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.

    • 1.3.1.3

      Apabila dimohon, “Katakanlah keagungannya,” Sūta pun berbicara kepada para resi itu. Sūta bersabda: “Dahulu, tentang perkara inilah Sanaka pernah bertanya kepada Brahmā yang bermuka empat.”

    • 1.4.12.1

      Nandikeśvara berkata: Kemudian Pitāmaha (Brahmā), menjejaki tiang yang berupa cahaya itu, melompat ke atas dengan deras, menerjah ke hamparan langit yang tiada bersandar.

    • 1.4.16.1

      Brahmā berkata: “Wahai Dewa segala dewa, siapakah yang mampu mengetahui kedaulatan dan keagungan-Mu? Tanpa anugerah-Mu—yang sukar diperoleh kecuali melalui kesatuan bhakti dengan-Mu—hal itu tidak dapat disedari.”

    • 2.3.24.5

      Brahmā berkata: Setelah mendengar kata-kata para dewa itu, Nandīkeśvara—yang dipenuhi belas kasih tertinggi—mulai menyampaikan permohonan dengan rendah hati kepada Śambhu (Tuhan Śiva).

    • 2.4.2.1

      Brahmā bersabda: Setelah mendengar demikian, Mahādeva—yang mahir dalam pengetahuan Yoga—walaupun telah bebas daripada nafsu, tidak meninggalkan penyatuan suami isteri, kerana menghormati serta takut mengecewakan Pārvatī.

    • 2.4.1.6

      Brahmā berkata: Wahai Nārada, dengarlah—kini akan kuceritakan laku suci Tuhan bermahkota bulan (Śiva): kisah ilahi kelahiran Guha serta pembunuhan yang benar terhadap asura Tārakāsura.

    • 1.17.3

      Ceritakanlah kepadaku peristiwa ini—sebagaimana ia terjadi, sebagaimana ia dilakukan. Apa yang berlaku dalam kalangan Ābhīra dan juga apa yang dilakukan oleh Brahmā; kerana rasa ingin tahuku tentang hal ini amat besar.

    • 1.16.4

      Apakah bahagian-bahagian (porsi) yajña itu? Apakah bahan persembahan, dan apakah dakṣiṇā (pemberian suci untuk para pendeta)? Bagaimanakah vedi (altar), apakah ukurannya, dan bagaimana Virañci (Brahmā) menyusunnya di sana?

    • 1.34.1

      Bhīṣma berkata: “Wahai Bhagavān, bilakah Bhagavān Brahmā, pencipta segala alam, mula melaksanakan yajña menurut tata upacara korban suci? Mohon tuan jelaskan.”

    • 8.24.6

      Dengan pengendalian diri, tapa dan pematuhan disiplin, wahai raja, Pitāmaha (Brahmā) berkenan kepada mereka lalu sebagai Pemberi anugerah mengurniakan pelbagai kurnia.

    • 12.273.27

      Maka Sang Svayambhū, Brahmā, merenungi Agni yang berjiwa agung. Lalu Agni mendekati Brahmā dan menuturkan kata-kata ini.

    • 12.335.25

      Mereka menyaksikan Brahmā yang bercahaya tiada terhingga, bersemayam di atas teratai, mula-mula menzahirkan keempat-empat Veda dalam rupa jasmani yang indah.

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