The Development of Hindu Iconography c19.s1.6.1

c19.s1.6.1

Brahmā appears to have enjoyed no success as a cult god. It is true that he illustrates in a way an aspect of Vedism, one of the constituent elements of the composite Hinduism of the epic and Purāṇic times, but if any attempt was ever made by an orthodox Vedic section of the Hindus to formulate his cult in imitation of those of Viṣṇu and Śiva, it was destined to failure. Reference has already been made in a previous chapter of this book (Ch. VI, p. 230) to Varāhamihira's injunction that Brahmā's images could only be installed by those who were well-versed in the Vedic lore (*Viprān vidur-Brāhmaṇaḥ*). The analogous references by the same author to the Bhāgavatas, the Pāśupatas, the Magas, etc., being only entitled to instal the images of Viṣṇu, Śiva and Sūrya, may suggest that these persons, ‘well-versed in the Vedas’, were the exclusive worshippers of Brahmā. But if there were such a sect at all, they did not enjoy any great importance. This hypothesis is substantiated by the Purāṇic stories connected with such Śaiva icons as the Liṅgodbhavamūrti; Brahmā was cursed by Śiva for telling a lie not to have any cult of his own. Separate temples enshrining Brahmā are very few and far between, and mention may be made here of the early mediaeval and later Brahmā shrines found at Dudahi and Khajuraho (Madhya Bharat), Vasantgaḍh (Rajputana), Unkal (near Hubli, Dharwar district), and Kheḍ Brahmā (Mahi Kantha). The Dudahi temple was well-built having many artistic carvings;