Brahma
The Creator
The creator of the universe and all living beings. He recites the four Vedas from his four mouths. One of the Trimurti.
- Sanskrit/Telugu name: బ్రహ్మ
- Also known as: Pitamaha, Chaturmukha, Svayambhu
- Vehicle (vahana): Hamsa (హంస)
- Symbols: Four faces, Vedas, Kamandalu, Japamala
Story
Brahma Deva is the creator who brought the universe into being. He emerged from a golden egg (Hiranyagarbha) or from a lotus that grew from Vishnu's navel. Each of his four faces recites one of the four Vedas - Rig, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva. In Andhra and Telangana, Brahma is rarely worshipped independently - the main temple is in Pushkar, Rajasthan. As told in our puranas, Saraswati Devi cursed him for beginning a yagam without her, which is why he has almost no temples. Still, every puja begins with acknowledging Brahma as the creator.
Fun fact
Brahma originally had five heads. Shiva Deva cut off the fifth one with his nail - this is the story of Shiva as Bhairava, told in every Shiva Puranam.