Brahma and the body of evidence

Brahma in the first flush of creation, brought out sages by name Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanâtana and  Sanatkumâra and asked them to go and proliferate. Those sages, named as Urdhvaretâs - he whose vital fluid ascends facilitating the bramacharin to attain complete mastery over his generative and recreational impulses -, refused to comply and began worshipping Lord Vâsudeva.  Thus disappointed insulted and angry, Brahma tried hard to contain his anger.  His anger broke forth as a red-colored boy from his forehead between the eyebrows.  He was named Rudra.  Rudra cried like any other newborn, demanded and got control of the heart, senses, the vital air, ether, air, fire, water, earth, the sun and the moon and penance as places of his residence.  Rudra was also given many adulatory names and many adoring wives, eleven in number collectively known as Rudranis.  Brahma enjoined him to have as many children as possible.  Many children were born bearing the same qualities of Rudra.  They went ahead and did  what they knew best - that is executing to the letter, the tenets of their portfolio of destruction of all beings around them.  Brahma realized the unintended consequence of unleashing Rudra and his progeny on other created beings.  Brahma, shaking in fear, begged the God of gods, his own glabella-born Rudra and His progeny to stop this programmed destruction and not to have any more children.  Brahma advised Rudra to sublimate and divert His energy to penance.  Rudra complied and paid obeisance to His father by circumambulating him.  Brahma went ahead and created  ten more sons namely Marici, Atri, Angira, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Bhrgu, Vasistha, Daksa and Narada.  Brahma's creative energy was bursting forth on his body and mind. Brahma created out of his mind seven sons. These seven sons are collectively called  SaptaRishis, seven Rishis.  These are the primary Rishis or sages.  They are Kasyapa, Atri, Vasistha, Viswamitra, Gautama, Jamadagni and Bharadwaaja.  These seven sons created seven sons  out of their minds.  Bhagavatam 8.13.5:  Narada popped out from the lap; Daksa trotted out of his thumb; Vasistha spiraled out of his breath; Bhrgu crawled out of his skin; Kratu muscled his way out of his hand; Pulaha sprouted out of his navel; Pulastya wriggled out of his ear; Angira gushed out of his mouth;  Atri  brimmed over the eyelid; Marici dawned out of his mind; Dharma burst out of his right breast; Adharma scratched his way out of his back;  Kama, the god of love, blossomed out of his heart; Anger bounced off his brow; Greed gyrated on his upper lip; the goddess of Speech (Vak) vaulted out his of mouth with the aid of a pole of nimble wit; the oceans rained down from his phallus; Nirrti plunked out of his anus; and the sage Kardama stepped out of his shadow . Dharma was Lord Narayana Himself. Thus Brahma's creations came out of his body and mind. 

Nirrti: Ms.Calamity.  Personified as the goddess of death.  Considered as wife of Adharma, Mr. Unrighteousness.  Ms.Calamity and Mr. Adharma had three sons, Bhaya and  Maha-Bhaya and Myrtyu.  Bhaya is fear himself, Mahabhaya, the great Fear and Mrityu the death incarnate.  Another version states that Nirrti is a daughter of Adharma and Himsa, unrighteousnes and violence / Injury) and mother of Bhaya and Naraka (Fear and Hell)

Kardama is the husband of Devahûti and father of Kapila.   Kapila is the founder of Sankya system of philosophy.  See Chapter two for details on Samkhya system. 

It is said that Brahma, in order to hasten the pace of creation fell in love with his own daughter.  Vac,  who had no carnal desire in her.  His sons, Marici and others pleaded with him and pointed out the unrighteousness of his intentions.  They brought to his attention of historical precedent set by previous Brahmas and the moral precedent he will set for the future Brahmas.  Brahma became very much ashamed of his intent,  immediately gave up his body which became a dark fog.

Brahma brought out the four vedas from the mouths of his four heads. Vedas such as Ayurveda ( medical sciences), Danurveda (The art and science of Archery), Gandarvaveda (The art of music), Sthâpatyaveda (The science of Architecture), and the Ithihasas and puranas (fifth veda). Vidya ( knowledge), Danam (Charity), Tapah (penance) and Satyam (Truth) are created as the four legs of Dharma.  Varnashrama Dharma was established.  All human endeavors including  three Rs were created by Brahma.

Even with all serious efforts the population was sparse.  He worried about it. When he was engaged in contemplation, his body assumed a form that was two bodies in one.  This twin body had for one side a female body and another side had a male body.  This twin body or two-bodies-in-one was called Kâya.  The male part was Swayambhuva Manu and the female part was Satarupa.  The bodies separated as two fully formed individuals, one male and one female and later united in conjugal relationship.  Manu  fathered five children with Satatrupa.  They were  two sons, Priyavrata and Uttanapada, and three daughters, Akuti, Devahuti and Prasuti.  Akuti was married to sage Ruci, Devahuti to sage Kardama, and Prasuti to Daksa.  The population increased on account of these unions.

One Brahma's day is one Kalpa made up of one thousand yugas or periods. One night of Brahma is one Kalpa made up of one thousand yugas or periods.  So there are two thousand yugas in one Brahma's day and night.  In earthly terms, these two thousand yugas  are 8,640,000,000 years long (8.64 billion man years).  There are four yugas.  1:Krta or Satya  Yuga 2: Treta Yuga  3: Dvâpara Yuga  4: Kali yuga.   According to Srimad Bhagavatam Book three, Krita Yuga had the highest Dharma which diminished progressively by a quarter in the subsequent Yugas with  proportional increase in Adharma.  Dharma consists of four limbs namely  1: Austere penance  2: Internal and external purity  3: Compassion  4: Truthfulness

Kali yuga started at midnight of 02/18/3102 B.C.  These Yugas are cyclical starting from Krita yuga.  Lord Krishna was on earth by the end of Dvâpara Yuga.  As you notice in the table, Krita yuga is the longest, four times longer than kali Yuga; next comes Treta yoga three times longer and the Dvâpara yuga is only twice longer.

Brahma's Life and Times.  Life Span: 100 Brahma years

Brahma's day is followed by night of equal duration. There are two thousand Yugas  / periods in Brahma's one day and one night, which last  (4.32 billion years X 2) 8.64 billion man years.  His one day (4.32 billion years)  is composed of one thousand cycles of all four yugas and there are fourteen manvantaras in one Brahma's day and night. Each manvantara has  its own Manu, Indra and Rishis.   Manvantara literally means period of Manu.  It is calculated that there are 14 Manus in a day, 5040 Manus in one year and 504,000 manus in one Brahma's life time of 100 Brahma years.  Brahma and the attending Manus and Rishis come and go, but Maha Vishnu remains for ever.  To restate these figures in another way,  each Manu has his term and  power lasting for 71.42857 cycles through a set of 4 yugas  - Maha yuga -and in human terms for 306,720,000 years.  306.72 mil / 71.42857 cycles = 4.2941 mil (4.32 mil years per cycle of one Maha Yuga).  Each Manvantara has his own retinue of descendants, seven Rishis (Sapta Rishis), gods, Indra, Ghandharvas etc.  It is  like change of  administration in Washington, when a new president is sworn in.  When the day's work is done, Brahma retires for the night with an infinitesimal amount of soporific called Tamas ( One of the Gunas or modes). When he retires, the whole universe - the three worlds,  Bhu, Bhuvah and Swah - is absorbed into him.  These worlds are consumed by fire emitted by the serpent God, Lord Sankarsana. The heat is intense and felt in the world above.   It gets too hot in the upper  Maharloka, the abode of Bhrgu Muni who moves to a higher  and safer location namely Janaloka.   The oceans swell and swallow all  three worlds.  In the midst of all this devastation,  Lord Hari, surrounded  and praised by  Sri, Bhu, Rudra, Sanatkumara etc the usual residents of Janaloka, is seen reclining on  His Snake-bed in the ocean with His eyes closed as if sleeping and  unconcerned, but in reality in meditation and full awareness  (Yoga-Nidra = sleep meditation with full awareness, one of the Vishnu's Yoga Mayas).  

Brahma is said to be past middle age as of now.  That means Brahma had been around at least 155 trillion years.  In Brahma's life, there are two halves.  In the beginning of the first half, the kalpa was called as Brahma-kalpa in the first millennium where the Lord and the vedas appeared.  The next kalpa was called Padma -kalpa because the lotus flower grew out of the navel reservoir of water of Bhagavan Vishnu.  The first millennium of the second half is known as varaha-kalpa, because the Lord incarnated as a hog.  He is now in the 2nd half his life.  The duration of the two halves of  life of Brahma is less than one nimesa (less than one second) for the beginningless Lord, the Soul of the Universe. Just remember that Brahma lives for 311.04 trillion years.

When Brahma goes to sleep in the (Brahma's) night, all planetary systems below his abode, Brahmaloka, are inundated with water.  He dreams about Maha Vishnu who gives him instructions to rejuvenate the universe again.  

Creation according to Bhagavatam

This creation scenario is narrated in Bhagavatam as follows in a question-answer session between Vidura and Maitreya as retold by Sûta. 

The three gunas, namely Sattva, Rajas and Tamas as the qualities of primordial matter are agitated by forces such as prarabda karma, Bhagavan presiding over the spirit, matter and the eternal vigilance of Time, Mahat-tattva the cosmic intellect is born.  Prarabda karma is the frontload of  accumulated vasanas and samskaras (fragrances and impressions) which is responsible for birth and rebirth and has to be resolved before liberation.  In this disequilibrium, Rajas dominates Mahat-tattva, which again through the intermediate product ego develops into many groups of five elements.  What these elements severally and jointly could not do,  through the enzymatic daiva-yogena (divine power / energy) God created the haimam andam, the golden egg.   For more than one thousand years, this andakosah (the egg with the membranes) was resting in the waters of the causal ocean and finally Isvara entered the egg.  From the umbilicus  of the Lord sprouted  a lotus flower that exceeded a thousand suns in brilliance,  which was the jiva-nikâya (congregation of souls / jiva) and where Brahma Himself came into being (bhû).  When Brahma was entered into by the gracious Lord (Bhagavat) sleeping in the causal ocean, He fashioned / created  the universe in accordance with the plan executed previously.  At the very beginning, he created from His shadow ignorance (Avidyam) of five kinds namely Tâmisra, Andhatâmisra, Tamas, Moha and Mahâmoha (Anger, Complete darkness of the soul, Ignorance, Delusion and Gross spiritual darkness.  Andhatâmisra is complete darkness of the soul meaning that one views death as the end, not knowing that soul is deathless.  Moha means that one thinks that he is the body and not the soul.  Mahâmoha is insatiable desire for gratification of material kinds.

Brahma was very much displeased with himself looking at His own long, dark and dangerous shadow of  ignorance and creation.  He instantly discarded that body of ignorance and shadow.  The Yaksas and Raksasas who originated from that shadow took possession of the body  which became one long night with thirst and hunger.

Oppressed by thirst and hunger, the asuras (demons: Yaksas and Raksasas) attacked Brahma from all sides and started eating him alive. He pleaded with them, reminding them that he is their father.

(The substance of the following paragraph is found in Bhagavatam and the author presents material as found in it).

In a desperate hurry, Brahma created the shining sattvic Devas (gods) and dropped daytime in front of them, which they quickly took hold of.  Brahma subsequently created beings from his buttocks, who were excessively endowed with lust  and ran after Brahma seeking libidinous consortium.  Brahma laughed it off first and later realizing that they were closing in on him, he took to his heels in fear and landed in the presence of Lord Hari, who is the most benevolent giver of boons, refuge and grace to those who seek Him.  Having heard an earful of woes from Brahma, attended with supplication and prostration at His feet, the Lord asked Brahma to get rid off  his impure body that created the libidinous and rajasic Asuras.  Immediately Brahma cast off his body which became the twilight between day and night.

The Asuras found in that cast-off body at that twilight hour a beautiful damsel with lotus feet and tinkling anklets, overwhelming and intoxicating look in her eyes and  a shining girdle over her hips scantily covered by a fine piece of cloth. Her breasts were full looking up with no apparent cleavage. She had a beautiful shapely nose with shining teeth, a gorgeous smile dancing on her lips and  sporting side-long glances at the Asuras.  Her long tresses made her look as if she was hiding herself in the shade of shyness.  Upon seeing her the Asuras were all overcome with passion.  In the midst of all this raging passion, the Asuras appreciated her beauty and the bud of her youth.   They could not get over the way she moved dispassionately in the midst of all that simmering passion.

The lascivious Asuras with wicked intent flying on the wings of imagination in the soft twilight hour shuffled towards her and in a sham show of respect and fondness queried her " O Rambhoru, O Bhamini, who are you? Whose daughter are you? (Whom do you belong to?).  What is the object of your being here? O  beautiful, O  priceless, why are you tantalizing us?"

Rambhoru:  a woman having smooth and tapering thighs like the stem of a plantain tree, full, round and lovely.  Bhaamini: passionate woman.

The Asuras considered themselves very fortunate in seeing a young lass of such beauty bouncing the ball on the ground , wondering whether her breasts were weighing down heavy on her lotus-feet,  her slim waist was getting fatigued and her vision was getting dimmed in the twilight hour.  They pleaded with her to weave her comely hair in a braid. Thus the Asuras came to seize the twilight and regard it as the time for mundane sense pleasures.

Brahma was very much amused at the infatuation of the Asuras. He went ahead and created Gandharvas and Apsaras, the musicians and the dancing girls.  Music and dance performed in the name of God is liberating and if used for mere pleasure of the senses are regarded as demonic.  He gave up his shine in this creation in the form of moon-light which was quickly picked up by Viswaavasu and Ghandharvas.

Brahma was exhausted,  fell into a moment of lassitude from which rose / evolved the Bhuutas and Pisaasas (Ghosts and Fiends), the sight of which he could not bear, and so closed His eyes and yawned.  This yawning was the body which the ghosts and fiends took possession of.  When impure people are possessed by the above beings, they are driven insane.

Thus one can appreciate that from Brahma evolve  under the direction of the Supreme Lord both salubrious and inimical forces in the form of bodies possessed by the created beings. The individual soul has a choice to choose one or the other of these qualities on its way to liberation, the attainment of which depends on the making of the right choices.

His lassitude passed,  found himself  full of  energy and from his invisible body created hosts of Sadhyas and Pitas who were the invisible forms of the gods and manes. Through these invisible forms, the oblations are carried to the Supreme Lord who liberates the individual souls of the forefathers.

Brahma later created beings such as Siddhas and Vidyaadharas (the one who attained spiritual maturity and special knowledge) from his faculty of  antardhaana, invisibility.  From his own reflection in the water, he created Kimpurusas and Kinnaras (the beings with man-like appearance) who sing the praise of the Lord every morning.  From his hair emanated the snakes, and  from his mind emanated the Manus, the promoters of the welfare of the universe.  By immersing himself in penance, adoration of the Supreme Lord, yoga, dispassion and  meditation, he created the Rishis, the sages. 

This is story of creation of various beings from Brahma's body, mind, shadows, reflections, and moods.