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Why There Are Few Brahma Temples in Hindu Religion?

Hindu Temples dedicated to Lord Brahma, the creator, are few in number. In fact, there are only two famous temples dedicated to Brahma – the Brahma Temple at Pushkar in Rajasthan and another at Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu. When Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva have thousands of temples, why is it that Lord Brahma has very few temples?

Legend has it that Lord Shiva was disappointed with the world that Brahma created. Shiva saw disease, pain, suffering, death… in the world. He saw human beings madly scampering for momentary pleasure under the influence of Maya.

But Brahma was happy with his creation and he brought forth four heads to look in all direction. Brahma’s pride knew no limits and he popped up a fifth head to have a look at his creation. This pride of Brahma enraged Shiva and he became Bhairava.



Shiva as the ferocious Bhairava attacked Brahma and he cut off the fifth head for creating a world filled with misery, Shiva cursed Brahma that people will not worship him and will not conduct pujas, rituals and festivals in his name. And they will not bother to build temples in the name of Brahma.

Yet another legend has it that once Lord Vishnu and Brahma tried to find the beginning and end of Jyotirlinga (Shiva in the form of linga). Soon Vishnu realized that it was foolishness to try to find the end of Linga and returned back.

But Brahma who was looking for the beginning of Jyotrilinga could not find it but he was not ready to accept defeat. Suddenly he found a Ketaki flower falling down and thinking it was falling from Shiva’s head caught it and took it to Shiva to say that he found the beginning of Jyotirlinga. He asked Ketaki flower to act as his witness – that the flower was plucked from Shiva’s head.

Shiva cursed Brahma for lying – he would not be worshipped by humans. Ketaki flower was barred as an offering to Shiva.

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