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Brahma

One of the main gods of Hinduism from about 500 BCE to 500 CE, who was steadily eclipsed by Vishnu, Shiva, and the good Goddess (in her a number of facets). Related to the Vedic creator god Prajapati, whose id he assumed, Brahma was born from a golden egg and created the earth and all issues on it. Later myths describe him as having come forth from a lotus that issued from Vishnu's navel.

Brahma is usually depicted as having four faces, symbolic of a wide-ranging 4-square capability, as expressed in the 4 Vedas (collections of poems and hymns), the 4 yugas (“ages”), the four varnas (social classes), the four directions, the 4 levels of orthoprax life, or life according to correct follow (ashramas), and so forth. He is usually shown with four arms, holding an alms bowl, a bow, , prayer beads, and a book. He could also be seated or standing on a lotus throne or on his mount, a goose. Savitri and Sarasvati, respectively exemplars of faithfulness and of music and studying, incessantly accompany him.