The standing sculpture of Brahma is depicted to stand with four arms. The sculpture also shows the Brahma with four faces each facing a different direction represented the omnipresent nature of the god. Brahma is regarded the creator and forms part of the Hindi Trimurti of Shiva and Vishnu. The many arms in the sculpture are used to show the universality of the god. The materials used to make the sculpture include Indonesian Brass that was made in Bali. The total height is 45 inches including the base of the sculpture. The weight is 17kgs or 38 pounds. 1 Each of the eight hands holds a different thing including a water vessel, a fly whisk, an ax, a noose, a bell, a double Dorje, a trident, and finally a discus. Also, the statue is decorated with a beautiful antique patina. It is unusual to spot the statue of Brahma because only two temples in India have the sculpture. The explanation that has been put forward to show its rarity is the fact the Brahma mistreated Saraswati who served as his consort. Uniqueness in the sculpture is that unlike most of the Hindu gods, it does not hold any weapon in any of its eight hands.
The Four Heads
The statue represents Brahma as having four heads each of which is postulated to have a source from Vedas. The Vedas are regarded as the most ancient Hindu religious texts. The four heads of the sculpture have also been asserted to represent the caste system. The heads of the Brahma are normally depicted with beards, and each faces a different direction to emphasize on his universality and omnipresence. The four mouths found on each of the head symbolize the four Vedas. The white beard gives a depiction of a sage-like experience.
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The Arms
The arms of the Brahma are four in total with each holding a symbolic tool. It is important to note that the god does not hold any weapon to symbolize knowledge and creation and the fact that it is not a god of violence. In one of the hands, the sculpture holds the sacred texts belonging to the Vedas which represents spirituality. The second arm holds rosary beads that are known as mala. The significance of the rosary beads is that they give a sense of time. The third-hand holds a ladle referred to as sruva or shruk in Hindu and their function is to symbolize a means of feeding the sacrificial fire. The fourth arm holds a utensil that carries water to give a meaning that the source of all creation is from the water.
Other Symbols
One of the hands is said to hold a book which is a symbol of enlightenment and knowledge. The swan on the sculpture is a symbol of grace as most people would expect a god to be. The crown on the head of the Brahma is a symbol of royalty and divine authority that is supreme. It also symbolizes authority over the world and the fact that he is the creator of everything that is on the earth. Another depiction of the Brahma is the lotus flower. The lotus flower is a representation of the beauty o nature and the energy that the god used in the creation. The face of the sculpture is made out of gold. The gold is a representation that the god played the most active role in the creation of the universe. The prayer beads, other than giving a sense of time, are a depiction of a symbol of the material substances that played an important role in the creation of the earth. 2
Why the Brahma Sculpture Is Rare
Other than being rare, the Brahma as a deity is no longer worshipped that much. Several mythologies have been postulated by the Hindu religion to give reasons for the reduced worship of this god. It is said that Brahma created a woman by the name Shatarupa and got infatuated with her due to her extreme beauty. The origin of the four heads was said to be as a result of gazing at the woman in every direction she went to. Such an ungodly behavior was the reason that made Lord Shiva admonish Brahma for his unholy behavior. It is also said that Brahma developed a fifth head which Lord Shiva cut out. The second theory that postulates why the Brahma is rarely worshipped is the fact that his role as a creator is regarded to be over. The gods that have left to undertake his role include Vishnu and Shiva.
In conclusion, sculptures form important representations of the religious beliefs of different cultures. The Standing Brahma Sculpture is a depiction a god by the name Brahma who is an important deity in the history of the Hindu religion. It is a symbolic sculpture with hidden meaning representing the inner core of the Hindu religion.
Bibliography
Deshpande, Suresh Raghunath. "Yadava sculpture (Western Maharashtra 1000 AD to 1400 AD)." Ph.D. diss., 2017.
Kalaswamy, H. N. "Keshava Temple at Nagalapura-A Cultural Study." Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research 2, no. 11 (2016).
1 Deshpande, Suresh Raghunath. "Yadava sculpture (Western Maharashtra 1000 AD to 1400 AD)." Ph.D. diss., 2017.
2 Kalaswamy, H. N. "Keshava Temple at Nagalapura-A Cultural Study." Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research 2, no. 11 (2016).
