Since ancient times, a person has been determined by faith. Religion unites many nations, contributes to their development, becomes the basis of culture, creates moral principles and teachings. Even in the first stages of human existence, faith was inseparable from consciousness. Giving names to the gods, creating the rules by which people should live, performing rituals and ceremonies, the first person laid the foundations of religions, which were subsequently divided into many directions. It cannot be argued that one faith is good, and the second cannot reflect the truth, because everyone sees the world in their own way, and this cannot be a source of condemnation. In India, the divine Trinity is known : the god Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The first of these is the creator of the universe. The word "brahma" or "brahma" is translated from Sanskrit as "priest" and carries the beginning of all principles.
Brahma - the first Indian god
Many studies show that the cult of Brahma was central to Hinduism only in the pre-Dedic period. Later it was replaced by the teachings of Shiva and Vishnu. The reason for this was the popularization of the Shakti concept. According to it, each god has his own Strength or Shakti - spouse and main inspirer, and it is the connection with this Shakti that creates the world. In this regard, the god Brahma, which symbolizes the creation of the universe, is not needed.
It should be noted that the Vedic period is characterized by rethought views on this god. The idea of the creator of all things did not die, because his place was taken by God the Father - Visvakarmane (he has four hands from different sides). He is believed to be the prototype of Brahma in Puritan teachings. The idea of this god was formed more than one century and succumbed to constant changes. Brahma for a long time remained the central god in Hinduism, which changed only after the advent of Islam.
Iconography
The god Brahma, whose description is given precisely by iconography, takes on many forms. Usually he is depicted with four faces and four hands. His hair looks messy, is in some kind of chaos, a pointed beard. As a cloak, the god Brahma uses the skins of a black antelope, which creates a contrast between the white color of his clothes. Depicted on a chariot with seven swans or on a lotus, he holds a vessel of water and a rosary.
He is meditating, and therefore his eyes are covered. However, there are many more different ideas about how this deity looks. For example, the color of his skin in some images may be golden, in others - red, the chariot can be harnessed by geese, rather than swans. In some of his avatars you can see a halo. Brahma is almost always portrayed as bearded and is the only god in Hinduism with such a feature, although there are exceptions to this point.
The states of Brahma
There is a classification of the conditions in which Brahma may reside. The first was called yogic, and in it this deity appears in the majesty of its spirit and its achievements. It radiates complete self-satisfaction. It is in the first state that it is valuable to ascetics and ascetics. The second is called bhoga and is more secular.
The ordinary appearance of Brahma, the natural attributes, one or more wives - this is characteristic of the laity. In the third state (vira), this god personifies valor and is revered by kings and warriors. Abhicharika - the fourth type of Brahma - is an image of a solid and awesome god. Such a terrible state is characteristic of those who want to get rid of their ill-wishers.
Character Attributes
Brahma can be recognized by his characteristic attributes. The most famous feature is the presence of faces. They designate the cardinal points and have their names: north - Atharva Veda, west - Samaveda, east - Rigveda, south - Yajurveda. Four hands also symbolize these directions. In one of them, Brahma holds a container of water. This is because the basis of the world is kamandala (water), which is inalienable in all the creations of Brahma.
The rosary in the second hand is time that cannot be eternal. Swans or geese that move the chariot with Brahma are the personification of locks (worlds). The earth is represented by a lotus, which is born from the navel of Vishnu.
The origin of the heads of Brahma
The Indian god Brahma is considered the creator of the material universe, which itself arose from the lotus and has no maternal ties with other deities. After birth, he created eleven ancestors of humanity - Prajapati. The seven Sapta Rishi, his chief assistants in the creation of the earth, were created from the mind and became his sons. From his own body, the god Brahma created a woman who later became known by many names - Gayatri, Satharupa, Brahmani, etc. He succumbed to the feeling of love and was struck by the beauty of his daughter. When she turned away from him to the left, Brahma could not stop admiring her, and so the second head was born. When she turned away from him again and again, another face appeared. Then she went up, and Brahma created the fifth head.