Why is Brahma rarely worshipped in India despite being the creator god in Hinduism?
Brahma lost his significance by the 7th century CE due to the rise of Shaivism and Vaishnavism, his replacement by the Tridevi in the Smarta tradition, and attacks from Buddhist, Jain, and other Hindu communities. Puranic legends add that Shiva punished Brahma for dishonesty by decreeing he would receive no active following. A curse attributed to his wife Savitri is also said to restrict his worship to Pushkar in Rajasthan.
What are the four things Brahma holds in his four hands?
Brahma holds the sacred texts of the Vedas, a mala symbolizing the time of creation, a shruka (a ladle for feeding sacrificial fire), and a kamandalu (a water vessel representing the source of all creation). His four hands carry no weapons, only symbols of knowledge and creation.
What is the most famous Brahma temple in India?
The Brahma Temple at Pushkar in Rajasthan is the most prominent Hindu temple dedicated to Brahma in India. Legend holds that a curse by Brahma's wife Savitri limits his worship to this location, which is why temples dedicated primarily to him are rare elsewhere in the country.
How long is Brahma's lifespan according to Hindu cosmology?
Brahma's lifespan is 311.04 trillion solar years, which equals 311 trillion 40 billion earth years. One day in Brahma's life (a kalpa) consists of a thousand cycles of the four yugas, and he lives one hundred such cosmic "years" before dying. Humanity currently lives in the 28th Kali Yuga of the 51st year of the current Brahma's life.
Where is Brahma worshipped outside of India?
Brahma is worshipped in Thailand at the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok and is represented in the golden dome of the Government House of Thailand. One of the three main temples at the 9th-century Prambanan complex in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, is dedicated to Brahma, and in Bali the Andakasa Temple is dedicated to him. A shrine of Brahma also exists at Cambodia's Angkor Wat, and Mount Bromo in Java's Tengger range takes its name from Brahma.
What is the Hiranyagarbha and how does it relate to Brahma's origin?
The Hiranyagarbha is a golden egg or golden embryo described in early texts such as the Brahmanda Purana. According to this creation account, an eternal ocean existed at the beginning, from which the Hiranyagarbha emerged. Brahma created himself inside this egg and then broke out, gaining the name Svayambhu meaning the self-born, before proceeding to create the universe, earth, and living beings.