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 of 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 .
According to Hinduism, Brahma is believed to be their god creator they were created in one of the most important temples in Japan in the 8th century. Such sculptures are extremely rare, and most are designated as national treasures or important cultural property Kumaraswamy, H. N. "Keshava Temple at Nagalapura-A Cultural Study." Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research 2, no. 11 (2016).
However, there is a difference between Brahma and Brahman whereby the former is identified as a male deity whose main purpose is to create rather than make any destruction. The worshipped idol is assumed to be mortal just like any other gods and goddesses. Changes occur when the universe are dissolved, and it turns into an immortal Brahman. The appearance is known to be inconsistent but happens often.
Brahman is a notion of Hinduism which refers to the reality that is faced in the day to day life. It is presumed not to have been created and immortal besides being the goal of the main existence of all living creatures. Most individuals involved in Hinduism do not know exactly where the ancient practices are from. However, the most reliable evidence reveals that it originated from the Indus valley civilization when the religion was influenced by many cultures from all over the world.
Hinduism is not considered as a religion by the individuals who practice it but rather as a way of life. The Brahma and standing Indra are important due to the technique that was used to mold them whereby the result is a portable statute. It was only used in Japan for 100 years. It has evolved from the second millennium BCE up to the first millennium CE reaching out to diverse traditions in India and Southeast Asia 3 . The deities that are recognized by the entire community have different personalities but are considered to be the aspects of reality. Deva is the male and Devi the female. The meaning of the terms used to define them is divine and perfect.
The deities are kept in temples or homes. The worship that is carried out to the idols is known as Puja locally. This is viewed as an act of welcoming, honoring and hosting the deity. Since creation is believed to be the work of the mind, Brahma, therefore, acts as a symbol of the entire mind which is considered as one's mind-intellect. The trinity that consists of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh represent three important steps in life which are generation, sustenance, and destruction which are represented respectively according to the order of the gods involved in this case. Vishnu is, therefore, the most celebrated one and the easiest to find everywhere.
Studying history is important since it enables individuals to discover their past. According to the mythology that is followed by the Hindus, time is calculated by Brahma's day and night. Approximately 4.320 million years a man lived forms one day, and the same case applies when it comes to the time at night 4 . Moreover, history assists in the development of theoretical models since the data are composed of written records only and art to reveal clearly what happened and create a vivid image in the human mind. It enhances critical thinking since the people involved in studying the old facts must connect easily to the data that is readily available to relate to the particular research.
Furthermore, it helps people understand the way the world is at the moment concerning religion and race relations. It is important to gather information from many sources so that one may get the correct information simply by comparison and contrast. However, Brahma has not worshipped apart from the temple that is dedicated to the god, and that is how the popularity was lost, and Vishnu and Shiva suddenly began being praised. Brahma had unique attributes by only creating and not being involved in any form of destruction, very generous and easily pleased when prayers are dedicated. Here no considerations are made as to whom is offering the prayers at the moment.
There are diverse mythological reasons as to why Brahma is not worshipped at all, but above them, all stands a logic reason 5 . It is clear that whenever nature wants to prevail all over during different sessions of time, the most reliable source of the instrument is chosen. It is the same in this case since nothing lasts forever especially the man-made materials. Learning anthropology is helpful as it educates on the assumptions of human beings towards life. In addition, when an individual gets an opportunity to work in a new country it is easy since they do not face any culture shock. This is due to being conversant with other cultures and the ability to respect them all.
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).
Nambirajan, M. (2001). BRAHMA SCULPTURE FROM CARAMBOLIM—GOA. Hemakuta: Recent Researches in Archaology and Museology: Shri CTM Kotraiah Felicitation Volume, 1, 196.
Picron, C. (1984). Brahma in Pala-Sena Stone Sculpture. Oriental Art, 30(1), 93-99.
Yupho, D. (1967). Brahma with four faces. Department of Fine Arts.
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)
3 Nambirajan, M. (2001). BRAHMA SCULPTURE FROM CARAMBOLIM—GOA. Hemakuta: Recent Researches in Archaology and Museology: Shri CTM Kotraiah Felicitation Volume, 1, 196.
4 Yupho, D. (1967). Brahma with four faces. Department of Fine Arts.
5 Picron, C. (1984). Brahma in Pala-Sena Stone Sculpture. Oriental Art, 30(1), 93-99.
