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Other names- Brahmaa, Hiranyagarbha, Nabhija, Kanja

Lord Brahma is the first god represented in the Hindu Triad (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva) and performs the role of creation and generation of life on earth. Lord Brahma was the one who created eleven 'Prajapatis' for fathering the human race. Lord Brahma himself is believed to have taken birth from the navel of Sri Vishnu emerging on top of a thousand petal lotus flower; hence he is sometimes addressed as Nabhija. Another legend says that Brahma was born in water. In this he deposited a seed that later became the golden egg. From this golden egg, Brahma the creator was born, as Hiranyagarbha (golden embryo). The remaining materials of this golden egg expanded into the Brahm-anda or Universe. Being born in water, Brahma is also called Kanja (born in water).

Brahma is said also to be the son of the Supreme Being, Brahman and the female energy known as Prakrti or Maya.Brahma's Vahan (vehicle) is the white swan which is a reflection of the Lord's righteous action and sense of honorable discrimination. A swan is described in Hindu mysticism as possessing the unique faculty of separating pure milk from a mixture of milk and water. It is reputed to have the ability to draw the milk alone and leave the water behind, thus manifesting Brahma's sense of justice. Similarly does a man of realization move about in the world, recognizing the one divinity in the pluralistic phenomena of the world.

Lord Brahma is usually depicted as red in color, four armed and bearing four heads seated on the Lotus flower. The four faces of Brahma represent the four Vedas - the source of all knowledge; the lord continuously recites the four Vedas from his mouths. The four arms of the lord represent his knowledge about the undertakings in all the four directions and are thus a symbol of his omnipresence The four castes (see Varna) are also believed to have originated from Brahma: the Brahmins (learned ones) from his head, the Kshatriyas (warriors) from his arms, the Vaishyas (merchants or traders) from his thighs, and the Shudras (people prone to physical work in their profession) from his feet. In northern India Lord Brahma is usually depicted as having a long white beard which signify the immense wisdom the Lord has and as well as the never ending cycle of creation and destruction.

The Lord has in his four hands a Kamandalu (an oblong water pot made of dry gourd (pumpkin) or coconut shell or metal or wood of the Kamandalu tree usually with a handle and sometimes a spout. Hindu ascetics or Yogis use it to store drinking water. Seen in the hands of the deities the water in the Kamandalu represents Amrita- the exilir of life), a manuscript (Vedas), a sacrificial implement (sruva) and a rosary (mala). He wears the hide of a black antelope.

The description of Brahma like those of other deities of Hinduism bears a mystic symbolism. The lotus represents the Reality. Brahma sitting on the lotus indicates that he is ever-rooted in the infinite Reality. Reality is the foundation on which his personality rests. The four faces of Brahma represent the four Vedas. They also symbolize the functioning of the inner personality (antahkarana) which consists of thoughts. They are the mind (manas), the intellect (buddhi), ego (ahamkara) and conditioned-consciousness (chitta). They represent the four ways in which thoughts function.

The animal hide worn by Brahma stands for austerity. A seeker who desires to realize his godhead must first go through spiritual disciplines. Observing such austerities the seeker must carefully study and reflect upon the scriptural truths which are suggested by the manuscript (Vedas) held in one hand. Having acquired the knowledge of scriptures he must work in the world without ego and egocentric desires, that is engage in dedicated and sacrificial service for the welfare of the world. This idea is suggested by the sacrificial implement (sruva) held in the second hand. When a man works in the world selflessly he drops his desires. He is no longer extroverted, materialistic, and sensual. His mind is withdrawn from its preoccupations with the world of objects and beings. Such a mind is said to be in uparati. A man who has reached the state of uparati is in a spirit of renunciation.

That is indicated by Brahma holding the Kamandalu in his hand. Kamandalu is a water-pot used by a sanyasi-a man of renunciation. It is a symbol of sanyas or renunciation. The mind of such a man which is withdrawn from the heat of passion of the world is available for deeper concentration and meditation. The rosary (mala) in the fourth hand is meant to be used for chanting and meditation. Meditation is the final gateway to Realization. Through deep and consistent meditation the mind gets annihilated and the seeker attains godhood. A god-man maintains his identity with his supreme Self while he is engaged in the world of perceptions, emotions and thoughts. He retains the concept of unity in diversity. He separates the pure unconditioned consciousness underlying this conditioned world of names and forms. Brahma's association with a swan is most appropriate in this context

Brahma's abode is known as Brahmaok, which is said to contain all the splendors of earth and of all the heavens.
The creator must necessarily possess the knowledge to create. Without knowledge no creation is possible. Hence Brahma is said to be wedded to the goddess of knowledge, Saraswati. Devi Saraswati the goddess of learning and arts. She adequately symbolizes Lord Brahma's ingenious force. Saraswati is also the goddess of wisdom and science, the mother of the Vedas, and the inventor of the Devanagari script. She is represented as a fair woman with four arms, dressed in white and seated on a white lotus. As goddess of the arts, she is shown playing, or holding, a Veena (a musical instrument similar to a guitar). In one of her right hands, she holds a book of palm leaves and in the other, a lotus. In her left hands, she has a string of pearls, and a damaru (an Indian drum).
Brahma has written books on Vastushashtra (the art of building a house) and on administration of justice. He is named the principal of philosophy in the Upanishads.

In the process of creating the universe, Brahma first created Manu and Shatrupa. Manu is said to be the first man of the human world (equivalent to Adam of Christianity). Brahma also created Kamdev and Rati as the inspiring substance for the ten ‘MANASPUTRAS’ ( sons produced from the mind namely -Marichi, Atri, Angirasa, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Vashishta, Prachetas or Daksha, Bhrigu, and Narada) are called Prajapatis and the world further developed from the Prajapatis. He is also believed to have created the Saptarishi, or seven great sages, to help him create the universe.

Another story in connection with Brahma's four heads is that when Brahma was creating the universe, after cutting a part of his own body, created a woman named Shatrupa (a face with hundred beauties).As soon as Brahma saw his female creation, he fell in love with her and could not remove his gaze from her extraordinary beauty. Naturally Shatrupa felt shy and moved in various directions to avoid the gaze of Brahma. But wherever she went, Brahma developed a head. Shatrupa then rose towards the sky to escape from the gaze of Brahma so he created the fifth head on top of the four heads. Thus, Brahma developed five heads, one on each side and one above the others. In order to control Brahma, Shiva cut off the top head. Also, Shiva felt that Shatrupa was Brahma's daughter, being created by him. Therefore, Shiva determined, it was wrong for Brahma to become obsessed with her. He directed that there be no proper worship on earth for the "unholy" Brahma. Thus, only Vishnu and Shiva continue to be worshipped, while Brahma is almost totally ignored. Ever since this incident happened Brahma has been reciting the four Vedas in his attempt to repent.

Brahma is worshipped at Pushkar near Ajmer in Rajasthan. This is the only place where Brahma is worshipped. There is no other place in world where he is worshipped. According to an ancient story, Savitri, wife of Brahma (who is also called Saraswati at many places) reached late for the Yagya (fire sacrifice) and Brahma got angry and married Gayatri, a milkmaid in Pushkar and started the yagya. At this, Savitri cursed him that he will not be worshipped at any other places in the world except Pushkar.

The world is said to exist for one Kalpa, or one day in the life of Brahma. At the end of a Kalpa, the whole world is destroyed. Brahma is then believed to go to sleep for one night, which is as long as a Kalpa. When he awakens, he recreates the world. Again this process is repeated for 100 years of Brahma, which is the life span of one Brahma. Then everything dissolves into its constituent elements. This whole process is repeated unendingly.