God · All traditions · Pan-India

Brahma

Also called: Prajapati, Pitamaha, Svayambhu, Hiranyagarbha, Chaturmukha, Vidhi, Vethan (Ayyavazhi), Phra Phrom (Thailand)

The creator of the Puranic triad, grandfather of the worlds, father of the mind-born sages and the giver of boons that drive many demon stories. His existence is told at least five ways (golden womb, golden egg, lotus from Vishnu's navel, self-birth, and a face of Shiva) and the texts never reconcile them. He had a sect in the post-Vedic centuries but by the seventh century had been overshadowed by Vishnu, Shiva and the Goddess; today he has a scattering of temples rather than a following, and nearly every regional story about him explains that fading as a humbling.

creation boon humbling pride

Sources: Brahma — Wikipedia; Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.8 — Bhaktivedanta Vedabase; Trimurti — Wikipedia; Brahma Temple, Pushkar — Wikipedia · see Brahma's web

Relations 76

Brahma parent of

Saraswati (Consort) · Saraswati: daughter, consort, or both
Daughter in the Brahma, Padma, Skanda, Matsya and Bhagavata Puranas; born from his split body (Matsya) or his essence.
Manasaputras, the mind-born sons of Brahma (Concept) · The mind-born sons, Narada and Daksha
Created from his mind.
Narada (Sage) · The mind-born sons, Narada and Daksha
Mind-born.
Daksha (King) · The mind-born sons, Narada and Daksha
Mind-born in the Puranas; from Brahma's right thumb in the Mahabharata.
Bhrigu (Sage) · The mind-born sons, Narada and Daksha
Mind-born; the reason Brahma forgives Bhrigu's test.
Atri (Sage) · The mind-born sons, Narada and Daksha
Mind-born.
Vasishtha (Sage) · The mind-born sons, Narada and Daksha
Mind-born.
Kamadeva (God) · The mind-born sons, Narada and Daksha
Kamadeva is listed among the mind-born sons.
Shatarupa (Consort) · The mind-born sons, Narada and Daksha
Daughter; the Matsya counts Shatarupa among Saraswati's names.
Svayambhuva Manu (King) · Saraswati: daughter, consort, or both
Son of Brahma and his female half (Matsya); husband of Shatarupa.
Sandhya (God) Shaiva · Brahma, Sandhya and the curse on Kama
Mind-born daughter (Shiva Purana, Rudra Samhita).
Amogha (Mortal) All traditions · The Brahmaputra, son of Brahma
Not a parent edge in the usual sense: Brahma fathers Lauhitya on Amogha through the sage's agency; recorded here so the river's descent is traversable.
Brahmaputra river (Place) All traditions · The Brahmaputra, son of Brahma
The child Lauhitya becomes the river (Kalika Purana via press retellings).
Shatarupa (Consort) · Brahma's fifth head and the skull that would not fall
Made from himself; his desire for her is the Skanda/popular trigger for the beheading.
The four Kumaras (Sage) Vaishnava · Who made whom: the Bhagavata's creation frame
Mind-born sons whose refusal to procreate provokes the anger.

Brahma cursed by

Saraswati (Consort) Shaiva · Saraswati: daughter, consort, or both
Shiva Purana version: she rejects his advances, curses him and departs.
Savitri (Consort) · The Pushkar sacrifice and Savitri's curse
Worship at Pushkar alone.
Bhrigu (Sage) Vaishnava · Bhrigu tests the three gods
Popular South Indian telling only (no worship); UNVERIFIED against any fetched text.
Shiva (God) Shaiva · The ketaki lie and the curse of no worship
No worship in the three worlds, for the ketaki lie.
Shiva (God) Shaiva · Tirupattur: Brahma rewrites his own fate
Fifth head and creative power removed for pride (temple tradition).
Bhrigu (Sage) Vaishnava · Bhrigu tests the three gods
Popular telling only: cursed to have no worship. Absent from Bhagavata 10.89; Padma Purana attribution unverified.
Shiva (God) Shaiva · The pillar of light
No temples or worship on earth, for the lie about the pillar's summit.
Shiva (God) Shaiva · Brahma's fifth head and the skull that would not fall
Fifth head cut by Bhairava; no proper worship decreed (Shatarupa telling). Triggers differ by text.
Bhairava (Form) Shaiva · Brahma's fifth head and the skull that would not fall
Fifth head cut; the skull sticks to Bhairava's hand.

Brahma granted a boon to

Hiranyakashipu (Asura) · The boon that had a loophole: Hiranyakashipu
Bhagavata 7.3.35-38; Shiva Purana gives a different exclusion list.
Ravana (Asura) · Ravana's boon at Gokarna
Invincibility against all of Brahma's creations except humans.
Mahishasura (Asura) Folk · Mahishasura's boon: no man shall kill him
Popular tellings only; Wikipedia does not name the grantor. UNVERIFIED.
Mahishi (Asura) Folk · The birth of Ayyappa
Only a child of Vishnu and Shiva can kill her.
Guhasura (Asura) Smarta · How Vishnu and Shiva became one body
Neither Hari nor Hara alone could kill him.
The Tripura demons (Asura) · The burning of the three cities
The three cities, destructible only by a single arrow when aligned.
The Tripura demons (Asura) · The three cities burnt with one arrow
Cities destructible only by one arrow when aligned.
Andhaka (Asura) Shaiva · Andhaka, the blind demon who wanted his mother
Hiranyakashipu (Asura) · Prahlada and the man-lion
Not by man or beast, weapon, day or night, indoors or out.

Brahma dwells at

Pushkar (Place) · The Pushkar sacrifice and Savitri's curse
His best-known temple; worship confined here by Savitri's curse.
Kumbakonam Brahma Temple (Vedanarayana Perumal) (Place) Vaishnava · Kumbakonam: Brahma loses the Vedas and wins them back
Shrine beside Vedanarayana Perumal, flanked by Saraswati and Gayatri.
Brahmapureeswarar Temple, Tirupattur (Place) Shaiva · Tirupattur: Brahma rewrites his own fate
Shrine in meditative lotus pose.
Brahma Temple, Khedbrahma (Place)
Late-eleventh-century temple.
Brahma Temple, Asotra (Shri Kheteshwar Brahmadham Teerth) (Place)
Modern temple promoted as the second Brahma temple.
Brahma Temple, Bindusagar (Place) Shaiva · Brahma drives Lingaraj's chariot
Fifteenth-century temple beside the tank.
Trimurti cave, Mahabalipuram (Place) All traditions · The so-called Trimurti cave at Mahabalipuram
Left shrine per Vogel and government tourism pages; contested.
Phnom Bok (Place) Southeast Asian · The triple shrine of Phnom Bok
Southern tower.

Brahma emanates from

Vishnu (God) Vaishnava · The lotus from Vishnu's navel
Born in the lotus from Vishnu's navel (Bhagavata 3.8).
Shiva (God) Shaiva · Brahma born from Shiva's right side
Made from the right side of Shiva's body, via the lotus (Shiva Purana, Rudra Samhita); chapter UNVERIFIED.
Shiva (God) Shaiva · Who made whom: the Shiva Purana's creation frame
From the right side of Shiva's body, via the lotus from Vishnu's navel.
Mahadevi (God) Shakta · Who made whom: the Devi Bhagavata's frame
Created by the Goddess for creation; made a woman on Manidvipa for a hundred years.
Shiva (God) Shaiva
Shiva Purana, Rudra Samhita (Srishti): Brahma from Shiva's right side, Vishnu from the left. Unverified against the text (wisdomlib 403); recorded from the report's who-made-whom frame.
Vishnu (God) Vaishnava · The lotus from Vishnu's navel
Born on the lotus from Vishnu's navel.

Brahma source of

Dattatreya (God) Smarta · Anasuya tests the three gods
Combined form: one third of the three-headed Datta.
Chandra (God) Vaishnava · Anasuya tests the three gods
Soma, son of Anasuya carrying Brahma's portion (Bhagavata 4.1.15).
Rudra (Form) Vaishnava · Who made whom: the Bhagavata's creation frame
Born crying from between Brahma's brows, named for the cry (Bhagavata 3.12).
Rudra (Form) Vaishnava
Bhagavata 3.12: Rudra born from Brahma's brow in anger and told to stop creating.

Brahma tested by

Bhrigu (Sage) Vaishnava · Bhrigu tests the three gods
Bhrigu (Sage) · Bhrigu tests the three gods
Enters without greeting; Brahma suppresses his anger.
Anasuya (Sage) Smarta · Anasuya tests the three gods
Turned into an infant and nursed.
Bhrigu (Sage) · Bhrigu's kick and the coming of Srinivasa

Brahma blessed

Shiva (God) · The burning of the three cities
Serves as charioteer of the cosmic chariot.
Bhagiratha (King) · Ganga comes down through Shiva's hair
Grants Ganga's descent.
Jagannath (Form) Vaishnava · Nila Madhava and the unfinished images of Puri
Consecrated the unfinished images (Skanda Purana variant).

Brahma blessed by

Shiva (God) Shaiva · Tirupattur: Brahma rewrites his own fate
Power restored, a shrine granted, and the right to rewrite devotees' fates.
Vishnu (God) Vaishnava · Kumbakonam: Brahma loses the Vedas and wins them back
Vedas and creative power restored after penance (travel/temple sites only).
Lakshmi (Consort) Vaishnava · Kumbakonam: Brahma loses the Vedas and wins them back
Appears with Vishnu at the restoration.

Brahma consort of

Saraswati (Consort) · Saraswati: daughter, consort, or both
Consort in the Matsya, Bhagavata, Brahma Vaivarta and Devi Bhagavata Puranas; NOT in the Brahma, Padma and Skanda Puranas, where she is daughter only.
Savitri (Consort) · The Pushkar sacrifice and Savitri's curse
Wife in the Padma and Skanda Puranas and the Pushkar tradition; the Matsya lists Savitri among Saraswati's names.
Gayatri (Consort) · The Pushkar sacrifice and Savitri's curse
Married at the Pushkar sacrifice when Savitri was late.

Brahma form of

Shiva (God) Shaiva · Brahma born from Shiva's right side
In the Shaiva Agamas 'Brahma' is Shiva's Sadyojata face performing creation.
Prajapati (God) All traditions · The golden womb and Prajapati
Later tradition equates the Vedic Prajapati with Brahma.
Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa (God) Southeast Asian · Three faces of one Widhi
Manifestation of the one Widhi in Balinese teaching.

Brahma has form

Dattatreya (God) · Dattatreya: the three natures in one son
Combined form carrying the natures of all three gods (Bhagavata).
Phra Phrom (Form) Buddhist · Phra Phrom at the Erawan Shrine
Thai four-faced Brahma as guardian spirit.
Phra Phrom (Form) Southeast Asian
The Thai Brahma worshipped as a guardian by Buddhists.

Brahma celebrated at

Kartik Purnima at Pushkar (Festival) · Kartik Purnima at Pushkar
His one large public festival; doubles as the camel fair.
Brahmotsavam (Festival) · Brahmotsavam, the festival of Brahma
Named for him as first officiant, not as the object of worship.

Brahma devotee of

Mahadevi (God) Shakta · Madhu and Kaitabha
The Brahmastuti / Ratri Sukta, the text's first hymn.
Vishnu (God) Vaishnava · The churning of the ocean of milk
Leads the defeated gods to Vishnu and hymns him (Bhagavata 8.5–8.6).

Brahma cursed

Kamadeva (God) Shaiva · Brahma, Sandhya and the curse on Kama
To be burnt to ash by Shiva; fulfilment not fetched in this pass.

Brahma slew

Vajranabha (Asura) Folk · The Pushkar sacrifice and Savitri's curse
With the lotus-weapon; petals fall to form the Pushkar lakes.

Stories 68

One being, three functions: the Trimurti idea
How a tradition frames it · as creator · 6 tellings
Dattatreya: the three natures in one son
In stone and bronze · as one of the three natures · 2 tellings
The Elephanta bust: Trimurti or Sadashiva?
In stone and bronze · as popular reading of one face · 3 tellings
The so-called Trimurti cave at Mahabalipuram
In stone and bronze · as left shrine (Vogel's reading) · 2 tellings
The golden womb and Prajapati
Origin · as later equated with Prajapati · 2 tellings
Brahma is born in the golden egg
Origin · as born inside the egg · 2 tellings
The lotus from Vishnu's navel
Origin · as born in the lotus · 2 tellings
Brahma born from Shiva's right side
Origin · as made from Shiva's right · 2 tellings
Why Brahma has four heads
Origin · as grows the heads · 2 tellings
Saraswati: daughter, consort, or both
Origin · as creator and father · 6 tellings
A day of Brahma
Origin · as whose day is the age of the world · 1 telling
The fifth head and the skull that would not fall
Legend · as loses his fifth head · 8 tellings
The ketaki lie and the curse of no worship
Legend · as claims to have reached the top, as a gander · 3 tellings
Bhrigu tests the three gods
Legend · as angered, then lets it pass · 3 tellings
The mind-born sons, Narada and Daksha
Origin · as father by thought · 2 tellings
Brahma, Sandhya and the curse on Kama
Legend · as desires his mind-born daughter and curses Kama · 1 telling
The boon that had a loophole: Hiranyakashipu
Legend · as grants the boon · 2 tellings
Ravana's boon at Gokarna
Legend · as grants the boon · 2 tellings
Mahishasura's boon: no man shall kill him
Legend · as grantor in popular tellings only · 3 tellings
The Pushkar sacrifice and Savitri's curse
Temple legend · as holds the sacrifice and marries Gayatri · 4 tellings
Kumbakonam: Brahma loses the Vedas and wins them back
Temple legend · as boasts, is stripped, does penance · 1 telling
Tirupattur: Brahma rewrites his own fate
Temple legend · as loses head and office, then is restored · 1 telling
Saraswati's forty-eight letters found the Madurai Sangam
Local story · as orders the punishment · 1 telling
Brahma drives Lingaraj's chariot
Temple legend · as attends the coronation and promises to return · 1 telling
The Brahmaputra, son of Brahma
Local story · as desires Amogha · 1 telling
Kartik Purnima at Pushkar
Festival story · as in whose honour the fair is held · 1 telling
Brahmotsavam, the festival of Brahma
Festival story · as held to have conducted the first festival · 2 tellings
Phra Phrom at the Erawan Shrine
Folk tale · as the Hindu deity behind the image · 1 telling
Three gods in one guru
How a tradition frames it · as one of the three heads · 2 tellings
Three faces of one Widhi
How a tradition frames it · as manifestation · 2 tellings
Baka Brahma's error and Sahampati's plea
How a tradition frames it · as the Hindu creator these figures reframe · 2 tellings
The pillar of light
Origin · as claimant, liar, cursed · 6 tellings
Bhrigu tests the three gods
Legend · as tested, controls anger (cursed in popular tellings) · 4 tellings
The churning of the ocean of milk
Legend · as counsellor · 3 tellings
The birth of Ayyappa
Temple legend · as boon-giver to Mahishi · 4 tellings
How Vishnu and Shiva became one body
Temple legend · as boon-giver to Guha (Karnataka) · 4 tellings
Anasuya tests the three gods
Legend · as tested, made an infant · 4 tellings
Brahma's fifth head and the skull that would not fall
Legend · as loses the fifth head · 5 tellings
Madhu and Kaitabha
Legend · as threatened; hymns the Goddess · 3 tellings
The burning of the three cities
Legend · as boon-giver; the charioteer; the calf · 4 tellings
Who made whom: the Shiva Purana's creation frame
How a tradition frames it · as born from the right side, via the navel lotus · 1 telling
Who made whom: the Bhagavata's creation frame
How a tradition frames it · as creator; father of Rudra · 1 telling
Who made whom: the Devi Bhagavata's frame
How a tradition frames it · as made a woman for a hundred years · 1 telling
The so-called Trimurti cave at Mahabalipuram
In stone and bronze · as left shrine (Vogel's reading) · 2 tellings
The three gods together on the Kailasa temple, Ellora
In stone and bronze · as gander in the Lingodbhava; charioteer of Tripurantaka · 1 telling
The triple shrine of Phnom Bok
In stone and bronze · as southern tower · 1 telling
How Shiva became half woman
Origin · as creator whose work stalls · 5 tellings
Daksha's sacrifice and the death of Sati
Legend · as broker of peace (Harivamsha, Kurma) · 5 tellings
Parvati wins Shiva
Legend · as officiant · 5 tellings
Shiva drinks the poison
Legend · as among the gods · 4 tellings
Ganga comes down through Shiva's hair
Legend · as grants the descent · 4 tellings
The three cities burnt with one arrow
Legend · as charioteer and boon-giver · 2 tellings
Andhaka, the blind demon who wanted his mother
Legend · as boon-giver · 4 tellings
The dance at Tillai and the contest with Kali
Temple legend · as spectator · 3 tellings
The twelve pillars of light
Temple legend · as claimant in the frame story · 2 tellings
The moon's curse eased at Somnath
Temple legend · as advises worship of Shiva · 1 telling
The lord of the single mango tree
Temple legend · as drives the chariot · 1 telling
The lamp on the hill
Festival story · as claimant in the pillar story · 3 tellings
Parvati's penance on the hill of fire
Temple legend · as claimant in the pillar story · 1 telling
The lotus from Vishnu's navel
Origin · as born from the lotus · 2 tellings
Vishnu created from Shiva's left side
How a tradition frames it · as created · 1 telling
Vishnu cannot wake until the Goddess withdraws
How a tradition frames it · as petitioner · 1 telling
The churning of the ocean of milk
Legend · as counsellor · 3 tellings
Bhrigu's kick and the coming of Srinivasa
Temple legend · as tested · 4 tellings
Prahlada and the man-lion
Legend · as boon-giver · 3 tellings
How Ranganatha came to face south at Srirangam
Temple legend · as first keeper · 2 tellings
The image that came from Vaikuntha to Guruvayur
Temple legend · as first keeper · 1 telling
Nila Madhava and the unfinished images of Puri
Temple legend · as consecrator · 4 tellings

Coverage

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13 stories in notes; gaps: Uttarakhand, Bengal tellings; Kalidasa verse numbers unverified.

Cited

Brahma — Wikipedia Encyclopedia
Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.8 — Bhaktivedanta Vedabase Primary text (translation)
Trimurti — Wikipedia Encyclopedia
Brahma Temple, Pushkar — Wikipedia Encyclopedia