-
Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:- Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
- Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
- Access to private conversations with other members.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!
Lord Brahma
- Thread starter Shrew
- Start date
Not as far as we know, but there may be small pockets somewhere.
Spirit_Warrior
Active Member
It is curious that Brahma is not worshipped, because Brahma is the creator and in Abrahamic religions the creator enjoys the highest worship. In Hinduism, however, it is the preserver and destroyer that enjoys the highest worship. I think one way to explain this the pragmatic attitude of Hindus, of being always in the here and now or present than dwelling in the past. Brahma is like the deistic god that started the ball rolling so to speak, created the universe and then took a back seat. Vishnu is the one preserving it and periodically taking avatars to save the world from adharma, hence as the saviour Vishnu enjoys the most popularity. Shiva as the god is ultimately going to destroy it from the future perspective draws awe, hence is he also described as awful and terrible and the Vedas beg his mercy.
The real competition though is between Shiva and Vishnu for supremacy, it is fascinating and even amusing to read the Shiva and Vishnu Puranas argue over who is the most supreme. From a Shaiva point of view Shiva is seen as the most supreme because Shiva does not destroy, but transform, because every act of destruction is also at the same time an act of regeneration. Thus Shiva is simultaneously the creator, preserver and the destroyer and hence the true God of all Gods.
The real competition though is between Shiva and Vishnu for supremacy, it is fascinating and even amusing to read the Shiva and Vishnu Puranas argue over who is the most supreme. From a Shaiva point of view Shiva is seen as the most supreme because Shiva does not destroy, but transform, because every act of destruction is also at the same time an act of regeneration. Thus Shiva is simultaneously the creator, preserver and the destroyer and hence the true God of all Gods.
Last edited:
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
In modern Hinduism, Brahma creates at the bidding of Vishnu, Shiva or the Mother Goddess and writes the fate of a being on its forehead. In that form he is called Vidhata (I suppose from some root in Sanskrit which means 'what happens'). Brahma is worshiped in association with other Gods (Gurur Brahma, Gurur Vishno, Gurur devo Maheshwara..).
Why his worship was banned (I have described it in other topics) goes back to some 2,200 BC and it perhaps relates to the changeover of the beginning of the year from the rising of the sun on the day of vernal equinox in the asterism of Orion (Mrigashiras, that was the head of Prajapati which Rudra severed, the original Prajapati Brahma of the Vedas) to the asterism of Pleiades (Krittika) due to precession of equinoxes. What happened was that the rising sun moved towards Rohini, considered the daughter of Prajapti, and this action was considered as attempted incest. Prajapati Brahma, rightly or wrongly, was branded the culprit for the action. The change also perhaps created Kartikeya. New stars had to have a new God, so a six-headed God raised by six sisters in the sky.
Why his worship was banned (I have described it in other topics) goes back to some 2,200 BC and it perhaps relates to the changeover of the beginning of the year from the rising of the sun on the day of vernal equinox in the asterism of Orion (Mrigashiras, that was the head of Prajapati which Rudra severed, the original Prajapati Brahma of the Vedas) to the asterism of Pleiades (Krittika) due to precession of equinoxes. What happened was that the rising sun moved towards Rohini, considered the daughter of Prajapti, and this action was considered as attempted incest. Prajapati Brahma, rightly or wrongly, was branded the culprit for the action. The change also perhaps created Kartikeya. New stars had to have a new God, so a six-headed God raised by six sisters in the sky.
निताइ dasa
Nitai's servant's servant
Lord Brahma is not worshiped that much, especially in Kaliyuga, due to Rishi Brhgu's curse. There is one big Temple dedicated to him in Rajasthan, but I have not seem in him worshiped in diety form anywhere. Nor do I know any sampradaya that worships him as a primary diety.
Nyingjé Tso
Dharma not drama
Vanakkam,
He does enjoy quite some popularity alongside Indra in south east asia, especially Thaïland.
Aum Namah Shivaya
He does enjoy quite some popularity alongside Indra in south east asia, especially Thaïland.
Aum Namah Shivaya
I don't know why that is. From my pov they are flip sides of the same coin, as reflected in my signature. The same goes for Devī.
Ahh ... the Puranas, they're stories. Maybe a little competition makes for a better story. But I'm with you.
I also look at them as learning and teaching tools, morality tales, and such. Not to mention a little bit of humor thrown in.
*Whispering quietly* Ma is best. All hail Ma.