Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c4.2465

c4.2465

(powers) named Rati, Bhūti, Buddhi, Mati, Kīrti, Dhṛti, Smṛti, Śraddhā, Medhā, Svadhā, Svāhā, Kṣudhā, Nidrā, Dayā, Gatī, Tuṣṭi, Puṣṭi, Kṣamā, Lajjā, Jṛmbhā and Tandrā, appeared before Mahāviṣṇu, who was struck with wonder. Mahādevī said, “Oh, Viṣṇu, what is there to wonder at? Every time the universe is subjected to creation, preservation and destruction, you are born thus due to the great power of the supreme spirit. It seems that you have forgotten those matters. Know that the supreme power is beyond qualities. We are all with qualities. Your main quality is Sattva. From your nave Brahmā will be born. His attribute is Rajoguṇa (activity, passion or motion). From the middle of the eyebrows of Brahmā, will be born Rudra, whose attribute will be Tāmasaguṇa (darkness). Brahmā, with the power of penance, will acquire the ability of creation and by his attribute of Rajoguṇa will create the world in the colour of blood. You will be the preserver of that world. The same world will be destroyed by Rudra at the end of the Kalpa (world age)”. Accordingly from the nave of Viṣṇu a lotus grew up and in that lotus flower Brahmā took his form. The same Brahmadeva did penance before Mahāviṣṇu and Jagadambā, who were pleased at his penance and gave him all the boons he wanted. After that Brahmā began the work of creation. He created with his mind the Saptarṣis, (seven sages) and then the Prajāpatis (the lords of emanation). From them all the movables and the immovables in the universe came into existence. (Devī Bhāgavata, Skandha 7). In manusmṛti, Chapter 1, the following stanza about the creation of Brahmā occurs. “Tadaṇḍamabhavad haimam Sahasrāṁśusamaprabham / Tasmin jajñe svayaṁ Brahmā Sarvalokapitāmahaḥ” // That egg was as radiant as the Sun, with the colour of gold. Brahmā the great grandfather of everything in the world took birth by himself in it. From the supreme power, an egg fell on the water which was the first creation. That egg became a germ of golden colour. Creating a life, which had done penance in its former births in such a way as to enable it to become Brahmā, in the golden germ of the egg, the supreme power entered the life that is to become Brahmā as its inner guide. That Brahmā is known as the Pitāmaha (Grandfather of the manes) or Paternal grandfather of all the worlds.” Vāmanapurāṇa Chapter 43 states as follows about the creation of Brahmā :— Ages before the beginning, when all the worlds with everything they contained were submerged in the single ocean of the great flood, the germ of living things formed itself into a big egg. Brahmā who had been inside the egg went to a long sleep. The sleep continued for a thousand yugas (ages) when Brahmā woke up; as Sattva guṇa (purity) was the foremost attribute of him, he saw that the world was void. When the thought of creation occurred in his mind Rajoguṇa (activity or passion) became his foremost attribute. Rajas is the attribute that creates and Sattva, that which preserves. At the time of destruction Tamoguṇa (darkness) becomes the foremost attribute. That Bhagavān (Supreme Spirit) the Puruṣa (the Male creative Energy) pervades over everything, in all the living worlds. That Eternal Being is Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva.