myolam.org

“When I admire the wonder of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in worship of the Creator” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Time and again, let’s say when you are going through a rough patch or when you look at the sky on a beautiful starlit night or when you take an astoundingly refreshing morning walk or when a baby laughs uncontrollably at your crazy antics, you must wonder, who made all this possible, who created all this.  If you are lucky you get your answers from within, if you don’t, then fear not, because Hinduism throws a whole lot of light on the topic.

According to Hinduism, the holy trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh creates, sustains and destroys everything. Brahma (the universe) is the creator of the entire universe.  Everything that is, is Brahma’s Magnum Opus.

Brahma is an amalgamation of all the subtle bodies in the universe.  Just like the subtle body of a human being, i.e. is his mind and thoughts, creates the world around him and also his own physical body, the subtle body of the macrocosm (Brahma) creates his world and his physical body.  In other words the cosmic subtle body is the amalgamation of all the microcosmic subtle bodies.  Hence all the worlds everywhere, the entire cosmos, the whole creation is product of the cosmic subtle body.  This Body is called Hiranyagarbha, the creator or the Brahma.

Brahma is portrayed with four arms carrying a water pot (Kamandal), a sacrificial instrument (Sruva), a text (the Vedas) and a rosary.  Brahma’s seat is the lotus, which symbolizes magnificent reality.  Brahma is wedded to Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, as he requires true knowledge to accomplish the task of creation.

The four things Brahma carries in his hands dictate a path that leads to nirvana.   The first step is the Vedas. A person must become familiar with the profound truths mentioned in Holy Scriptures called the Vedas.  The sacrificial instrument is the next stage, which signifies sacrificing the self in the service of others.  This way the mind is purged of all impurities and one reaches a state of renunciation.  He then must carry a Kanmandal, an accessory sported by hermits.  Thereafter, one is ready to go into deep meditation and chanting of Mantras, that’s where the rosary comes into the picture. Meditation is a gateway to salvation.  It is now that a man attains nirvana and is able to separate illusions from the truth.

Brahma, the ultimate creator, is worshiped by artists and scientists for blessing them with creative ideas.  So, next time you find yourself wondering as to who created the beautiful blue lagoons, just know that according to Hindu mythology, you did, with a little help from the over soul, the Brahma.