Yoga is the ability to direct the mind exclusively to an object and maintain this direction without distraction.

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- in Hindu mythology, the supreme god of the main triad of gods along with Vishnu and Shiva. He is revered as the creator of the Universe, in contrast to Vishnu, its preserver, and Shiva the destroyer.

According to legends, Brahma is born from an egg floating in the primeval ocean. He divides the egg into two halves, from which heaven and earth arise, and then the entire visible world and living beings: gods, people, animals and plants. The days and nights of Brahma's life determine the rhythm of life of the entire Universe.

The sons of Brahma (among whom Angiras, Daksha, Bhrigu should be noted) become the ancestors of gods and people. Admired by the beauty of the goddess Savitri (Gayatri) created from his body, Brahma acquires four faces in order to constantly see her. In the form of a fish, Brahma saves the first man Manu from the flood, and from the thigh of Brahma the famous sage Narada is born.

Appearance and Attributes

Brahma's skin color is described to be reddish and he is dressed in red clothes. Brahma has four heads, four faces and four arms. It is said that each of his four heads continuously recites one of the four Vedas. Brahma is often depicted with a white beard (especially in Northern India), symbolizing the almost eternal nature of his existence.

Unlike most other Hindu deities, Brahma does not hold any weapons in his hands. In one of his hands he holds a scepter in the shape of a ladle or a large spoon, which is associated with the pouring of ghee on the sacred fire of Vedic sacrifices and symbolizes that Brahma is the lord of the yajnas. In the other of his hands he holds a kamandalu, a vessel of water made of metal or even a coconut shell. The water in this vessel symbolizes the primordial, all-absorbing ether, from which the first elements of creation emerged. In another of his hands, Brahma holds prayer beads called akshamala, which he uses to count universal time. In his fourth hand, Brahma usually holds the books of the Vedas, but sometimes a lotus flower. Four arms - Brahma's four arms represent the four cardinal directions: east, south, west and north. Rear right hand represents the mind, back left hand represents the mind, the front right hand represents the ego, and the front left hand represents self-confidence. Rosary beads symbolize various material substances used in the creation of the Universe.

Book— the book of the Vedas in one of Brahma’s hands symbolizes knowledge. Gold- associated with activity; Brahma's golden face indicates that he is actively involved in the process of creation of the Universe. Swan- symbolizes mercy and the ability to distinguish between good and bad. Brahma uses the swan Hamsa as his vehicle, vahana. Crown- Brahma's crown symbolizes his supreme power in the Universe. Lotus- The lotus flower symbolizes the nature and essence of all things and living beings in the Universe. Beard- Brahma's black or gray beard indicates wisdom and personifies the eternal process of creation. Four faces- four faces, heads and hands represent the four Vedas: Rig, Samu, Yajur and Atharva. The vehicle or vahana of Brahma is the divine swan. The swan is revered in Indian culture because of its special quality called nira-kshira-viveka or the ability to separate milk from a mixture of milk and water. The swan represents that all living beings in the universe deserve justice, no matter what situation they find themselves in. Also, this ability of the swan indicates that the individual must be able to separate good from bad, accepting what has spiritual value and rejecting what does not.

In Sanskrit, fennel is called "madhurika", which means "sweetness giver". Fennel has a spicy, sweetish aroma, reminiscent of anise, and has a cooling and refreshing effect. Fennel nourishes plasma, blood, muscles, cetal marrow, has a beneficial effect on the digestive, nervous, genitourinary systems, helps in the treatment of kidney and, especially, kidney stone diseases. Fennel enhances the digestive fire without increasing bile content.

Backbends can be active and passive: in some we tense our muscles and make an effort to hold the pose, in others we relax and perform a backbend using special equipment, for example, lying on a bolster. All backbends, including passive ones, excite the sympathetic nervous system, helping to wake up and invigorate, so it’s best to do most of the backbends in the first half of the day. If you want to perform a passive backbend during your evening relaxation practice, use the ujjayi technique as you exhale.

Truth, as the Church Fathers said, can manifest itself at any point in time and space, there are no privileged places for this, there is no need to wander around the world in search of teachers, you need to effectively find quality information, think and act. After some time of practice, everyone will understand for themselves what yoga is and what you can actually get from it. My personal experience is given here so that people interested in yoga can use it if they wish, saving their time, which is life.

| Brahma

Brahma - origin, images, myths, stories

Meaning of the name: Translated from Sanskrit Brahma-"priest".

Sphere of activity and patronage: Brahma- Creator of the Universe.

Spouse Brahma : Goddess of knowledge and sciences Saraswati.

Position in the hierarchy of deities: Brahma is one of the Trimurti gods.

Mount (vahana): Swan.

Brahma's Habitat: pure lands of Brahmaloka (Satya-loka).

Weapon: Brahmastra.

Name decoding

The word "Brahma" comes from the Sanskrit root "bhrig" - to spread, increase, increase.

He has several interesting and instructive names. Cosmologically, he is the Golden Egg (Hiranyagarbha), the ball of fire from which the universe evolves. Since all created beings come from him, he is Prajapati, the lord of descendants, the lord of existence, the first-born, and Pitamaha - the Great Father, the patriarch. In addition, he bears the names Vidhi (manager), Lokesha (lord of the worlds), Dhatri (supporter), Vishwakarma (world architect), Svayambhu (self-born), Tvashtri (creator), Lokaguru (world mentor), Parameshthin (highest) . He is called Kamalasana - since he sits on the lotus growing from Vishnu's navel; Nabhija (born from the navel), Kanja (born in water).

It is curious that the name Narayana (“dwelling in the waters of causality” or “dwelling of man”) first referred to him and only subsequently to Vishnu.

According to some scholars, the cult Brahma was the main one in pre-Vedic Hinduism, but later it was replaced or supplanted by the cults of Vishnu-Shiva. In fact, the development of the concept of shakti - each of the gods, Shiva and Vishnu, has a consort Shakti (Power) - and the idea that creation arises from the union of a god with his shakti, made the very existence of Brahma redundant (see the work of Tarapada Bhattacharya (Tarapada Bhattacarya) “The Cult of Brahma”, pp. 88-89).

In the Vedic period the idea of ​​a creator existed, but the creator was not identified with Brahma. The Rig Veda speaks of Vishvakarman - “the creator of everything.” He is God the Father. He had arms in all four directions. The Vedic Vishvakarman was probably the prototype of the Puranic Brahma.

It is interesting to note that Vishwakarman has been associated with the sun ever since Sun rays began to be seen as a necessary condition for human life and the universe. In one of the hymns, the Rig Veda calls Prajapati the Creator. That is why later, when Brahma became the Creator, he was identified with the Prajapati of the Rig Veda.

In the Sutra literature, Prajapati and Brahma began to be identified.

In the Rig Veda, Hiranya-garbha is mentioned as the cause of Creation. Thus Brahma became Hiranya-garbha.

In Puranic literature, Brahma is the Creator. It is said that he gave birth to the Prajapatyas (their number and names vary in different Puranas) for the purpose of creating living beings. Therefore Brahma was considered as the Forefather (Pitamaha).

He falls in love with one of his daughters performing under different names: Savitri, Brahmani, Saraswati, etc., and becomes one with her. In order to constantly look at her, he received four heads in four directions, and a fifth head facing upward. He also had a wife named Gayatri.

Both Saivites and Vaishnavites downplay the importance of Brahma. He appears from Vishnu's navel seated on a lotus. Shiva cuts off his fifth head as punishment for incest.

Until the Middle Ages, Brahma had great importance, but after the advent of Islam it lost its importance. Many legends depict Brahma in an unsightly form. The Puranas falsely accuse him of causing the death of Agnistambha. Another story tells how Brahma, while his wife Savitri was delayed on trips made for the purpose of making sacrifices to Yaksha, immediately found a new wife. Savitri became furious and cursed him.

But despite this, Brahma enjoyed authority for many centuries after these stories spread.

Iconography and attributes:

Brahma has four faces, four arms, matted hair, often a short pointed beard and the skin of a black antelope as a cape. He sits on the Lotus (Padmasana) or in a chariot drawn by seven swans. In one right hand he holds a rosary (akshamala), in the other - a vessel with water (kamandalu). His look of Saumya and Tashmya is happy and calm.

His eyes are closed in meditation.

Its four faces represent the four Vedas: eastern - Rig Veda, southern - Yajur Veda, western - Sama Veda, northern - Atharva Veda; four Yugas (time eras) and four Varnas (social groups formed according to the principle natural features, education and vocation). And also the internal action or manifestation of the atman - mind (manas), intellect (buddhi), ego (ahankara) and consciousness (chit), thus this shows the overall picture of the functionality of the inner world or atman, which manifests itself through thoughts or consciousness.

His four arms represent the four cardinal directions.

The world emerged from water. Therefore Brahma carries water in a vessel (kamandala).

The rosary he touches represents Time.

The seven Lokas, worlds, are represented by seven swans (geese)

The lotus on which Brahma sits arises from the navel of Vishnu, representing Mani (Mani) - the Earth. The lotus represents the Universe or the manifested cosmos, Brahma's sitting on the lotus symbolizes his creation and rule, as well as his eternal essence - the “uncontaminated brahman”.

In ordinary medieval iconography, Brahma has four heads and the same number of arms. His skin color is red or gold, his clothes are white. His vahana is a swan or a goose.

Sculpted figures of Brahma usually have a halo behind the head (siraschakra) in the form of a disk slightly larger than the head, attached to the back of the head with a small bridge and signifying the halo of the glory of the deity.

Other attributes of Brahma are a vessel (kamandalu) for water from the sacred Ganges or for ghee, a rosary (made of beads, akshamala), a bundle of paper made from palm leaves or a handwritten book (pushtaka) with part of the text of the four Vedas, sacred grass (kusha) and a spoon (sruva) for pouring sacrificial oil on the fire.

The combination and arrangement of these items may be different. The rosary symbolizes the eternity of time and the highest aspect of deity. A jug of water is the water of causality, from which the entire created world emerged. Therefore Brahma controls time and cause and effect. The kamandal also symbolizes the path of asceticism and renunciation - sannyas, as well as the fact that it is necessary to turn one’s gaze from external objects to the eternal essence. The kusha grass, ladle and spoon used in the sacrificial ritual symbolize the sacrificial system itself, which is necessary for all living beings to support each other. The book is a symbol of sacred and secular knowledge, since Brahma is the giver of all knowledge, arts, sciences and wisdom.

As a rule, statues of Brahma represent him in a standing pose. On his head he has a majestic crown-like hairstyle of a being of the highest rank (jata-mukuta), and earrings (ratna-kundala) in his ears. In his upper right hand he holds a rosary, his lower hand is in the abhaya mudra position. He holds the kamandalu vessel in one of his left hands, the other in varada mudra (gesture of bestowing mercy, good deed). Hand gestures (mudras) mean patronage and endowment of gifts.

Brahma is the only Hindu deity depicted as bearded, but not always. If he sits on a blooming lotus flower or on his vahana - a swan, then in the sukh-asana pose (with one leg hanging down). The swan, his mount, symbolizes insight and wisdom, the ability to recognize and separate good from unfavorable, pure from pure. In a mystical sense, it looks like the legend that a swan is able to separate milk from water, thus a person must separate the false from the true, unreality from reality.

The antelope skin on Brahma symbolizes that whoever wants to achieve the Truth must go through many tests and austerities, overcome animal passions in himself and comprehend the truth of the Vedas and thus achieve the Truth.

No incarnations or earthly manifestations are attributed to Brahma, and no lesser deities are associated with him. In his primal form of Narayana, the Lord in the form of a boy reclines on the leaf of the sacred peepal tree, floating in the Primordial Waters with lotuses on their surface. He holds thumb feet in mouth. This image of him serves as a symbol of eternity (a closed circle without beginning and end).

He can be depicted in all four states available in the shastric classification, and his appearance and position of the figure do not change. In the yogic state he is shown in his highest spiritual achievements, his face expresses satisfaction and his eyes are closed.

In this form, he is revered primarily by ascetics and ascetics. In the second state (bhoga, that is, contentment of a secular nature), Brahma appears in his usual form, with one or more wives and with all the above-mentioned attributes, sometimes with the addition of kusha grass, and then his statues are used for worship mainly by the laity. In his third aspect (vira, that is, military prowess), he is revered by warriors and kings. In the fourth state (abhicharika, that is, formidable and terrifying), he is depicted with a somewhat gloomy face and is intended to be worshiped by those who intend to destroy their enemies.

There are images of a standing four-faced, but two-armed Brahma. The features of his male-type beardless front face appear individualized, the two side ones look more standard, more identical and similar to women's faces. The thin fabric, wrapping around the hips and descending almost to the ankles, is unusually graceful. A voluminous hairstyle with curls (jata), characteristic of an ascetic, emphasizes the smoothness of the body surface.

The gestures of the hands and fingers are exquisite and beautiful. The absence of the other two hands is explained by the fact that here the image of the deity is still close to human. In addition to the usual cord (yajnopavita), necessary for the priestly varna, hanging over the shoulder, a deer skin (ajina) is thrown over Brahma's shoulder, which also serves as a sacred cord (ajina yajnopavita). Since Brahma has only two hands, he holds fewer attributes: in his right hand - a rosary (akshamala), in his left - a vessel (kamandalu). Rarely, Brahma is depicted with two arms and one head.

Brahma is the lord of the yajnas. In the other of his hands he holds

kamandalu- a vessel with water made of metal or even shellcoconutnut The water in this vessel symbolizes the primordial, all-absorbingether, from which the first elements of creation emerged.

In his other hand Brahma holds

prayer beads, which he uses to calculate universal time. In his fourth hand, Brahma usually holds the books of the Vedas, but sometimes a lotus flower.

Brahma's four arms represent the four cardinal directions: east, south, west and north.

The back right hand representsmind, back left hand representsintelligence, front right hand -ego, and front left hand - self-confidence.

The rosary symbolizes the various material substances used in the creation of the Universe.

The book symbolizes the Vedas,knowledge.

Gold is associated with activity; Brahma's golden face indicates that he is actively involved in the process of creation of the Universe.

Crownsymbolizes his supreme power in the Universe.

The lotus flower symbolizes the nature and essence of all things and living beings in the Universe.

Gray-haired beard points to wisdomand represents the eternal process of creation.

Four heads and arms represent fourVeda: Rig, Samu, Yajur And Atharva.

Esoteric meaning:
Brahma- in Hindu mythology, the highest deity, the creator of the world, who opens the triad of the supreme gods of Hinduism. In the Trimurti, Brahma, as the creator of the universe, is related to Vishnu, who preserves it, and Shiva, who destroys it. But this distribution of functions in mythology is often violated; this suggests that in some scriptural texts Brahma combined all three functions.

From a philosophical point of view, Brahma is the first stage of manifestation of individual existence (ahankara). Theologically speaking, he is the uncreated Creator (Svayambhu), the self-generated first Person.

Family ties

The consort or Shakti of Brahma is Saraswati, the Goddess of knowledge and wisdom.

Saraswati is the Indian name given to the female counterpart of the energy of Brahma the Creator. She is always mentioned as the patroness of the sixty-four arts. Feminine energy, or shakti, is the force of the Creative process, without which not a single act of creation occurs. That is why Brahma and Saraswati are a creative cosmic couple, undivided as the creative aspect and creative energy. The unity of these two principles is of particular importance. When one identifies with these high ideals, all the relative aspects of their relationship take on an internal and absolute meaning.

Both Brahma and Saraswati should be imagined as golden and radiant. Like the sun, they emit a creative, uplifting light, initiating growth and development. The support and enormous inner strength of Brahma and Saraswati can help you create a creative prototype of your existence.

Brahma's sons are born through the power of spirit - Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Daksha and Bhrigu. It is they who become the ancestors of gods and people. People also appear as a result of Brahma's incest with his daughter, acting under different names(Vach, Saraswati, Sandhya, Shatarupa, Vrahmani).

An important point is connected with Brahma’s wife - Savitri (“Aranyakaparva”, “Matsya Purana”) - having created sons, Brahma does not receive satisfaction and decides to make his existence easier by giving birth to the goddess Gayatri from half of his body by pronouncing a sacred syllable.

Fascinated by her, Brahma creates four faces for himself so that he can look at Savitri without stopping. Noticing Brahma's passion, she goes to heaven, to her brothers, and Brahma has a fifth face, facing upward. After the incest, Shiva cuts off Brahma's fifth head.

Stories:

Origin of Brahma heads

According to Puranam, Brahma is self-born, motherless, born from a flowerlotus, grown from the navelVishnuat the very beginning of the process of creation of the material Universe.

Soon after the creation of the Universe, Brahma created elevenPrajapatiwho are considered the ancestors of humanity. He also created seven great sagesSapta Rishi, who helped him in the creation of the Universe. All seven sages were born from the mind of Brahma. Therefore they are called Manasa-putra, or « sons born from the mind » .

From his own immaculate substance Brahma created a woman who is glorified by the names of Satarupa, Savitri, Saraswati, Gayatri and Brahmani. Seeing his daughter born from his own body, Brahma was stung by the arrows of love and exclaimed: “How exceptionally beautiful she is!” Satarupa turned to the right from his gaze, but because Brahma wanted to contemplate her, a second head grew from his body. When she turned first to the left and then back to hide from his loving gaze, two more heads appeared one after another. In the end, she rose into the sky, but since Brahma passionately wanted to see her there too, he immediately developed a fifth head.

How Saraswati became Brahma's second wife

Although Gayatri is considered synonymous with Saraswati, there is a myth that calls her the second wife of Brahma. Being a married god, Brahma, when performing sacrifices, had to perform certain rituals along with his wife, but it turned out that Saraswati was absent.

A messenger was sent for her, but she replied that she was very busy with her outfit, and Brahma could well wait. The messenger conveyed Saraswati's message to him, then the angry Brahma asked the assembled gods to find him another wife. They brought Gayatri, the sage's daughter, to him and Brahma married her and performed the rituals. When Saraswati finally appeared, very late, a terrible scandal broke out. However, Gayatri pacified her with her eloquence, as well as by agreeing to take a secondary position in relation to her.

The myth of the appearance of death

The myth about the appearance of death is associated with Brahma. In Kritayuga people were immortal and filled the earth, steadily increasing in number; Finally, the earth, no longer able to bear the oppression, prayed to Brahma.

He became lost in thought and became angry. The flames of his anger burst out from all the pores of his body, the countries of the world burned, fear seized all living things, and the world was threatened with destruction. Only the intervention of Shiva, who advised making sure that people were born and died, consoled Brahma’s anger. A woman with a wreath of lotuses on her head emerged from the body of the god; Having learned why she was created, she tried to object, but Brahma was adamant. From the tears shed by death, diseases were born that kill people, and in order for death to be impartial, Brahma made her the mistress of justice.

Origin History

According to the Manu-smriti, Puranas, Mahabharata (XII), Brahma is born in an egg floating in the primeval waters in the form of a golden embryo - Hiranyagarbha; After spending a year in the egg, he divides the egg into two halves with the power of thought; from one the sky is created, from the other the earth; an air space appears between them.

Then the five elements appear (water, fire, earth, air, ether), thought, and even later - the gods. In addition, there appear - sacrifice, three Vedas, stars, time, mountains, plains, seas, rivers, finally, people, speech, passion, anger, joy, repentance, a set of oppositions (heat - cold, dryness - moisture, grief - joy and so on.).

Brahma himself is further divided into two parts - male and female. After this, plants, animals, birds, insects, and asuras are created. All living things, the entire world order is controlled, controlled and directed by Brahma. He, in fact, is the embodiment of the creative principle of existence, the personification of the Absolute as the Highest objective principle.

Brahma not only creates the world: his life, which exceeds the life of all other gods (he is “eternally ancient”), determines the chronological framework of the universe. The universe lives for one hundred “own” years (“one hundred years of Brahma”), equal to 311,040,000,000,000 “human” years.

Place in the Universal Hierarchy of Deities

Brahma is the source and seed of all things. He is the cause of creation and, at the same time, the creator. He is the infinity and infinity from which space, time and causality originate, from which names and forms arise.

Meaning in Laya Yoga

Brahma is the creative manifestation of the Supreme Brahman.

Brahma, according to the Puranas, is that aspect of the Divine Unity, or God, which is responsible for the acts of creation, in the sense of regeneration and preservation of the material side of all things; it can also be called a substance-force, including matter, energy and the laws of nature.

Modern authors define this source of force, substance, as the energy that embodies the past in the present, or the universal law of inertia (both inertia of rest and inertia of motion). This integral and stable image of the world is an area undergoing continuous change under the influence of all incarnate intelligences (which relate to Vishnu), and the new emerging picture of the world again becomes the concern and stimulus of Brahma's existence.

Thus, the world is a state of “purposeful perception of ideas,” and the stability and constancy of the world is ensured by the ever-manifested power and activity of Brahma.

According to some legends, Brahma emerged from a world egg laid by the highest first cause; according to other legends, attested in the Mahabharata and Ramayana, Brahma emerged from the navel or from a lotus that grew from the navel of Vishnu. Immediately at his birth, Brahma from his breath creates the Vedas and the entire world, which remains unchanged during one day of Brahma.

After one day of Brahma, the visible world dies from fire, only the divine sages and gods remain alive. The next day Brahma resumes his creation and this process of final creation and destruction lasts 100 years of Brahma. After this period, Brahma himself, all the gods and sages perish along with the entire universe, which disintegrates into its basic elements.

According to the Indian legendary calculation of time, a day of Brahma is equal to a kalpa or 2,000 Mahayugas, that is, 43,200 * 2,000 = 8,640,000,000 earthly years.

Symbolically, Brahma is depicted sitting on a fully opened lotus flower, the long stem of which grows from the navel of the Great Deity, its source. Thus, it is believed that Brahma, this basis or God, and the results of his activities (the material side of things) are invested with power and are subject to the task assigned by the Great Deity, who is the unconditioned cause and primary basis of all things. The word "Brahma" comes from a root meaning "to expand, to spread."

From this follows the connection of this force with the material side of the existing, which is characterized by the attributes of extension and space.

The attitude of the yogi to this aspect or power of the Divine is one of opposition, for the yogi strives to overcome in himself any tendency to submit to the past, and must learn to control his body, emotions and lower mind (chitta), and all these phenomena are characteristic properties material. In general, this idea is very closely consistent with the concept of the Three Logoi, which arose in the Gnostic movements of Greece, the Middle East and the early Christian Gnostics.

(sanatana-dharma) - one of the ancient directions of Indian religious thought, uniting various religious traditions, schools of philosophy and formed in the 1st millennium BC. This is the third largest religious movement in the world by the number of adherents (after Christianity and Islam) - it is professed by about a billion people. Since the second half of the last century, Hinduism has gone beyond Indian state borders and spread to all continents. Although 80-90% of Hindus still live in India. Hinduism is based on a doctrine professing the reincarnation of souls, which occurs according to the laws. In this article we will tell you what is meant by Brahma in this article and what significance it has for believers.

Who is this

In the archaic forms of the epic, Brahma had three functions: creation, preservation, destruction. In the Vedas (ancient religious scriptures), Brahma is not yet mentioned, and his prototype is called Prajapati there.
Later he appears as one of the three supreme gods, next to Vishnu, who are part of the Triad (Trimurti). He is the creative force, creator and progenitor of all gods, the entire Universe.

This is the omniscient and wise head of the gods. It is he who gives them control over the creation of the world. He protects order in the Cosmos and the morality established by the fundamental social institutions in human society, while Vishnu preserves the Universe and Shiva destroys it.

In the post-Vedic period, Brahma was in first place among Hindus, slightly overshadowing the role of Shiva and Vishnu. Somewhat later, in the 1st millennium BC - in the late epic and Upanishads (religious and philosophical texts) - thanks to the increased importance of the other two gods, he fades into the background.

Thus, among the Vishnaites, Brahma appears on a lotus, the stem of which grows from Vishnu’s navel, and Shiva, punishing for incest, deprives him of one of his heads. The legend about the appearance of Shiva tells that Brahma and Vishnu started a controversy, trying to prove to each other which of them is stronger and more important.

When the dispute was at its peak, a phallus rose from the world ocean, and Shiva was in it. As a result, both disputants agreed that Shiva was the main and powerful one.
In the later epic, Brahma already creates the world because Vishnu ordered so. There are also many legends in which the creator god in the past appears in a negative light - he becomes the cause of the death of Agistambha; every time Brahma's wife Savitri was delayed, she finds another wife.

The creator lives in the pure lands of Brahmaloka (Satya-loka).

Today there is practically no cult of Brahma. The modern one is divided into only two movements: Vaishnavism and Shaivism. There are a small number of temples in India that are entirely dedicated to Brahma. Sometimes his image is found in sacred buildings dedicated to other gods.

Did you know?There are known cases when followers of Hinduism, refusing worldly goods and trying to prove their faith to the gods, commit strange acts. Thus, New Delhi resident Mahant Amar Bharti raised his hand up in 1973 and has been in this position ever since. He claims that he did it for Shiva. For more than 40 years, the hand atrophied and lost its functions.

Creator Origin

The Hindus had many legends telling about the origin of the world and the creator god.
In the most popular one, this process is described as follows. When the Universe was in darkness, and neither the moon nor the moon existed, they appeared in the darkness. From them fire was born. The heat from the fire led to the formation of the Golden Egg.

It drifted in the waters for a year, and then a golden embryo appeared in it. Brahma appeared. With the power of thought, the creator god divided the Golden Egg into two parts. Its upper part turned into the sky, and its lower part into the earth. Between them lay a layer of .

After this, the creator decided to create descendants for himself - other deities who would be trusted to rule the world. As a result, he had seven sons who became deities, people, animals, birds, monsters, giants and sages.

All of them settled in three worlds: heavenly, earthly and underground.

A later version of the origin of the creator says that he was born from a lotus flower, the stem of which grew from the navel, when the Universe was born.
IN sacred text The Brahma Purana tells that Brahma was created by God so that he could create the Universe. The life of the creator of the Universe is equal to 311,040,000,000,000 Earth years. At the end of this period everything disappears.

After a hundred-year gap, a new Brahma appears, who creates a new Universe. This goes on forever.

Did you know?Translated from Sanskrit, the word “Brahma” means “priest”. The name contains the root “bhrig”, which means to spread, grow, increase.

What Brahma looks like: iconography

Who Brahma is and what he looks like in Hindu ideas can be seen in icons and other images of the creator god. He is usually depicted with four bodies, four faces and eight arms. His faces look in different directions.
In his hands are four holy scriptures, a spoon-shaped rod (scepter), a metal vessel (kamandala) filled with water from the Ganges (a river sacred to Hindus), a lotus and a bow. He sits on a swan (goose), which serves him for transportation, or rides a chariot with a team of seven swans.

You can also often find an image of Brahma with four faces and four arms, seated on a lotus. He is dressed in red robes and has red skin. framed by a white beard, symbol eternal nature being. On her head is a golden crown.

In his hands are the Vedas (occasionally a lotus), a scepter, a rosary (akshamala), and a vessel with water. The vessel in the images may be made of metal, or perhaps from half a coconut shell.

On the sculptures, Brahma has a large halo above his head. In the form of a statue, the creator is most often in a standing position.

It is very rare to find a creator god with two upper limbs, which contain a vessel and a rosary, and four faces with feminine features. You can also occasionally see an image with one head and two upper limbs.

Attributes and their meaning

Four upper limbs Brahma means cardinal directions. In addition, the far right limb represents the mind, the front right - the ego. Far left limb represents intelligence, the front left represents self-confidence.

Four faces- these are the Vedas: “Rigveda”, “Samaveda”, “Yajurveda”, “Atharvaveda”.

Veda in one of the creator’s limbs they act as a symbol of knowledge.

Flooded Vessel acts as a symbol of the ether, which gave birth to the primary components of creation.

Rosary (akshamala) denote everything material that was necessary for the creation of the Universe, as well as the eternity of time.

Scepter denotes that Brahma commands the yajnas.

Lotus- these are all living creatures and inanimate objects in the Universe.

Swan- a symbol of justice and the ability to distinguish good from evil.

Crown is a symbolization of the power of supremacy in the Universe.

Myths and legends

Hinduism has a variety of myths and legends associated with the name and activities of the divine creator. We present the brightest of them below.

About the curse

There are several tales about how Brahma was cursed. The first of them, the most widespread and contained in the Shiva Purana, tells that Vishnu and Brahma decided to find the beginning and end of the Shiva Linga.

The first god, in the guise of a boar, went in search of the beginning in the underworld, and the second, in the guise of a swan, went in search of the end, in the sky. Vishnu did not find the beginning and, returning, bowed to Shiva.

And Brahma, flying far into the clouds and encountering Shiva’s favorite flower, asked him to deceive Shiva and become a false witness, as if he had found the end. Shiva, having learned about, became very angry and cursed the liar.
In the curse, he mentioned that no one in any of the three worlds would praise Brahma anymore.

Another legend says that the sage Bhriga sent a curse on the creator god. The sage went to invite the most powerful of the Trimurti to participate in the great sacrifice, but the god was too engrossed in what his wife was performing and did not attach importance to Bhrig's words.

Important! Any person not born in India can come to religion. There are several ways to convert to this faith. The main one is to find a mentor or community that is ready to accept a person for training. It is also important to change your thoughts, actions and skills in order to fully devote yourself to your studies.

Then the sage became angry and uttered a curse with the words that now not a single creature would call on the name of the creator god and worship him.

About the emergence of the Universe

One of the legends says that the Universe created by the creator appeared as a result of dividing the Golden Egg, drifting in the world's ocean waters, into two slices by the power of his thought.

From the first arose the earth (material, human sphere), from the second - heaven (divine world). The layer between them was made of...

After this, five elements arose: earth, air, fire, ether. Next, it was the turn for the appearance of thought, god, stars, mountains, plains, seas, rivers, living beings, words, etc.

Subsequently, Brahma appeared from the egg. He was divided into male and female principles. From the creatures that were born, everything else that exists in the world subsequently appeared.

About Mount Meru and the sky of Brahma

After the creator god created the universe, he felt very tired. Therefore, he went on vacation to a place called Brahmaloka. At the center of the world is a golden mountain named Meru; The Sun, Moon and other celestial bodies rotate around its peak point.

At the peak of the mountain is the highest of the heavens, the seventh in a row: the sky of Brahma. It is here that the creative deity finds peace and delight. When it rests, the sacred shalmali (mulberry) plant creates shade for it.

Brahma Day

Brahma's day is equal to the entire existence of the Universe, that is, 311,040,000,000,000 human years. The length of the night is equal to the period during which he remains inactive, that is, 100 human years. At night the creator rests after the process of creation.

The day of the creator is divided into thousands of great centuries - mahayug. Mahayuga is 4,320,000 human years and in turn is divided into large eras, each of which has a special name.

When the last era - Kaliyuga - ends, fire arising from the oceans burns the Universe. After the night, the creator creates it again and again.

The cult of Brahma and Brahmanism

As we have already mentioned, the cult of Brahma did not become widespread. The number of places of worship dedicated to him is not so large. The buildings where the main statue - the murti - is the image of the creative deity of the Hindu Trinity, can literally be counted on one's fingers - there are about ten of them.

A festival is organized every year at the religious building in Pushkar to celebrate Brahma.

Part of the agnihotra libation is dedicated to Brahma. At noon he is presented with one flower.
There are suggestions that such a meager spread of the cult of Brahma is associated with the spread among Hindus of myths and legends in which this god appears in a negative image, where he is cursed by other deities, sages and even his own wife.

Important! In Hinduism, unlike Christianity and Islam, visiting places of worship is not mandatory. Most Hindus visit them only during big religious holidays. Ceremonies are allowed to be performed at home.

The name of Brahma is associated with the late ancient Indian religion called Brahmanism. It developed in the 1st millennium BC. Today it is considered as an early form of Hinduism, its stage.

The main deities in this faith are Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. It is based on the idea that everything in nature has a soul and that living creatures are capable of reincarnation.

Reincarnation or reincarnation is carried out as karma, retribution for the virtue or sinfulness of a previous life.
These ideas are set out in the sacred books - Brahmanas, Aranyakas, Upanishads. Brahmanism became the forerunner of Jainism and Buddhism.

Thus, initially Brahma is the great god of creation, the ruler of the world, the father of gods and people, but later his significance was leveled, which is why he is little revered by modern Hindus.

Vishnu and Shiva came to the fore for them. This, in particular, is evidenced by the small number of religious buildings dedicated to Brahma. However, the study of this cult is extremely important for those who seek to penetrate deeply into the theory and practice of Hinduism.

Brahma, in Hindu mythology, the creator and ruler of the world, the father of gods and people; in classical Hinduism he is part of the triad of supreme gods along with Vishnu and Shiva. The creator of the universe, he opposes Vishnu, who preserves it, and Shiva, who destroys it. According to one myth, Brahma created the goddess Satarupa from his body. She was so beautiful that he could not take his eyes off her. When Satarupa moved aside, avoiding his gaze, a new head appeared, turned in her direction. Finally Brahma convinced the beauty to become his wife. They spent one hundred sacred years in a secluded place, at the end of which Manu, the first man, was born.

Another myth tells how the universe was first plunged into darkness. A seed wandering in the cosmic ocean gave birth to a golden egg: “Brahma spent a year in this egg, then with the power of thought he divided the egg in half.” From one half he created the sky, the divine sphere, from the other - the earth, the material sphere, and between them he placed the air space; then five elements appeared - water, fire, earth, air, ether - then thought, gods, stars, time, mountains, plains, seas, rivers, people, speech, passion, anger, etc. Finally, the god Brahma emerged from the egg and divided into two parts - female and male. These beings gave birth to everything else.

According to another version, Brahma emerged from the egg in the form of the primal being Purusha. He had a thousand legs, a thousand feet, a thousand arms, a thousand eyes, a thousand faces and a thousand heads. The ancients believed that Brahma lived for one hundred “own” years, equal to 311,040,000,000,000 “human” years. Then the fire escaping from the bottom of the ocean destroys the universe and Brahma himself, and after one hundred divine years of chaos, a new Brahma is born. In some sources, Brahma is called Narayana, or “emerging from the waters.” In this form, he lay on a lotus leaf floating on the primordial waters and sucked his toe - a symbol of eternity. The fall of Brahma's greatness is explained in the myth of the origin of Shiva.

According to legend, Brahma and Vishnu argued which of them was more powerful. At the height of the dispute, a huge phallus, the symbol of Shiva, rose from the world ocean, engulfed in flames. When Brahma and Vishnu began to examine the phallus, it opened. The gods discovered Shiva in him and were forced to recognize his superiority. Brahma is often depicted with four heads and arms in which he holds the Vedas, sacred Indian treatises, a staff, a vessel with water from the Ganges and a garland of roses, seated on a goose or swan. His wife is the beautiful Saraswati, the goddess of learning and the patroness of the arts, sciences and eloquence. In the above image, Brahma is the creator and ruler of the world, the father of gods and people, he opposes Vishnu, who preserves the universe, and Shiva, who destroys it.

India is a country in which, next to the main religion “Hinduism”, others peacefully exist - Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, Islam, Christianity, Baha'is, the Swaminarayan movement.

The word “Hinduism” itself means “eternal path”. This belief has its origins in the Vedic culture, which is believed to have been brought to India in the 2nd-1st millennium BC by the ancient Aryans. The postulates of this religion are written down in the holy book “Vedas” and are fundamental to many pagan cultures that spread both in Indian and European civilizations.

Hindu temples are dedicated to different gods that make up the pantheon of gods. The main, Universal Gods are considered to be Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. All other Hindu gods come from them. But along with the worship of any of the gods of the pantheon, in Hinduism there is also a movement in which believers consider their soul, the human soul, to be part of the Supreme Spirit of Brahman and worship only him.

But let's return to the Gods of the Universe.

Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva

Brahma. This is God the creator, omniscient and power-giver. He has many faces and looks in all directions.

Vishnu. God is the preserver, the observer. He is depicted with big eyes. Later, Vishnu supplanted Brahma, and he began to be called the creator of the Universe, and Brahma was assigned the role of a god who appeared in a lotus that grew from Vishnu's navel.

Shiva. God the Destroyer. He is revered as the maintainer of order in the Universe. He protects people from illusions in life, destroying them and returning believers to true values. Shiva is multi-armed, he is a dancer, with his dance he awakens the Universe at the beginning of his life period and destroys it at the end.

This is the complex distribution of responsibilities of the three main gods, represented by three faces in the Vishnu Temple in Chitorag Fort. In the Brahma Temple in Pushkar, the oldest one still standing and still in use today, the sanctum contains a sculpture of a four-faced god.

Each of the gods has a wife, who is Shakti - a deity who carries the feminine principle of the Universe, its energy:

For Brahma, this is Saraswati - the goddess of words and sciences;

Vishnu has Lakshmi, the goddess of happiness and triumph, the mother of the god of love - Kama. She is always with Vishnu, in all his avatars (incarnations).

Shiva's wife is Parvati. They talk about her as an ordinary woman who fell in love with the destroyer god and achieved his favor. One of her incarnations is the goddess Kali - complete darkness, destroyer of ignorance.

Parvati is the mother of the god of wisdom and removal of obstacles, Ganesh.

The goal of Hindus of different directions can be called the desire for unity with God through the realization of the unity of all existence and the achievement of perfect peace. Their faith does not limit worldly pleasures and teaches them to honor all living things as one of the possible embodiments of their own future life.

The symbol of Hinduism is “Om” or “Aum” - the universal name of God, the three letter signs of which personify the three main gods and the sphere of their action - Creation, Maintenance and Destruction, and also identify three states of consciousness - awakening, meditative immersion and deep sleep.

The sound "Om" itself is a mantra. Her singing activates all the forces of the body and awakens energy, bestowing health.

Brahma

Brahma is the “great creator,” the deity responsible for creation in the great Trinity of Hinduism. Sometimes it creativity shared by the Divine Mother. Brahma is red in color, he has four heads, in the original there were all five, but one was burned by the third eye of Shiva, since Brahma addressed him without due respect. In his four hands, Brahma holds a scepter (in another version - a rosary), a bow, a begging bowl and the Riveda manuscript. In later myths he is shown giving the supreme goddess a begging bowl and revealing the magical wisdom of written sources. Brahma personifies the masculine principle, while all other gods of the Hindu pantheon can represent the feminine. Brahma's four heads, four legs and four arms, according to some interpretations, represent the four Vedas.

Brahma also participates in the legend concerning the creation of the world. The primary being, who had no qualities, the self-existent Brahman created the cosmic waters and placed in them a grain, which later became a golden egg - Hiranyagarbha, from which Brahma, the creator of the universe, hatched. The first person on earth was Purusha - the Cosmic personality, which, by the way, is one of the names of Brahma. According to another legend, Brahma emerged from a lotus flower located in Vishnu's navel in the presence of his wife Lakshmi, the lotus goddess who personifies abundance and good fortune. His passion for his own slender and charming daughter became the reason for the birth of humanity. Brahma's relationship with his daughter - the divine Vak - "the outer world", the melodious cow that brings milk and water" or the "mother of the Vedas" led to the spread of the human race. Vak represents both speech and natural forces, in a sense it symbolizes maya (illusion). Next to the man, Vak is depicted in the form of a lioness, and such a couple is often depicted near the entrance to a Hindu temple.

The goose or hamsa is the vehicle (vahana) of Brahma. Its origin according to myth is explained by the fact that the name of this bird is consonant with cosmic breath. When you inhale, the sound is “ham”, and when you exhale, the sound is “sa”. This is the main thing breathing exercise yoga and the breathing rhythm of the entire universe. In temple architecture there is also a motif of a hamsa or a pair of geese, usually depicted on two sides of a lotus - a symbol of knowledge.

The myth of the creation of the linga concerns the dispute between Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma over who is the creator of the universe. An ever-growing linga, crowned with a flame, which rose from the depths of the cosmic ocean, intervened in their dispute. Brahma, turning into a goose, and Vishnu, turning into a boar, decided to find out what was the matter. So they saw the connection of the male and female principles of the universe, but they could not find an end to it.

To help him create the universe, Brahma created seven great sages, as well as seven Prajapatis - the ancestors of the human race. Since all these fathers of the universe were born from the mind, and not from the body of Brahma, they are also called Manasputras or “sons of the mind.”

According to one legend, Brahma is practically not worshiped in India due to the curse of the great sage Brahmarisha Bhrigu. Once upon a time, a large fire sacrifice (yajna) was organized on earth, in which Bhrigu was the chief priest. It was decided that the greatest of the gods would be present at the yajna, and Bhrigu had to highlight the most important of the trinity. When he went to Brahma, he practically did not hear him, carried away by the magical music of Saraswati. Angry, Bhrigu cursed Brahma, saying that from now on no one on earth would ask him for anything, and would not worship him at all.

According to the Brahma Purana and Hindu cosmology, Brahma is the creator, but is not identified as a separate deity in Hinduism. He is remembered here only in connection with creation and Brahman - the material of all things. Brahma's lifespan is one hundred Brahma years or 311 trillion human years. The next hundred years are the sleep of existence, after which a new Brahma appears and creation begins anew. Therefore, Brahma is considered the executor of the destined will of Brahman.

Saraswati

In Hinduism, Saraswati is one of the three goddesses who make up the female half of the Trimurti (trinity). The other two are Lakshmi and Durga. The idea of ​​Saraswati is as the goddess of the river, and at a later time an appeal to her appeared as the goddess of knowledge, music and the fine arts. She is the wife of Brahma, the Indian god of creation. There is a parallel between Saraswati and such goddesses of the Hindu cult as Vak, Rati, Kanti, Savitri and Gayatri. She is addressed as Shonapunya - “purified of blood.”

As the goddess of the river (water), Saraswati personifies fertility and prosperity. It is associated with purity and creativity, especially in all things related to communication, such as literature and public speaking. In the post-Vedic era, she began to lose her status as a river goddess and became more and more associated with the arts: literature, music and others. Her name in literary translation means "she who flows", which can equally refer to thoughts, words or spoken flow.

Goddess Saraswati is usually depicted as beautiful woman with yellow skin, dressed in pure clothes white, seated on a white lotus (although a swan is usually considered her vahana), which symbolizes her experience in knowing the absolute Truth. Thus, she is endowed not only with knowledge, but, in addition, with the experience of a higher reality. She is mainly associated with the color white, which symbolizes purity or true knowledge. Sometimes, however, she is associated with yellow- the color of blossoming mustard, which is just picking up buds during its holiday in the spring. Saraswati is not so hung with gold and precious stones, like Lakshmi, she is dressed more modestly, which perhaps allegorically speaks of her preference for knowledge of spheres that are above the world of things.

Ganesha, Lakshmi, Saraswati

In depictions, she usually has four arms, each representing an aspect of the human personality in learning: mind, intelligence, attention, and selfishness. In these four hands she holds:

A book. These are the sacred Vedas, which represent the universal, divine, comprehensive and true knowledge, as well as its excellence in sciences and literature

Small. A rosary made of white beads, representing the power of meditation and spirituality as such.

Sacred water. A pot of sacred water symbolizes the power of creativity and the power of purification

Guilt. Musical instrument signifies her excellence in all arts and sciences.

Saraswati is also associated with anuraga, a rhythm that expresses all emotions and feelings through music or words. It is believed that if children are named after her, they will be very successful in their studies in the future.

A white swan swims at Saraswati's feet. According to legend, the sacred swan, if offered a mixture of milk and honey, will drink one milk from it. Thus, the swan symbolizes the distinction between good and bad, between the eternal and the fleeting. Due to this inseparable association with the swan, Goddess Saraswati is also addressed as Hamsavahini, that is, the one “who uses the swan as a means of transportation.”

Saraswati is usually depicted near a flowing river, which perhaps reflects her historical image as a river deity. The lotus and swan also indicate ancient origins.

Sometimes a peacock is present next to the goddess. This bird symbolizes pride in its beauty. Usually the peacock is located at Saraswati’s feet, so she teaches not to focus on one’s own appearance, but to search for eternal truth.

Vishnu

As a preserver and restorer, Vishnu is very popular among supporters of Hinduism. The root from which his name is derived, vish, means “to fill”: he is said to be omnipresent and fill all creation. His power manifests in the world through many forms called avatars or incarnations. The essence of incarnations is that part of his divine power is born in the form of a person or other creature. The Avatar appears when there is an urgent need to prevent the influence of evil on the earth. “When order, justice and mortals are in danger, I descend to earth,” says Vishnu. Despite the fact that devotees of Vishnu mention twenty-eight incarnations of Vishnu, only ten are the main ones in the chronology of Hinduism.

Krishna steals butter

Yashoda punishes Krishna for stealing butter

Vishnu is usually depicted as a handsome Janos with dark skin. of blue color, dressed as an ancient ruler. In his four hands he holds a conical conch shell, a discus, a club and a lotus flower. He rides Garuda, the sun bird, the enemy of all snakes. This antagonism is revealed in the struggle between Krishna and the water serpent Kaliya. When Balarama reminded Krishna of his divine identity, he performed a dance on Kaliya's head. Having defeated the tormented snake king, Krishna ordered him to leave the Yamuna River and move to the endless ocean, promising that Garuda - the golden sun bird - would never dare to attack him because his rider had touched him.

Half of Vishnu's main avatars are people, half are animals.

While the entire multitude of universes are in a manifested state, the Primordial Vishnu monitors the state of affairs in each of them and periodically incarnates in one place or another in whole or in part in order to restore order. According to the most common classification, 10 avatars (incarnations) of Vishnu visited our Earth.

1. Fish (matsya). When the Earth was flooded with the waters of the global flood, Vishnu took the form of a fish, which first warned Manu (the ancestor of humanity, the son of Brahma) about the impending danger, and then, on a ship tied to the horn on her head, carried Manu, his family and the seven great ones out of the flood sages (rishis).

2. Turtle (kurma). During the flood, many divine treasures were lost, including ambrosia (amrita), with the help of which the gods preserved eternal youth. Vishnu took the form of a gigantic turtle and sank to the bottom of the cosmic ocean. The gods placed Mount Mandara on his back and wrapped the divine serpent Vasuki around the mountain. Then they pulled the kite and thus spun the mountain, churning the ocean like an ordinary Indian milkman churns butter. Amrita and many other treasures, including the goddess Lakshmi, floated to the surface of the foaming ocean.

3. Boar (varaha). The demon Hiranyaksha again plunged the Earth into the depths of the cosmic ocean. Vishnu took the form of a giant boar, killed the demon and set the Earth in place, lifting it on his tusk.

4. Lion Man (Narasimha). Another demon, Hiranyakasipu, received a gift from Brahma with the magical ability to become invulnerable. Neither beast, nor man, nor god could kill him, day or night. Taking advantage of his safety, he began to persecute gods and people and even his pious son Prahlada. Then Prahlada turned to Vishnu for help. At sunset, i.e. neither day nor night, the god suddenly appeared from a column in the demon's palace in the guise of a half-lion, half-man and killed Hiranyakasipu

5. Dwarf (vamana). A demon named Bali seized power over the world and, having performed a series of ascetic feats, achieved supernatural power and began to threaten even the gods. Vishnu appeared before him in the form of a dwarf and asked for a gift of as much land as he could measure in three steps. When the gift was promised, the god turned into a giant and took two steps with which he covered the earth, the sky and all the space between them, but generously refrained from taking the third step, leaving the underworld to the demon.

Rama, Sita

6. Parashurama ("Rama with an ax"). Vishnu took human form, being born as the son of the brahman Jamadagni. When the brahmana's father was robbed by the evil king Kartavirya, Parashurama killed him. The sons of Kartavirya, in turn, killed Jamadagni, after which the angry Parashurama exterminated all the men from the kshatriya (warrior) class 21 times in a row.

Rama draws the Kodanda bow

7. Rama, prince of Ayodhya, hero of the epic drama "Ramayana". Vishnu incarnated in his image to save the world from the oppression of the demon Ravana. Rama is usually depicted as a dark-skinned man, often armed with a bow and arrow. He is accompanied by his loving wife Sita - the embodiment of female fidelity, his three devoted brothers - Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna - and Hanuman, the king of the monkeys, a faithful friend and comrade-in-arms. Rama is revered as the embodiment of the ideal husband, general and monarch.

Rama, Sita, Lakshmana

8. Krishna, the most significant of the incarnations of Vishnu -
is the most popular deity in India today. He was the last of the Yadava pastoral family. Vishnu pulled out two of his hairs: white and black, and placed them in the womb of Devaki and Rohini, so Krishna appeared from the black hair, and Balarama from the white hair. Kansa, the ruler of Madhura, learned that Devaki's son would kill him, and ordered his mother to exchange Krishna for the daughter of the shepherds Nanda and Yashoda. On the way to Madhura, Krishna performs many feats. Yashoda learns about his divine origin by looking into his mouth and seeing the entire universe there. The symbol of devotion is the love of the cowherd girl Radha for Krishna.

Krishna tells Arjuna about his divine origin, being his charioteer during the battle of the Pandavas and Kauravas. He reveals divine truth to Arjuna, which is why the Bhagavad Gita is not so much an epic as it is the holy book of Hinduism.

9. Buddha, the last incarnation of Vishnu in the past. According to the Gitagovinda of the great poet Jayadeva, Vishnu incarnated as Buddha out of compassion for animals to put an end to blood sacrifices.

10. Kalki - future incarnation. Hindus believe that at the end of our dark era, Vishnu will appear in the form of a man riding a white horse, with a flaming sword in his hand. He will condemn the sinners, reward the virtuous and revive the Satya Yuga ("golden age").

Lakshmi

Lakshmi is the Hindu goddess of wealth, light, wisdom, lotus, good fortune, beauty, courage and fertility. Images akin to Lakshmi or Sri are also found in Jainism and Buddhism, not to mention numerous Hindu temples. She is kind to children and generous with gifts. Because of her maternal feelings and because she is the wife of Narayan (the Supreme Being), the image of the Mother of the universe is transferred to her.

Lakshmi is the wife of Vishnu, she was married to all his incarnations: in the time of Rama she was Sita, in the time of Krishna - Rukmini, when he appeared as Venkateswara, she was Alamelu. According to Vaishnava beliefs, she is the mother goddess and the shakti (energy) of Narayan.

About the appearance of goddess Lakshmi there is ancient legend. The hot-tempered sage Durvasa once gave Indra, the king of the gods, a garland of flowers that should never wither. Indra gave this garland to his elephant, Airavata. When Durvasa saw such disrespect for himself that the elephant was walking around with a divine garland around his neck, he cursed Indra, saying that he and all the gods would lose their power because of his pride and careless attitude. The curse came true: the demons drove the gods out of heaven. The defeated gods went to seek refuge with the Creator - the god Brahma, who invited them to plow the ocean of milk - Kshirshagar - in order to obtain the nectar of immortality. For help, the gods turned to Vishnu, who took the avatar of Kurma (turtle) and supported Mantara Parvat (mountain) like a stupa in a churn, while the king of snakes Vasuki played the role of a rope. Gods and demons, under the control of the wise ruler of Bali, Chakravarti, helped each other to choke this ocean of milk.

Vishnu and Lakshmi on the hoods of Shesha Naga

Among all the divine gifts that emerged from the ocean during the churning process, Goddess Lakshmi also appeared, choosing Vishnu as her husband, so only he has the power to control illusion (maya). This legend also explains why Lakshmi is called the daughter of the ocean; the moon, which also emerged from the ocean during churning, is called brother Lakshmi in myths. Lakshmi's elder sister is the goddess of misfortune Alakshmi. It is believed that she too came from the ocean of milk. According to Vishnu Purana, Lakshmi is the daughter of Bhrigu and Khyati, she was brought up in Swarga, but due to Durvasa's curse, she had to settle in Kshirsagar.

Lakshmi is the power and maya of the god Vishnu. In some images she can be seen in two forms: Bhudevi and Sridevi, standing on opposite sides of Vishnu. Bhudevi is a form of fertility and is essentially mother earth. Sridevi represents wealth and knowledge. Many people are mistakenly saying that Vishnu has two wives, but this is not true. Regardless of the number of forms, it is still one goddess.

Lakshmi is depicted as a beautiful woman with four arms, seated on a lotus, dressed in luxurious robes and adorned with jewels. Her facial expression is always peaceful and loving. The most important distinctive feature Lakshmi is that she always sits on a lotus. The lotus symbolizes Sri Lakshmi's inextricable connection with purity and spiritual strength. Rooted to the mud but blooming above the water, one whose flower is not polluted, the lotus represents spiritual perfection and the meaning of spiritual achievements. Besides Lakshmi, many deities in Hindu iconography stand or sit on a lotus. Many of Lakshmi's epithets include comparisons to a lotus.

Goddess Lakshmi traditionally rides on an owl (uluka), a bird that sleeps during the day and watches at night.

Shiva

The name Shiva is not found in ancient manuscripts, but the word Rudra is often used there - “Roaring or growling, terrifying.”

Shiva is pleasant to look at and has four arms, four faces and three eyes. The third eye, located in the center of the forehead, its fiery gaze makes all living beings cower. Sometimes the third eye is drawn symbolically as three horizontal stripes; Devotees of this god apply them to their foreheads. Shiva is wearing the skin of a tiger, and a snake is wrapped twice around his neck. He is the chief ascetic, the Divine Yogi, who sits alone on the top of Mount Kailash, high in the Himalayan mountains. By order of Indra, the god of love Kama shot an arrow of passion, which was designed to tear him away from many years of contemplation, and directed his attention to Parvati - the “mountain dweller”, the daughter of the king of the Himalayas, the incarnation of the Supreme Goddess. But when the arrow reached its target, Shiva, brought out of his state of meditation, incinerated Kama with a flash of his anger. Despite the fact that Shiva agreed to the rebirth of the god of love, his beautiful body was never restored, which is why Kama is called ananga - “incorporeal” - by another name.

Lord Shiva in the family circle

The destructive aspect of Shiva is revealed by another of his names - Bhairava - “swallower of joy.” In this capacity, Shiva walks around cemeteries and cremation grounds with snakes on his head and a bunch of skulls as a necklace, with a retinue of demons. The opposite characteristic of this deity becomes apparent when he performs his cosmic dance as Nataraja, the “king of dancers.” The diversity of images of Shiva is reflected in the sculpture and painting of South India, and the sacred dance is often performed in front of temples by people in a trance.

Shiva Nataraja

Shiva Nataraja is surrounded by flames forming a circle - symbolism of the process of creation of the universe. He stands with one leg raised, the other resting on a tiny figure crouched against a lotus. This dwarf demon symbolizes human ignorance (in another interpretation, the figurine symbolizes a devotee who completely surrenders to the will of the deity) - this is how the path to wisdom and liberation from fetters is depicted material worlds. In one hand of the deity there is a drum - a symbol of speech; his second hand blesses; in the palm of the third hand a flame flickers, reminiscent of its destructive qualities; the fourth hand is turned towards the raised leg - freed from illusions. Taken together, this illustrates the path to salvation for the devotee.

Lord Shiva drinks an ocean of poison

In Mamallapuram, in the south of Madras, there is a famous mountain cave - Steps to the Ganges. It reflects the famous legend about the manifestation of Shiva as Gangadhara - “He who could hold the Ganges River.” Once upon a time the earth lacked moisture, and the life-giving waters of the Ganges flowed in the skies, washing only higher worlds. The earth was so filled with ash that it seemed impossible to clear it. To put an end to all this, the sage Bhagiratha proposed to move the Ganges from heaven. But the size of the divine river was so great that if it rushed like a stream onto the earth, it would have significantly harmed it. And then Shiva intervened, placing his head under the flow of water, which, wriggling in his hair, turned into seven calm tributaries. To move, Shiva uses Nandi, a milky-white bull, which always stands on the outside of the temple. Nandi carefully looks after all four-legged creatures.

Goddess Durga

According to Indian folk tradition goddess Durga is the wife of Shiva in one of his incarnations. Durga was especially revered by the non-Aryan part of the population of India, and, at that period in the history of India, when Indian folk beliefs were synthesized with Hinduism, she was included in the Indian pantheon of gods as the incarnation of Parvati, one of the wives of Shiv.

Parvati, Shiva, Ganesha

The cult of the Great Mother Goddess, who embodied the destructive and creative forces of nature, was closely associated with the goddess Durga. We find similar interpretations of the essence of Durga in Shaivism and Tantrism, in which this deity represented the creative energy of Shiva, being his shakti.

Hanuman, Rama and Lakshmana worship Shiva

Most often, Durga appears as a warrior goddess who wages an irreconcilable war with demons, protects the gods, and also maintains world order. One of the most popular Indian legends tells how Durga destroyed the demon Mahishi, who at one time cast down the gods from heaven to earth, in a duel. This demon was considered invincible, but was himself overthrown by Durga, after which he settled with eight assistant yoginis in the Vindhya Mountains.

In Hindu folk art, the goddess Durga appears as a ten-armed woman who sits majestically on a lion or tiger. In her hands there is a weapon of retribution, as well as symbols belonging to other gods: the trident of Shiva, the bow of Vayu, the vajra of Indra, the disk of Vishnu, etc. Such an image indicates that the gods gave Durga part of their powers so that she would not only protect, but also destroy everything that interferes with development.

Shiva and Parvati

It is not without reason that the mantras dedicated to the goddess Durga contain not so much ideas of destruction as the desire to overcome all manifestations of evil. She always triumphs over pain, suffering and other adversities.

Devi

Devi is often called the great goddess - Mahadevi. Consort of Shiva, Hindus worship her in two aspects: blessing and cruel. In the positive aspect, she is Uma - “light”, Gauri - “yellow” or “luminous”, Parvati - “mountain” and Jaganmata - “mother of the worlds”. Her negative, frightening incarnations are Durga - “impregnable”, Kali - “black”, Chandi - “cruel” and Bhairavi - “terrible”.

Shiva and Devi are referred to as the dualistic personalization of Brahman - the primary substance. Like Vishnu, Shiva does not come into direct contact with the material elements of the universe, but instead manifests himself through the power of energy or shakti, which, according to myth, is personalized in the person of his wife or daughter. In Hindu iconography, the presence of the deity's shakti - its female component - is very important, if only because it attracts the devotee and helps him on his path. Devi worship peaked during the Tantric period dating back to the seventh century, when liberation could only be achieved through mithuna, the state of the couple. But the most early example the close embrace of devotees is recorded on Buddhist monuments at Scarvi dating back to the second century BC. Rites of a very free form for the fertilization of the earth are, of course, performed among all peoples, and the ritual expression of the language of relationships used to awaken dormant sexual energy can still be found in traditional jokes and toasts made by guests at a wedding ceremony.

At the end of the Vedic era, there were several goddesses recognized as the wives of Shiva or Rudra, and completely different goddesses were worshiped by different castes in different regions of India. All this theistic diversity finally merged into one great goddess - Devi, whose origin is described as the mother goddess of the lowland Hindus. The Supreme Goddess Devi "contains the whole world in her womb", she "lights the lamp of wisdom" and "brings joy to the heart of Shiva, her Lord." This is how Shankara wrote in the ninth century, but to this day the Divine Mother remains greatest power in Hinduism.

The first incarnation of the great goddess was Durga - a beautiful warrior with skin yellow color, sitting on a tiger. The circumstances under which she appeared were sad: the demon Manisha, using his power, terrorized all the surrounding creatures. The gods were afraid of his huge water bull, and even Vishna or Shiva could not oppose him. And only the united energy (shakti) of all the heavenly inhabitants seemed capable of destroying Manisha, and so the eighteen-armed Durga entered the battlefield. After a titanic fight, she sat on the bull and took away the demon’s weapon - a terrifying mace. Later, when the power of Devi was already fixed, the gods from time to time, as needed, turned to her, giving her this or that weapon and power, so that she became “Comprehensive”.

The most shocking thing is the incarnation of the goddess as Kali. She stands on the prostrate body of Shiva, who rests on a lotus bed. Dressed in a sumptuous robe adorned with precious designs, Kali also wears a garland of cutting weapons and a necklace of skulls. Her tongue hangs out of her mouth, possibly tasting blood. She has four hands: the first right one clutches a bloody sword, the other holds a severed head by the hair. With another hand she blesses the devotees. She absorbed the ruthlessness and inexorability of Rudra and Shiva, acting as Bharavi. In this image of the Divine Mother there are both attributes of death and attributes of life. “Your hands,” says Shankar, addressing her, “hold relief and pain. The shadow of pain and the elixir of immortality - all this is yours!

Devi has many famous names: she and Tara (goddess of wisdom), Radha (beloved of Krishna), Ambika (mother of Vidura and wife of Vichitravirya), Bhavani (fertile aspect of Shakti, who needed to perform daily puja - worship), Pithivi (goddess of the earth) and so on.

Http://www.indiamyth.ru/world.php

Ganesha


Ganesha is one of the most famous and perhaps the most famous incarnations of the divine in Hinduism. It is very easy to distinguish it by its elephant head, although it has many other attributes. Ganesha is worshiped as the god of circumstances Vignesh, the patron of sciences and arts, and the god of wisdom and intelligence. He is paid homage at the beginning of every rite or ceremony; Before you start writing anything, you need to turn to him as the patron of letters.

Ganesha is a popular character in Indian art. Ideas about Ganesha vary, and the details of the image are constantly changing. He may be depicted standing, dancing, fighting demons, a boy playing with his family, sitting, or in any other situation. There are many legends about his outstanding appearance, but just like the images, they differ from each other. The most common theory that can be deduced from all these myths is that Ganesha was born with both the torso and head of a man, but was beheaded by Shiva when he came between Parvati and her husband. Then Shiva replaced Ganesha's head with an elephant's. Other stories say that when Ganesha was born, Parvati decided to show him to the other gods. Unfortunately, the god Shani was present at the ceremony, who looked at him with an evil eye, and the baby's head turned to ashes. According to another legend, Ganesha appeared because of Shiva’s laughter. Then Shiva found him too attractive, so he cursed him and Ganesha had an elephant's head and a prominent belly.

Ganesha's earliest name is Ekadanta ("he who has one tusk"), indicating that he has only one intact tusk. In some early images, Ganesha holds a second, broken tusk. According to Mudgala Purana, the second incarnation of Ganesha is Ekadanta. Ganesha's prominent abdomen is also his characteristic feature, which was noted even in the statues of the Gupta period. The Mudgala Purana states that among the incarnations of Ganesha were Lambodara ("Dangling Belly") and Mahodara ("Big Belly"), the descriptions of which focus on his belly. The Brahmanda Purana says that all the universes of the past, present and future are represented in Lambodara, which is why it has such a constitution. The number of arms of Ganesha varies, with the most famous forms ranging from two to sixteen arms. Many images depict an elephant-headed god with four arms, which is reflected in the Puranic texts. His earliest depictions had only two arms, and forms with fourteen and twenty arms did not appear in central India until the ninth to tenth centuries.

The colors most often associated with Ganesha are red and yellow, but during various ceremonies the use of other colors may be prescribed (for example, during meditation he should be visualized as a blue figure.)

Of the eight incarnations described in the Mudagala Purana, five use the mouse as their vehicle. In addition to the mouse, other animals are also used: Vakratunda, for example, rides a lion, Vikata rides a peacock, and Vignaraya rides the divine snake Shesha. Among the Jains, it is believed that the vahana (vehicle) of Ganesha is a mouse, an elephant, a turtle, a ram or a peacock.

Some say that Parvati dreamed of a son, but Shiva did not give her this happiness. Then, by the power of her desire, she separated the tiny child from her skin and began to lovingly feed him with her milk. Other myths claim that Parvati molded a child from clay and brought him to life with the heat of her mother's love. There is also an option according to which Shiva, feeling sorry for his beloved, squeezed the edge of her light clothes into a ball and called him son. And the child came to life from the warmth of her breast.

Parvati, proud of the beauty of the child, asked everyone to admire him and with the same request turned to the cruel god Shani, who could destroy everything he laid his eyes on. The foolish mother insisted that Shani look at the boy, and immediately the child's head disappeared. Brahma advised Parvati to give him the head of the first creature she came across. This creature turned out to be an elephant.

According to another myth, Shiva himself, in anger, cut off the head of his son when he did not let him into Parvati’s chambers while she was taking a bath. Then, touched by the grief of his wife, Shiva ordered his servants to cut off the head of the first living creature they met on the way and bring this head. Having met the baby elephant, the servants cut off his head and delivered it to their master, who, by the power of divine spells, fixed this head on the child’s shoulders.

Because of his heavy elephant head, Ganesha could not grow tall and slender, but his short, wide body had a kind heart, and everyone loved him. He grew up smart and calm, and when he matured, Shiva elevated him to the rank of ruler of all the demigods and spirits subordinate to him. Ganesha, with the help of the goddess Saraswati, comprehended many sciences, and therefore always favors people who strive for knowledge.

According to legend, Ganesha lost one of his tusks in a collision with Parashurama, that is, the human incarnation of the god Vishnu. Parashurama came to visit Shiva, he was sleeping, and Ganesha refused to wake him. Parashurama could not contain his anger when he saw that this strange young man was obstructing him, and with one swing of his ax he cut off his tusk. No one dared to violate the will of Parashurama and correct what he had done, so Ganesha was forever left with one tusk.

Ganesha is considered the God of wisdom, the Remover of Obstacles and the patron of all who study various sciences. It is good to have a talisman on your desktop, at home or in the office. Ganesha will help you earn more, stimulate professional success and increase profits. It is better to place it in the zone of assistants - in the northwest.

The talisman is stone Ganesha made of semi-precious stones, copper, wood (for example, sandalwood), etc. In India, where Ganesha is especially revered, there are many plastic figurines. It doesn’t matter what material Ganesha is made of, only respectful attitude towards him is important.

Activation of the talisman

For the talisman to work actively, you need to scratch Ganesha’s tummy or right palm. In addition, you can put coins or sweets next to him - Ganesha loves offerings and will definitely please you with pleasant surprises. One more nuance: this talisman can be activated with Hindu mantras:

1. OM GAM GANAPATAYA NAMAH.

It is considered the most important mantra for the god Ganesha. She bestows purity of intentions, good luck in business and removes obstacles from the path.

2. OM SRI GANESHAYA NAMAH.

As a result of repeating this mantra, success is achieved in any commercial endeavor, the desire for excellence, deep knowledge of the world, and the flowering of talents are realized.

Http://www.ganesha.kz/node/1033

Universal form of the Lord

Three deities - Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva - are considered supreme.

They constitute the concept of Trimurti, i.e. a triple image uniting Brahma the creator, Vishnu the omnipotent and Shiva the destroyer.

In addition to the three Supreme Deities, Hindus worship many other gods, the most famous of which are the following:

Nandi

A huge bull ridden by Shiva. This is a symbol of creative power and at the same time raging passions. Shiva teaches how to pacify a bull, and in other words, how to suppress sensual desires in oneself.

Kama

God of sensual pleasure and eroticism. Its origin is dual. Some believe that he arose from the primeval chaos, while others believe that Kama is the creation of Lakshmi and Vishnu. This god brings love to people and spring to the earth. He rides on a parrot, which is a symbol of poetry. Kama has a bow and arrows in his hands. The bow is made from sugar cane and the arrows are made from flowers. Kama's wife is Rati, personifying erotic desire.

Indra

He is the lord and lord of various deities. An ardent opponent of asuras (demonic creatures). Indra lives in a rich palace. According to legend, asuras very often overthrew Indra and seized power over the world. Then Indra called Vishnu for help, who immediately took the form of Krishna. Indra in this case also changed his image and became King Arjuna - the famous king of the Mahabharata. Indra moves on an elephant, and holds lightning in his hands like a scepter. Indra almost always acts as the guardian of a drink or plants that give wisdom, immortality, and eternal youth.

From the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. the cult of Indra becomes dominant. This period in India is conventionally called “Vedic” (from the word “Vedas” - collections of hymns to deities, an invaluable monument of ancient Indian culture). The images of Indra, Shiva, Vishnu and other numerous gods and deities of the ancient Indian pantheon were also reflected in art.

Garuda

The sacred bird on which Vishnu travels around the world. She flies at the speed of light, and with her wings she can restrain the rotation of the worlds. Has the head of an eagle. Steals the drink of immortality for the gods.

Apsaras
Beautiful maidens born from the waters of the primeval ocean. There is a legend that they were taught to dance by Vishnu himself, who appeared to them in the form of the king of dancers. And the maidens, in turn, taught the temple dancers to dance. thus the art of dance in India is of "divine origin".

Varuna
The all-seeing god of the Vedas, who descended from his heavenly palace to become the god of waters. At the same time, he is the guardian of the Western part of the Universe.

Pit

HANUMAN
Monkey god, son of Vayu (wind god), friend and faithful servant of Rama. In his honor, monkeys are considered sacred.
Kama
Indian god of love. Like his European counterpart, he is depicted as a handsome youth, armed with a bow and arrows, the only difference being that his bow is made of sugar cane, and his arrows are flowers. Apsaras (nymphs) serve in his service.

Hindus treat sacred animals with special trepidation and reverence. And no wonder: after all, in one of your future rebirths you can turn out to be the same monkey, goat or eagle. So, willy-nilly, Hindus have to honor and respect them.

The main pet in India. The image of a cow is associated with a deity among Hindus, so everything that it gives is also sacred. Killing a cow in India is more horrifying than killing a human being.

Snake (cobra)

Often snakes are called by a common name - naga. According to legend, they have supernatural qualities. Snakes are permanent inhabitants of wells, rivers, and springs. They are guardians of water and crops. Nagas are also considered treasure keepers. Therefore, their images can often be seen at the entrances to temples and sanctuaries.

Monkey

Let us remember that the lord of the monkeys Hanuman helped Rama to save Zita from the captivity of an evil demon. After this event, any monkey is considered sacred, especially for the Vishnaites.

The domestication of elephants in India began in 2000 BC. Hindus bred both traditional domestic animals (goats, pigs, sheep) and newly domesticated ones (buffaloes, zebu and elephants). India was even called “Elephant Country”.

http://zhurnal.lib.ru/d/dolgaja_g_a/indya6.shtml
http://ayurvedatour.ru/info/mat_1403.htm
http://www.samvel.net/ind_pic/indpic.htm