My grandmother has slowly been dying through my entire life. Also known as the process of aging. That didn’t stop her from insisting every year was the last and that we needed to grab the at-the-time staunchly Hindu grandkid to go see pilgrimage sites.
I forget the exact year, but around 2020 we made a trip to Awalkheda. I’ve seen the village change a lot between my trips.
Even when I still belonged to the Institution, I held a deep distaste in the organization’s actions to build a shrine deifying the spot where Gurudev was born. His message is the Mashal. Not worship of his body. It is the Prakhar Pragya Sajal Shraddha that is marked on my leg. Not the village where he was born.
But this isn’t Festivus and an Airing of Grievances. The only part that matters is what we were reading.
On the train ride there. I was reading the Bhagavad Gita, the translation gifted to me by Dr. Pranav Pandya at the Yosemite Sadhana Shivir in 2012. And Ba was reading the Guru Gita.
Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru Devo Maheshwara, Guru Sakshat Parabrahma, Tasmai Shri Gurave Namah.
Guru is Brahma, Vishnu too. Guru is Shiva, Lord Divine. Guru is but the supreme Truth. Salutations to my Guru. (Swami Tadatmananda’s translation from my old stapled prayer packet)
Guru Brahma.
The deity who has no Mandir built for him. No major Sampradayas or lineages around his practice.
Why?
Inception
The story starts similar to the Book Of Genesis. No stars and planets. Just infinite cosmic ocean. On these “waters” floated Padmanabha resting in Yoganidra on Shesha, The Serpent with Many Heads.
From his navel, a lotus began to sprout. As it blossomed, its core manifesting Abjayoni.
The Old Man was confused, not knowing who or where he was. Couldn’t see anything. Nothing around as far as he could see. No roots for the flower’s stem in sight.
Finding no answers, he settled into his spot and did Tapas. Piercing Maya and revealing The Sustainer. Who imparted the Divine Knowledge of the Vedas to him,and gave him a task, Create That Which Needs To Be Sustained.
Fifth Head
Nowadays we know him as the One With Four Heads. Symbolisms drawn for the Rig, Sama, Yajur, and Atharva Vedas and the four cardinal directions.
But once upon a time, he had five.
But before that he had one.
After getting the world.exe from 0 to 1. He was blocked. He had an MVP. But was lost when it came to getting it to Prod. And so he made what he was lacking, Knowledge.
Unfortunately like most 10x devs, he got a bit obsessed with Veenapani. When she moved east, he made a new face to continue gazing. South? No problem, another head. West? Head number four.
Frustrated she went up. And cue the fifth head.
Swami Tadatmananda always told this joke that it was great she didn’t go underground.
Flaming Pillar
Unfortunately our Elderly Gentleman let his Grand Job go to his heads.
The Architect and Operator were arguing over who was the Greatest.
One argued that he Assembled everything. The other argued that’s big talk for someone who grew out of his bellybutton.
Like any two men with large egos, words went to Astras. The cosmos not wanting to deal with their drama tapped on the Mahadeva. Who then appeared in front of the two as the Jyotirlinga.
A challenge was issued. Whoever finds my beginning or end is the GOAT.
One of them took the form of Varaha Avatar and used his mighty tusks to burrow. While the IKEA Expert took the form of his symbol, the Hamsa, to fly higher and higher.
The Boar eventually could not find an end in sight, swallowed his Ahamkar, and accepted defeat.
The Swan however did not kill his ego, and was untruthful. Insisting he reached the top. Even using Ketaki flower to form an elaborate ruse.
The Three Eyed One was not a fan.
Furious he emerged from the Pillar of Light and cursed Pitāmaha to never have his own Mandirs or festivals.
Chop Chop
The up-head is symbolic of the man’s hubris, lust, and ego.
According to some stories, it was the head that lied in the contest.
And as time grew on, it became more boastful.
Until one day when it ran its mouth around someone who likes to carry a Trishul.
Who then took the form of Kaal Bhairava and, well you can read the section’s heading.
Going into what happened to the Blue Throated next is out of scope.
But Vedagarbha finally learned humility.
Look, I’m not gonna pretend the order of these stories make any sense.
Tridevi
Now the more important trio.
The Sustainer has Sri Lakshmi, the provider of prosperity, wealth, abundance, and more. All the things He needs to not struggle too much when doing His job of maintaining Dharma.
The Adiyogi has Ma Parvati. Shakti itself. Kinda necessary when your whole job is to dismantle things.
There are countless stories told of the deep love between both sets of pairs. We don’t have many of those when it comes to the One Who Gives Knowledge.
Saraswati. There are many Sanyasi in her lineage who I have been quite fond of. I still miss Swami Dayananda, it was a privilege to meet with him at the Gurukulam despite his failing health to receive his blessings before undergrad. But moving on. Imagine combining Athena, Apollo, and Hera without all the spite. Knowledge. Arts. Music. Speech. Writing. Poetry. Education. Learning. The foundation of the culture we call Sanatana Dharma. The namesake of the River our scriptures write with even more reverence than Ma Ganga.
Everything the Old Man With Four Heads needed to effectively accomplish the task he was given.
I say task, not job. What Shiva and Vishnu do are seen as ongoing roles that need to be done perpetually. Highly important. Highly dysfunctional. Always in need of support.
In contrast to how we talk about Brahma. Our stories speak of a Busy One who always needs Stability. The Strange One who always needs Shakti.
But the Elderly One seems to have a different relationship with Gyan. It was his responsibility to perform his Dharma. But it was not an endless one. He began Unaware. Through Tapas developed himself into what was needed to put up the framing, pour the foundation, and lay the bricks. Mission accomplished. Hamsavahini plays the role of hard carrying that last mile.
Wrapping Up
I’ve spent a lot of my life singing bhajans and the other typical shows of Bhakti. I’ve spent more of my life doing practices normal folk would consider strange. I prefer the Weirdness to Devotion, but neither really speaks to me.
Unlike Shiva and Vishnu, he offers no simple soteriological path, a fancy way to say he doesn’t offer direct liberation from the cycle.
I’m not gonna pretend I don’t seek Moksha, but I’m in no rush to find it.
Through many of our stories, Brahma is painted as flawed. And he is. But for a culture that loves to talk about balance and forgiveness, it’s sure held a grudge for a long time.
Sanātana Dharma is “always evolving” yet the Lover Of Laddus is always first.
Not a surprising ending given I also stan Karna over Arjuna.
Here’s to the Great Builder. The Administrator and Wrecking Ball have gotten enough attention from me.