In the Shiva Purana, at the beginning of time in the Cosmos, Vishnu and Brahmā approached a huge Shiva Lingam and set out to find where Shiva began and where he ended.
Vishnu was appointed to seek the end and Brahma the beginning. Taking the form of Vishnu’s 3rd avatar; the boar Varaha, Vishnu began digging downwards into the earth, while Brahma took the form of a swan and began flying upwards. However, neither could find the end or begining to Shiva. He was infinite.
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The Hindu God Vishnu, satisfied, came up to Shiva and bowed down to him as a swarupa of Brahman. Brahmā did not give up so easily. As He was going up, he saw a ketaki (Sanskrit – Kaetakee) flower, dear to Shiva.
His ego forced him to ask the flower to bear false witness about Brahmā’s discovery of Shiva’s beginning. When Brahmā told his tale, Shiva, the all-knowing, was angered by the Brahma’s ego. Shiva cursed Brahma that no being in the three worlds will worship him.
Another story in connection with Brahma’s lack of worship is when Brahma was creating the universe, he made a female deity known as Shatarupa (one with a hundred beautiful forms).
Brahma became immediately infatuated with his creation. Shatarupa moved in various directions to avoid the gaze of Brahma. But wherever she went, Brahma developed a head. Thus, Brahma developed five heads, one on each side and one above the others.
In order to control Brahma, Shiva cut off the top head. Also, Shiva felt that Shatarupa was Brahma’s daughter, being created by him. Therefore, Shiva determined, it was wrong for Brahma to become obsessed with her. He directed that there be no proper worship in India for the “unholy” Brahma.
Thus, only Vishnu and Shiva continue to be worshiped with temples all over the world while Brahma only has two temples dedicated to him. Ever since the incident, Brahma has been reciting the four Vedas in his attempt at repentance.
Ancient Temples:
Brahma Temple at Khokhan, in Kullu District, Himachal Pradesh
Brahma Temple at Asotra, District Barmer, Rajasthan
Brahma Temple at Oachira in Kollam district, Kerala
Brahma temple at village aleo shrishty narayan, in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh
Brahma temple at Annamputhur village srinidheeswarar in Tindivanam
Brahma Temple at Pushkar , Rajasthan
Thirunavaya, Thiruvallam , Kerala
Brahma Temple at Royakotta road in Hosur , Tamil Nadu
Uttamar Kovil in Srirangam, Tamil Nadu
Kumbakonam, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu
Khedbrahma, Gujarat
The Brahma Temple near Panajiin the village of Brahma-Carambolim in the Satari taluka, Goa
Brahma (accompanied by Ganesh) Temple, near the Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple, Thiruvananthapuram , Kerala
Bramhapureeswarar temple in Tirupattur, near Trichy, Tamil Nadu
BrahmaKuti Temple at Brahmaavart (Bithoor), Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh)
Recently Built temples:
Chaturmukha Brahma temple in Chebrolu, Andhra Pradesh
Chaturmukha (Four Faces) Brahma temple at Bengaluru, Karnataka,
Brahma Kapaalam
Very interesting, thank you…
Thanks for enlightening me on this subject which always left me perplexed
Very nice article.
Brahama is Generator,
Vishnu is Organiser
Shiva is Destroyer
Abbreviated farm is GOD
Dr.Bhawaan Tatavarthy
Astrology-Psycho Analyst Counsellor
Another recent temple for Lord Brahma built about 25 years ago is in the compound of Shiva Balayogi Aashram, 6th Main Road, JP Nagar 3rd phase, Bangalore 560078. Though no special pooja is performd for Brahma, his presence comes to light on Shiva Raathri days/nights when thousands of devotees thong the temple to pray to Almighty Lord Shiva in the form of Lingam. Pilgrims can enter the Sanctum Sanctorum and the priests give a vessel (Chombu) full of milk that can be poured over the Shiva Lingam. Great feeling indeed.
India was a powerhouse of knowledge / wisdom since time immemorial and the invasion only devastated our core values, but in present time when the human race is being busy accumulating wealth in one form or another , we as Indians are also in the same herd of mentality . India divine is a source of inspiration with intricate reasoning / advice and to remind us of our values , cultures , traditions to purify ourselves for there is no next time that we will avail .
Useful information
Such stories discredit the lofty philosophical teachings of the Sanatan Dharma. Gods telling lies, fighting, etc. Afterall brahma, vishnu, shiva, ganapati, surya are all names of the one god. The stories of shiva purana creates confusion.