For questions about Brahma, the creator deity of the Trimurti. Not to be confused with [brahman] or [brahmins].
1. Guidelines for using the tag
This tag must be used when questions about Lord Brahma, the creator deity are being asked. It should not be confused with [brahman], the all pervading absolute god or [brahmins], the highest of the four varnas.
2. General Description
Lord Brahma (Sanskrit: ब्रह्मा) is one of the three primary gods (Trimurti). Being the creator deity, he has a dominance of Rajoguna and is often referred to as Pitamaha. He is married to Devi Saraswati, the goddess of arts and knowledge. Lord Brahma resides with her in the highest of the seven upper worlds, known as Brahmaloka or Satyaloka.
Lord Brahma is described as ‘Swayambhu’ or self-born and ‘Hiranyagrabha’ or golden egg, both of which allude to the fact that he created himself and emerged from a golden egg. The Rigveda 10.121.1 reads:
हिरण्यगर्भ: समवर्तताग्रे भूतस्य जात: पतिरेक आसीत्। स दाधार पृथिवीं द्यामुतेमां कस्मै देवाय हविषा विधेम॥१॥
Hiranyagarbha was present at the beginning; when born, he was the sole lord of created beings; he upheld this earth and heaven, let us offer worship with an oblation to the divine KA.
Lord Brahma is also described as lotus born which alludes to another story at the beginning of the Pādma Kalpa, where he entered the body of Lord Vishnu who closed all the opening to his body. It is then that Brahma was born from a lotus that sprouted from the navel of Vishnu.
Other attributes of the deity include him being four-faced and reciting the four Vedas from each of his faces. He is depicted as four armed carrying in his hands, a sacrificial ladle (sruva), rosary beads (akshamala), a water pot (kamandalu) and the Vedas or a lotus. His vehicle is a swan, but is often seated on a lotus.
