Brahma is the creator God in Hinduism. There are not many stories of avatars of Brahma like Vishnu or Shiva. He is identified with the god Prajapati of the Vedas. In some of the scriptures, he is said to have the Rajas Guna among the three Gunas namely Sattwa, Rajas, and Tamas. Although, some of the scriptures also mention being Nirguna or not having any qualities.
In Puranic Hinduism, he is considered to be one of the Trinity. It is said that avatars happen to establish Dharma. Usually, all the Avatars of Brahma appear on the earth to share knowledge with the world. The Saptarishis and the Sages are also considered to be part of Brahma. Let’s have a look at the general list of the seven greatest avatars of Brahma and the stories associated with these 7 avatars of Brahma. This is a list from Dasam Granth book and Hindu Scriptures.
- Valmiki Avatar
- Shukra Avatar
- Brihaspati Avatar.
- Kashyapa Avatar
- Vyasa Avatar
- Khat Avatar
- Kalidasa Avatar.
Table of Contents
- Valmiki Avatar
- Shukra Avatar
- Brihaspati Avatar
- Kashyapa avatar, the father in the avatars of Brahma
- Vyasa Avatar
- Khat Avatar
- Kalidasa Avatar
- Other avatars of Brahma from Hindu Scriptures.
- Who is God Brahma?
- Who is the father of Lord Brahma?
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Valmiki Avatar
Valmiki is the revered sage and author of the epic Ramayana. As an avatar of Brahma, Valmiki played a significant role in narrating the story of Lord Rama and his wife Sita. The Ramayana serves as a moral and spiritual guide that teaches the values of dharma, duty, and righteousness. Valmiki’s divine wisdom and knowledge of the Vedas were acquired through the Bhakti of lord Rama making him a prominent figure in Hinduism. This Avatar of Lord Brahma compiled the epic Ramayana in the Sanskrit language. In Hinduism, there is a distinction between epics, in one category we have Puranas, and in another category, we have Itihashas ( history). The former can be written or said by anyone but the History should be compiled by only those who have personally participated in it. Valmiki Avatar compiled the ithihaasa.
Shukra Avatar
Shukra, also known as Venus is the preceptor of the Asuras or demons in Hinduism. As an avatar of Brahma, Shukra’s wisdom and knowledge of astrology, spirituality, and the Vedas were considered to be unparalleled. He is often associated with wealth, pleasure, and fertility. He is also credited with authoring the Shukra Niti. It is a scripture detailing principles of governance, statecraft, and ethics.
Brihaspati Avatar
Brihaspati is the guru of devas and the deity of wisdom, eloquence, and learning. As an avatar of Brahma, Brihaspati is responsible for guiding the gods in their quests for knowledge and spirituality. He is also associated with the planet Jupiter and is considered the teacher of the Vedas and one who holds cosmic order called Rta. Brihaspati’s wisdom and counsel have played an essential role in Hinduism as it highlight the importance of a guru in one’s spiritual journey.
Kashyapa avatar, the father in the avatars of Brahma
Kashyap is one of the Saptarishis or the Seven Sages. He is the father of various species including Devtas, Danavas, humans, Snakes, etc. He is mentioned in various scriptures as a father figure. Kashyapa Avatar of Brahma and his wife Aditi had blessings that Lord Narayana would take birth three times as their son to establish Dharma on the Earth. In their first birth, he took birth as Rama, in the second birth he was Krishna, and in the third birth, he would be born as Kalki.
Vyasa Avatar
Vyasa, also known as Veda Vyasa, is the author of the great epic Mahabharata and the compiler of the Vedas. As an avatar of Brahma, Vyasa played a crucial role in preserving and disseminating the wisdom of the Vedas and other sacred texts. The Mahabharata, which narrates the story of the Kurukshetra War and the Bhagavad Gita is a guide to righteous living and spiritual growth. Vyasa’s contributions to Hinduism have made him one of the most revered figures in the nation.
Khat Avatar
Khat Avatar has been discussed in a separate article which you can find here. The Khat Avatar refers to the six sages who are considered divine incarnations of Brahma. They are the founders of Indian Philosophy. It is believed that once Vyasa was cursed by the almighty that he had to be reduced into 6 forms to create six schools of Indian Philosophy.
Click here to read here about the six founders of the Indian School of Philosophy. Khat Avatar.
Kalidasa Avatar
Kalidasa is a celebrated poet and playwright in classical Sanskrit literature. As an avatar of Brahma, Kalidasa’s works on love, beauty, and the human experience have left a lasting impact on Indian literature and culture. His most famous works include plays like Abhijnana Shakuntalam and poems like Meghaduta and Kumarasambhava. He is also known as the “Shakespeare of India.”
Other avatars of Brahma from Hindu Scriptures.
Dattatreya avatar
He was one of the most knowledgeable Avatars of Brahma. Also, he is considered to be the first teacher in the world. Dattatreya even taught Parshurama, the Avatar of Vishnu. You can click here to read about the Avatars of Vishnu. He is also known by the name of Adi-Guru. The major source of his knowledge was Nature itself. Interestingly, he is considered to be one of the Avatars of Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh at once.
Chandra the moon God avatar
Once a pious sage named Mandavya cursed a brahmin named Kaushika that he would die immediately during the sunrise. However, Anusaya, the wife of Kaushika, possessed superhuman abilities. Furiously, she stopped the sun so that it would never rise. The trinity requested Anusaya to un-hold the Sun. Intelligent Anusaya took a chance and made her demand if the trinity would take the avatar from her womb, then only she would release the Sun. The Lord Brahma accepted and took birth as Chandra or the Moon.
Vikhanas avatar
Lord Vishnu was the teacher of this Avatar of Brahma. He taught him the mystery of worship in the holy place called Naimisharayana. It all happened through the 32 questions which were put forward to Vishnu.
Who is God Brahma?
Brahma is the creator god in Puranic Hinduism. His one-day named Kalpa is said to be the standard of measurement of time for other gods. Brahma’s consort is Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge. He has many sons called manasputras who originated from his mind.
Who is the father of Lord Brahma?
The Father of Brahma is often thought to be lord Vishnu. From the navel of Vishnu, Brahma originated. However, as per other Puranas father of Brahma is also said to be the son of Shiva. The cyclic relationship between Brahma, Vishnu, or Shiva is established to prove the cycle of the universe and life (samsara) continues till eternity.
You can also read about the avatars of Shiva here.
