Deity

Brahma

ब्रह्माBrahmā

verses
19,173
books
32
chapters
4,254
Consort of
Saraswati

What the texts say

In the Brahma Purana, Brahma is the creator of all beings, a figure of immeasurable splendor. Brahma Purana 1.34 The Manusmriti says he was born of himself within a golden egg and calls him the grandsire of all worlds. Manusmriti 1.9 In the Bhagavata Purana, a lotus sprouts from the navel of Vishnu, and the first living being to emerge from it is Brahma. Bhagavatam 3.20.16 The Shiva Purana shows four-faced Brahma reciting Vedic hymns and says the Vedas issued from his mouths. Shiva Purana 2.3.30.46, 7.1.31 The Brahma Purana adds that he created the sage Vasishtha and brought forth seven mind-born beings. Brahma Purana 1.44 The Shiva Purana also tells how the asura Taraka won a boon from Brahma that made him unconquerable. Shiva Purana 2.3.17.30 The Bhagavata Purana also says Brahma told the Bhagavata, a text of ten characteristics, to his son Narada. Bhagavatam 2.9.44

Where to read

Every verse that names Brahma, book by book.

  1. Skanda Purana

    4,931 verses · 898 chapters

    All 4,931 verses in the Skanda Purana
    • 1.3.1.3

      Rishiyon ne Suta se kaha, iski badai batao. Suta ne un sabse baat ki. Suta ne kaha, pehle bhi Sanaka ne Brahma se yehi baat poochi thi. Brahma ke chaar muh hain.

    • 1.4.12.1

      Nandikeshwar ne kaha. Brahma us roshni ke khambe ke peeche bhaage. Phir zor se upar udd gaya, aasmaan mein jahan kuch bhi nahi tha.

    • 1.4.16.1

      Brahma ne kaha, Dev, tumhari shakti ka koi hisaab nahi. Koi nahi jaan sakta. Tumhari kripa bina milaye yeh samajh mein nahi aata. Aur woh kripa milna aasan nahi hai.

  2. Shiva Purana

    2,546 verses · 369 chapters

    All 2,546 verses in the Shiva Purana
    • 2.3.24.5

      Brahma ne kaha, devataon ki baat sun ke Nandikeshwar ka dil bhar gaya. Woh bahut daya se bhara hua tha. Usne Shambhu se vinamra request karne shuru kiya.

    • 2.4.2.1

      Brahma ne kaha ki Mahadev ne yeh baat suni. Woh yoga ke gyaan mein master tha. Uske andar koi ichcha nahi thi, phir bhi usne Parvati ke saath sambandh toota nahi. Dar tha ki kahin Parvati naraz na ho jaaye.

    • 2.4.1.6

      Brahma ne kaha ki Narad sun, main tumhe Shiv ki kahani batata hoon. Yeh Guha ki paidaish ki baat hai aur asur Tarak ko kaise mara gaya.

  3. Padma Purana

    1,905 verses · 394 chapters

    All 1,905 verses in the Padma Purana
    • 1.17.3

      Mujhe poora kissa sunao. Jaise hua waise hi batao, jaise kiya waise hi batao. Abhir logon mein kya hua, Brahma ne kya kiya, sab batao. Mera dil bahut kar raha hai yeh sunne ka.

    • 1.16.4

      Us yagya mein sabko hissa kaise mila? Kya saman diya, panditon ko kya diya? Vedi kaisi thi, kitni badi thi? Brahma ji ne wahan sab kaise arrange kiya?

    • 1.34.1

      Bhishma ne poocha ki kab Brahma ji ne yagya shuru kiya tha. Brahma ji ne duniya banayi thi, toh woh kab yagya ke liye taiyar hue.

  4. Mahabharata

    1,162 verses · 355 chapters

    All 1,162 verses in the Mahabharata

    Also in the Gita Press edition: 1,542 verses

    • 8.24.6

      Raja, woh log apne aap ko control mein rakhte the. Tapasya kiya aur niyam follow kiya. Pitamaha Brahma unse khush ho gaye. Phir unhe jo mann mein aaya woh vardaan de diya.

    • 12.273.27

      Brahma ne khud socha aur Agni par dhyan kiya. Agni bada tha. Phir Agni Brahma ke paas gaya. Usne Brahma se baat ki.

    • 12.335.25

      Unhone Brahma ko dekha jo kamal pe baitha tha. Brahma ki chamak itni thi ki uski koi seema nahi thi. Woh pehle chaar Ved bana rahe the. Yeh Ved aise the jaise insaan ki shakal mein hain, aur bahut khoobsurat.

Also named in

Key chapters

The chapters where Brahma matters most.

  1. Brahmā’s Prayers to Lord Kṛṣṇa (Brahmā-stuti) and the Restoration of Vraja’s Lunch Pastime

    Bhagavatam 10.14 · 47 verses

    Penitent tester turned surrendered theologian

  2. Brahmā’s Bewilderment and Kṛṣṇa Becoming the Calves and Cowherd Boys (Brahma-vimohana-līlā)

    Bhagavatam 10.13 · 27 verses

    Cosmic creator whose intelligence and authority are tested and…

  3. The Manifestation of the Fiery Pillar and the Humbling of Rivalry

    Skanda Purana 1.3.1 · 25 verses

  4. Pursuit of the Pillar of Light and the Ketakī Leaf Dialogue

    Skanda Purana 1.4.12 · 23 verses

  5. Aruṇācala as Jyotirmaya-Liṅga: Brahmā-Viṣṇu Stuti, Śiva’s Anugraha, and the Establishment of Worship

    Skanda Purana 1.4.16 · 20 verses

  6. Devas’ Hymn, Nandikeśvara’s Petition, and Śiva’s Rising from Samādhi

    Shiva Purana 2.3.24 · 19 verses

    Frame-narrator voice (“brahmovāca”)

  7. Description of the Birth/Manifestation of Śiva’s Son

    Shiva Purana 2.4.2 · 19 verses

    Frame-speaker and doctrinal narrator

  8. शिवविहारवर्णनम् (Śivavihāra-varṇana): “Description of Śiva’s Divine Pastimes/Sojourn”

    Shiva Purana 2.4.1 · 18 verses

    Authoritative respondent

  9. Brahmā-Viṣṇu Garva-vivāda and the Disruption of Cosmic Order (ब्रह्मविष्ण्वोर्गर्वविवादः)

    Skanda Purana 1.4.9 · 18 verses

  10. Origin of Agni’s Tejas and the Context of Nara’s Emergence

    Skanda Purana 5.1.4 · 72 verses

Key episodes

  1. Narasimha Appears from the Pillar

    Bhagavatam 7.8-7.9

  2. The Churning of the Ocean (Samudra Manthan)

    Bhagavatam 8.5-8.10

  3. Brahma Steals the Calves and Cowherd Boys

    Bhagavatam 10.13-10.14

  4. Shatakshi and Shakambhari: The Goddess Who Fed the World

    Devi Bhagavatam 7.28

  5. Ganesha Writes the Mahabharata as Vyasa Dictates

    Mahabharata (Gita Press) 1.1

  6. Madhu and Kaitabha (Devi Mahatmya, Chapter 1)

    Markandeya Purana 81

  7. Durga Slays Mahishasura

    Markandeya Purana 82-84

  8. Manu and the Fish (Matsya Purana)

    Matsya Purana 1-2

  9. Brahma's Sacrifice at Pushkara and Savitri's Curse

    Padma Purana 1.16-1.17

  10. Valmiki and the Krauncha Birds: The First Shloka

    Ramayana 1.2

  11. The Descent of the Ganga: Sagara's Sons and Bhagiratha

    Ramayana 1.38-1.44

  12. Sita's Ordeal by Fire (Agni Pariksha)

    Ramayana 6.118-6.121

Also known to Wikipedia · Wikidata Q11389