Brahmā (Sanskrit: ब्रह्मा) is the rajas-guṇa avatāra and god (deva) of creation. He is among the three top deities referred to as Trimūrti, the others being Viṣṇu and Śiva. He is the father of the Manu’s and from Manu all human beings (manuśya) are descended {akin to Ādam from who evolve human beings (called ādmi in Hindi)}. He is referred to as pitāmaha, the progenitor or great grandsire of all beings. Hence this mantra is the mahāvakya which states ‘I am (like) Brahma’.
अहं ब्रह्मास्मि
ahaṁ brahmāsmi
He is not to be confused with the Supreme Cosmic Spirit in Hindu Vedānta philosophy known as Brahman, which is genderless. He is symbolised by the first syllable अ (a) of the Sanskrit alphabet thereby symbolising the beginning of all things and the start of the divine word ‘auṁ’.
Bhū-śakti Sarasvatī
His consort is the form of Durgā called Bhū-śakti, the giver of (a) ‘birth place’ and (b) ‘birth-mother’. Bhū refers to earth and this is the earth-mother many talk about without realising that they talk of Sarasvatī. This is the most important aspect of Sarasvatī as she is the one who symbolises the birth-place in the sense of town, home, nation and even the birth-mother. For example, she is bhū-śakti Bhāratī for all beings in Bhārata (India?) or seeking to be in the path of truth. Harihara prayers for her benediction after worshipping the guru and graha.
गुरुभ्यश्च ग्रहेभ्यश्च मया बद्धोयमञ्जलिः।
प्रसन्नमनसस्ते मे सत्यां कुर्वन्तु भारतीम्॥
gurubhyaśca grahebhyaśca mayā baddhoyamañjaliḥ|
prasannamanasaste me satyāṁ kurvantu bhāratīm ||
She is popularly called Sarasvatī, the giver of all the rasa (sapta-rasa). She also known as Brāhmī, Sāvitrī, Gāyatrī, Bhāratī etc., depending on the form of Brahma as the consort always matches the form and causes its manifestation.
The brāhmaṇa adore their mother Sarasvatī as Vedamātā (mātā-mother) and Ādi Śaṅkara worships her as Vāc-devī in prapañcasāra tantra.
Prajāpati
Prajā means offspring by which the family is established and in the sense of prajāpati (lord of the prajā) it refers to posterity or descendants where the word gotra also becomes very relevant, especially among brāhmaṇa.
Mānasa Putra and Mind
Ten mānasa putra (mind-born or mantra born) sons of Brahma are the ten prajāpati who give thoughts in ten directions. The mind of all creatures is born from the 12th bhāva just as the Moon was born from the Oceans (Pisces, 12th bhāva) with Lakṣmī. Based on planets in the 12th bhāva, we know the ṛṣi (mānasa putra responsible for the present birth).
- Sun – Marīci, Kaśyapa,
- Moon – Atri,
- Mars – Kratu
- Mercury – Pulastya
- Jupiter – Aṅgirās
- Venus – Pulaha
- Saturn – Vasiṣṭha
- Rāhu – Pracetas, Dakṣa
- Ketu – Nārada
- Lagna – Bhṛgu (12th Lord or vacant)
Saptarṣi and Body
Similarly, from the karma (and sins) of past incarnation, the seven sons of Brahma jointly saptarṣi create the body. Saturn is the significator of the kāyā (gross body) which is created from the mud belonging to earth-mother. Based on the dominant body planet in sixth house (weekday planets) this prajāpati is to be known.
- Sun – Kaśyapa,
- Moon – Atri,
- Mars – Kratu
- Mercury – Pulastya
- Jupiter – Aṅgirās
- Venus – Pulaha
- Saturn – Vasiṣṭha
