Most visitors to Bangkok will likely notice the Brahma shrine at the Erawan hotel. If you’re on the skytrain as it passes by on it’s way to Siam station, there are always a few near the window who raise their hands into a prayer and tilt their chins downwards in respect.
I remember my first trip to Bangkok and how fascinated I was on all these shrines. I asked the girl I was with at the time who that was and she just told me it was “like a buddha”. Not being satisfied, I dug until I found out that it is none-other than the Hindu creator of the world, “Brahma”. Interesting that in India, there are only two shrines in the entire country to Brahma, but in Thailand they are everywhere from north to south. How did that come to be?
Indian puranas detail how Brahma fell out of favor for his lecherous behavior towards his own daughters (behavior which prompted Shiva to slice off his fifth head with a spinning chakra- notice he only has four heads now!). There is a deeper interpretation however:
Narayana (Vishnu) who represents the eternal potentiality of the universe, is found at the beginning of time to recline upon the vast ocean of pralaya. Narayana wills Brahma to rise from his navel, and programs Brahma to create the world from his instructions. Brahma is the creator, but more like a blank computer that accepts vishnu’s instructions.
For the philosophical bent, this is not meant to be a literal event, but rather a code as symbol within our mind and consciousness. Brahama is your ego, the mind of the universe. For those seeking Kaivalya/moksha/spiritual liberation, adoring the mind and ego simply won’t carry you as far as you need to go.
How it stayed in Thailand I have no idea (comments welcome), but I have learned a thing or two from visiting brahma shrines over the past six years.
If you meditate, you may be able to feel what I’m talking about here. Visit the shrine if it’s possible and sit and close your eyes for a moment or two at each side (each face). For me, I feel a strong pulsation of energy that feels like a blank slate. That blank slate is like vishnu programming Brahma to create the world as he instructs. It’s the mythology and the feeling I get that tells me that having samadhi/yoga on Brahma is the perfect place for dropping seeds for later fruition. It’s contact with the greater mind, and you can place your visualizations and desires to manifest here. For the Thais, (and a number of hong kong chinese) believe that Brahma will answer “your prayers”.
Well how do you pray? “pray” in the traditional sense of the meaning is looking UPWARDS in deference and begging. The way I see it, Brahma is your mind, and Vishnu/Narayana is within you. With the right application of mind, you determine your experience in reality. Prayer to me is not “begging”. It’s declaring. Of course, you really have no control as to when you will get what you ask for, or for that matter, if it’s really the best thing in the scope of your evolution. Brahma doesn’t care.
There are Pra-Phrom shrines everywhere in Thailand, but I feel the strongest vibe so far at Erawan… tell me what you think?
1 response so far ↓
1 Jaywalker // Dec 25, 2007 at 10:22 pm
The Chinese (be they from SEA, HK,China or Taiwan) know the deity of Erawan Shrine as the 4-faced Buddha 四面佛. ALthough they might not know the deity as Brahma and few would care its origin, Chinese visitors flock to Erawan Shrine for a union purpose: to seek blessing, hope and sustenance.
Yesterday I received a sms from a good fiend of mine. Apart from the usual seasons greeting, she asked for advise on vegetarian diet. She later confided of being granted a wish by the 4-faced Buddha: for her god sister to be pregnant. The wish was granted and she’s to fulfill her vow of being vegetarian for a month.
Coincidence or not, it’s still a jolly good news to the family and friends! And for my meat-loving good friend to be vegetarian…it’s REALLY something to celebrate for:)
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