Brahma is the first god in the Hindu triumvirate, or trimurti. He is regarded as the senior god and his job was creation. He should not be mistaken with Brahman, who is the supreme God of all. Brahma is the least outwardly worshipped god in Hinduism today, and there are only two temples in the whole of India devoted to him, compared with the many thousands devoted to the other two. Brahma has four heads and it is believed that from these four heads came the four Vedas (the most ancient religious texts which define truth for Hindus). Some also believe that the caste system, or four varnas, came from different part of Brahma's body.

What does Brahma look like?
Brahma, as mentioned, is shown with four heads, often with a beard, and four arms. He rides on a swan.

Why is Brahma not worshipped so much?

There are a number of stories mentioned which may point to why Brahma is not so well worshipped as the other two gods

Hindu legend has it that Brahma had created a woman in order to aid him with creation, called Shatarupa.

However, Brahma fell in love with Shatarupa and gazed at her wherever she went. Shatarupa turned from his gaze, but every time she did so, Brahma sprouted a head, until he had four heads seeing in all directions. One legend says that she then jumped and a fifth head was created at the top of them all. Added to this, in another version, Shatarupa kept changing form as well, from cow to doe, from duck to mare to avoid Brahma. He, however, changed his form to the male version of whatever she was and thus every animal in the world was created.

Shiva admonished Brahma for falling in love with what was regarded as his daughter and chopped off his fifth head for 'unholy' behaviour. Therefore Brahma is shown as having four heads. Shiva said that since Brahma distracted the mind from the soul and towards the cravings of the flesh, his curse would be that people should not worship him.

Another story sees Vishnu and Brahma ask to find the beginning and end of Shiva, so as to test his magnificence. Vishnu looked for the beginning of Shiva, and Brahma the end.

Vishnu returned soon after not finding anything. Understanding the enormity of the power Shiva, he bowed in submission.

Brahma, however, acted arrogantly and without faith. He persuaded a flower to lie, the story says, by bearing witness to Shiva that Brahma did actually find the end. Shiva, who is said to know everything, became very angry at Brahma's lie and ego and cursed him with the curse that no one would worship him.

As a form of repentance, it is mentioned in one source that Brahma has been continually reciting the Vedas since this time.

A third view of why Brahma is not worshipped as much, and a more sympathetic one, is that Brahma's role as the creator is over. It is left to Vishnu to preserve the earth and Shiva to continue its path of cosmic reincarnation.