiva

bow

his

head.

I

take

a

vow

to

that

effect.”

brahmā

became

angry

and

told

kuṭilā,

“You,

wicked

kuṭilā,

you

did

not

succumb

to

my

words.

So

by

my

curse

you

will

be

turned

to

water.”

kuṭilā

having

been

cursed

by

brahmā

became

water

and

began

to

flood

the

world

of

brahmā.

Seeing

the

flow

of

water,

brahmā

made

cause-ways

on

four

sides

with

the

Vedas

of

Ṛg,

Yajus,

sāma

and

atharva.

Thus

being

tied

up

she

stays

in

the

world

of

brahmā.

The

devas

took

rāgiṇī

also

before

brahmā

and

put

the

same

question.

The

reply

of

brahmā

was

the

same

as

before.

She

also

got

angry

and

said

to

brahmā.

“I

will

do

great

penance

so

as

to

enable

to

give

birth

to

one

in

my

family

to

be

the

killer

of

Mahiṣāsura.”

brahmā

cursed

her

also.

“You

are

deliberately

disobeying

my

words

which

even

devas

won't

gainsay.

So

you

will

become

the

colours

of

the

twilight.”

Thus

she

became

the

fast

colours

of

the

twilight,

and

her

body

was

divided

among

the

Pleiades.

(

vāmana

purāṇa,

Chapter

51

).7

)

Giving

a

boon

to

a

tiger

and

golden

colour

to

pārvatī.

The

first

name

of

pārvatī,

the

daughter

of

himavān

was

kālī.

She

was

given

this

name

(

kālī

)

because

of

her

dark

complexion.

After

the

marriage

śiva

and

pārvatī

led

a

household

life

in

the

golden

house

built

by

viśvakarmā.

Once

śiva

called

devī

humorously,

by

the

name

kālī.

pārvatī

got

angry

and

said

to

her

husband.

“A

wound

by

an

arrow

will

be

cured.

If

you

cut

down

a

tree

by

an

axe

it

will

sprout

again.

A

wound

inflicted

by

hard

words

will

never

be

cured.

The

arrows

of

words

shoot

out

of

the

mouth.

Those

who

are

hit

by

them

suffer

pain

day

and

night.

Wise

people

should

not

shoot

them

at

others.

You

have

violated

that

principle.

So

my

lord,

I

am

going

to

do

intensive

penance.

I

will

endeavour

to

create

such

a

condition,

that

you

may

not

call

me

by

the

name

kālī

again.”

Saying

thus,

pārvatī

bowed

before

Parameśvara

and

bidding

good-bye

she

went

up

into

the

air

and

reached

the

peak

of

Himālayas

and

thought

of

jayā,

vijayā,

jayantī

and

Aparājitā.

Instantly

they

arrived

to

see

kālī.

They

got

permission

and

stayed

with

pārvatī

to

attend

on

her.

While

pārvatī

was

engaged

in

doing

penance,

a

tiger,

with

his

weapons

of

tusks

and

claws

came

there

from

the

jungles

of

the

Himālayas.

umā

(

pārvatī

)

was

standing

on

one

leg.

The

tiger

began

to

think,

“I

shall

do

it

when

it

is

needed”.

Thinking

thus

it

gazed

at

the

face

of

devī

with

staring

eyes

and

consequently

it

lost

one

eye.

Pronouncing

the

word

brahmā

devī

did

penance

for

a

hundred

years.

After

that

brahmā,

the

Lord

of

the

three

worlds

appeared

before

her

and

said

to

her:

“I

am

much

pleased.

Your

penance

was

flawless.

Ask

your

boon.”

kālī

replied,

“Oh,

Lotus-born!

First

give

this

tiger

a

boon.

It

will

please

me.”

Then

brahmā

gave

the

wonderful

tiger

leadership

of

the

Gaṇas,

devotion

to

śiva,

invincibility

and

righteousness.

After

giving

the

tiger

this

boon

brahmā

told

pārvatī,

“Now,

ambikā,

ask

your

boon.

Don't

hesitate,

I

will

grant

the

boon.”

Then

pārvatī

asked

the

boon.

“Brahmā,

give

me

golden

colour”.

brahmā

said

“Let

it

be

so”,

and

disappeared.

The

dark

complexion

of

pārvatī

disappeared.

She

got

the

colour

of

the

filament

of

the

lotus

flower.

From

the

discarded

skin

kātyāyanī

was

born.

Then

indra

appeared

and

asked

for

her

as

a

gift.

indra

requested

pārvatī

on

behalf

of

heaven.

“Let

me

have

her.

Let

this

Kauśikī

be

my

sister.

Because

she

was

born

from

your

Kośa,

(

outer

skin

)

she

is

Kauśikī,

I

am

also

kauśika.”

devī

gave

the

beautiful

Kauśikī

to

indra.

Sahasrākṣa

(

indra

who

has

thousand

eyes

)

took

her

to

the

vindhya

mountain

when

they

reached

there

indra

told

her.

“You

stay

on

this

mount,

honoured

and

revered

by

gods.

You

will

be

known

as

Vindhyavāsinī

(

who

stays

on

the

vindhya

).

He

consecrated

the

goddess

there.

She

was

given

a

lion

as

her

carrier

(

vāhana

)

“You

destroy

the

asuras?”

saying

so

indra

returned

to

Heaven.

(

vāmana

purāṇa,

Chapter

54

).8

)

brahmā

became

river.

Long

ago

in

the

period

of

cākṣuṣa

manvantara

(

the

age

of

a

manu

),

brahmā

decided

to

perform

a

sacrifice

on

the

sahya

mountain

and

preparations

were

made

for

it.

brahmā

came

with

viṣṇu

and

śiva.

bhṛgu

and

the

other

hermits

took

their

seats.

Mahāviṣṇu

called

Svarādevī,

the

wife

of

brahmā.

But

she

was

very

slow

in

coming.

The

hermit

bhṛgu

said

to

viṣṇu:

“You

yourself

have

gone

to

call

devī.

But

she

is

very

slow.

The

auspicious

moment

is

coming

to

an

end.

So

how

are

we

to

commence

the

rituals?”

“If

Svarā

does

not

appear

before

the

end

of

the

stipulated

time

we

shall

seat

gāyatrī

in

her

place,

”

said

viṣṇu.

śiva

also

agreed

to

it.

So

bhṛgu

seated

gāyatrī

on

the

right

side

of

brahmā

and

the

rituals

were

performed.

By

then

Svarā

reached

the

sacrificial

hall.

When

she

saw

that

Gāyatri

was

placed

in

her

place

and

the

rituals

were

performed

she

became

angry,

because

of

her

quarrel

with

her

co-wife.

She

called

out:

“Where

the

person

to

whom

respect

is

due,

is

not

given

respect

and

where

the

person

who

ought

not

to

be

respected

is

given

undue

respect,

there,

scarcity,

death

and

fear

will

be

rampant.

She

dared

to

sit

on

the

right

in

my

place.

So

she

will

grow

lean

and

become

a

river

which

will

not

be

seen

in

the

world.

All

of

you

will

become

rivers

because

you

have

placed

a

person

lower

than

me

in

my

position.”

Hearing

the

curse

of

Svarā,

gāyatrī

rose

up

trembling,

and

cursed

Svarā

also

to

become

a

river.

Before

Svarā

was

changed

to

a

river,

brahmā

and

the

other

gods

rose

up

and

requested

for

absolution

from

the

curse.

Svarā

said,

“Gods,

it

is

because

you

have

not

given

oblations

to

gaṇapati

in

the

beginning

of

the

sacrifice,

that

this

break,

due

to

my

anger,

has

been

caused.

My

curse

cannot

be

futile.

So

each

of

you

change

to

a

river

by

your

portions

and

we,

your

wives,

will

also

become

rivers

by

our

portions,

and

flow

to

the

west.”

Thus

brahmā,

viṣṇu

and

maheśvara

became

rivers

with

their

portions.

brahmā

became

the

fast-flowing

Kukudmatī,

Mahāviṣṇu

changed

to

river

kṛṣṇā

and

śiva,

the

river

veṇī.

The

devas

also

changed

their

portions

to

rivers

and

flowed

from

the

sahya

mountain

to

the

east

and

their

wives

changed

to

rivers

by

their

portions

and

flowed

to

the

west.

Svarā

and

gāyatrī

flowed

as

two

rivers

to

the

west

and

then

joined

together

as

one

river

called

sāvitrī.

viṣṇu

and

śiva

who

were

consecrated

at

the

sacrifice

by

brahmā

came

to

be

called

bala

and

atibala

(

Powerful

and

more

powerful

).

This

is

the

origin

of

the

rivers

in

kerala.

(

padma

purāṇa,

Chapter

113

).9

)

brahmā

is

not

worshipped.

Long

ago

brahmā

and

viṣṇu

went

to

see

śiva

near

himavān.

They

saw

a

shining

phallus

there

in

front

of

them.

It

was

of

immense

size.

One

of

them

went

downwards

and

the

other

upwards

to

find

out

the

end

of

it.

Both

returned

without

reaching

the

top

or

the

bottom

and

by

penance

they

pleased

śiva

who

appeared

before

them

and

asked

them

what

boon

they

desired.

brahmā

asked

śiva

to

take

birth

as

his

son.

śiva

did

not

like

this

and

said

that

nobody

would

worship

brahmā

because

of

his

extravagant

desire

(

namely,

to

have

śiva

as

his

son

).

viṣṇu

requested

that

he

should

be

made

a

servant

at

Śiva's

feet.

So

viṣṇu

incarnated

as

Śiva's

śakti

(

power

).

That

śakti

is

pārvatī.

So

viṣṇu

and

pārvatī

are

one

and

the

same

in

a

sense.

(

kathāsaritsāgara,

Kathāpīṭhalambakaṁ,

Taraṅga

1

).10

)

The

abode

of

brahmā.

It

is

said

in

devī

bhāgavata,

skandha

8,

that

the

abode

of

brahmā

is

on

the

top

of

Mount

mahāmeru.

There

are

nine

towns

there.

manovatī

which

is

in

the

centre,

is

the

town

of

brahmā.

Due

east

of

manovatī

stands

amarāvatī,

the

town

of

indra.

On

the

south-east

corner

there

is

Rajovatī

which

is

owned

by

agni

(

fire-god

).

Due

south

of

brahmapurī

there

is

the

town

of

saṁyamanī

which

is

the

town

of

yama

(

God

of

death

)

On

the

south

west

corner

there

is

the

town

of

nirṛti.

It

is

named

Kṛṣṇāñjanā.

On

the

west

there

is

the

town

called

śraddhāvatī.

It

is

the

abode

of

God

varuṇa.

On

the

north-west

corner

there

is

the

town

called

gandhavatī

which

is

the

abode

of

Bhagavān

vāyu

(

Wind-God

).

Due

north

to

brahmapurī

stands

the

town

of

kubera

(

God

of

wealth

).

It

is

known

by

the

name

mahodaya.

On

the

north

east

corner

there

is

the

city

of

śiva.

It

is

known

as

yaśovatī.11

)

The

sons

of

brahmā.

brahmā

is

the

creator

of

all

the

living

things

in

the

world.

Still

mention

is

made

in

the

Purāṇas

about

countless

divine

persons

who

were

born

from

the

mind

and

body

of

brahmā,

directly

and

indirectly.

They

are

given

below

in

groups.(

1

)

marīci,

aṅgiras,

atri,

pulastya,

pulaha,

and

kratu.

It

is

mentioned

in

the

mahābhārata,

Ādi

Parva,

Chapter

65,

Stanza

10,

that

these

six

grand

hermits

were

born

from

the

mind

of

brahmā.(

2

)

dhātā

and

vidhātā.

It

is

mentioned

in

mahābhārata

Ādi

Parva,

Chapter

66,

Stanza

51

that

these

two

were

good

sons

born

to

brahmā.(

3

)

rudra.

Mention

is

made

in

agni

purāṇa,

Chapter

20,

that

brahmā

had

a

roaring

son

who

was

named

rudra.(

4

)

Svāyaṁbhuva

manu.

It

occurs

in

bhāgavata

skandha

11,

that

manu

Svāyaṁbhuva

was

the

son

of

brahmā.(

5

)

kandarpa

(

kāmadeva--Cupid

).

In

Kathāsarit-

sāgara,

Lāvāṇakalaṁbaka,

Taraṅga,

6,

it

is

mentioned

that

Cupid

was

born

from

the

Egoism

of

brahmā.(

6

)

Madhuka

and

Golikā.

In

uttara

rāmāyaṇa,

mention

is

made

that

from

the

playful

habit

of

brahmā,

a

giant

named

Madhuka

and