Lord Brahma is the creator of the universe and the first lord in the Hindu Trinity, other are lord Shiva and Vishnu. He is the creator of life on the earth, who created eleven 'Prajapatis' for fathering the human race. Lord Brahma himself is believed to have taken birth from the navel of lord Vishnu. The Vedas are attributed to Brahma, and thus he is regarded as the father of dharma. The Vedas are the oldest and the holiest of Hindu scriptures. Lord Brahma is said also to be the son of the Supreme Being, Brahman and the female energy known as Prakrti or Maya. His Vahan (vehicle) is the white swan, which is known for its unique faculty of separating pure milk from a mixture of milk and water. Brahma is generally depicted as red in color, four armed and bearing four heads seated on the Lotus flower. The four faces of Brahma represent the four Vedas. Brahma's abode is known as Brahmalok, which is said to contain all the splendors of earth and of all the heaven

Universe. The fact that, after each kalpa (or age), he meditates and recreates the Universe we live in is symbolized by the Vedas he holds in his hand which guide him, and the kamandala or water pot which is used in the ritual of prayer prior to tapasya (meditation and penance), after which he creates the Universe. He sits on a lotus which is a symbol of purity, as the lotus usually grows in muddy waters but is untouched by the dirt and mire from which it emerges. So also the true Yogi (one who practises Yoga and is an evolved being), should be unaffected by the world around him. To emphasise the closeness of Creation and Preservation, Brahma is shown emerging from the navel of Vishnu, the Preserver.All paintings are courtesy of Art of Legend India.