Elements of Hindu Iconography v4.c32.3

v4.c32.3

It is well-known that Brahmā (who is to be carefully distinguished from Brahma in the neuter gender) is a member of the later Hindu Trinity; but he is not held now in such great importance as the other two members of the Trinity. No temples are dedicated for his exclusive worship, nor is there any sect or class owing special and exclusive allegiance to him; in other words, there is no Brahmā cult as we have the Vaiṣṇava and the Śaiva cults with a large number of adherents, ever quarrelling over the superiority of their own particular sect or god. Hence it is believed by some people that Brahmā is offered no pūjā on earth now, and is not worshipped at all. This opinion is far from the truth. As has been elsewhere remarked, there exists (and should exist), no temple which has not got all the three members of the Trinity, be it a Śiva’s temple or Viṣṇu’s. The niche on the northern wall of the central shrine of the Viṣṇu’s or Śiva’s temple should contain an image of Brahmā and must receive daily pūjā. He is one of the most important of the parivāra-dēvatās of the first prākāra of a Viṣṇu