Phra Phrom

Phra Phrom is the Thai representation of the Hindu god Brahma. A celebrated example of this representation is the statue of Brahma at the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok. The golden dome of the Government House of Thailand also contains a statue of Phra Phrom.

Background

For more than 5,000 years, the disciples of Brahmana were known to have paid homage to Phra Phom as their highest esteemed God in their religion. The origin of this was that the Brahmana religion believed that these 3 Gods combined their powers to create the world. This religion was mainly symbolised by 3 major Gods:

*Brahma : Creator of the world and all things
*Vishnu : Preserver of all things
*Siva : Destroyer that makes all things exist and perish according to nature's cycles

The wives of these 3 Gods are also their capable assistants who also helped in the creation of the world. Brahma's wife is known as Saraswati which means the Goddess of great wisdom.

In Hinduism, Brahma is believed to be the creator of all things of the world. He is cool-tempered and possesses the highest moral principles. He is full of kindness, mercy, sympathy, and impartiality. These four precepts comprise the "Conscientious Behavior" corresponding to Buddhist teaching which instructs Buddhists of the four Dharma. Besides creating the world, Brahma also creates heaven and human beings.

The features of Phra Phrom usually depict him with four faces and a pair of hands. Many people in Southeast Asia commonly refer to him as the "Four Face Buddha". In fact, in the records of Buddhist literature, he belongs to the class of devas and not of the buddhas.

The significance of the four faces of the Brahma were to offer help to the people who come to him from all directions. It is also believed that there is special significance to the religious items held in the hands and its posture. The significance of the items interpreted are believed to be as follows:

*Disc: A solar symbol and also a long-range weapon to destroy evil
*Scepter: Authority and protection of universal law
*Water pot: Creation of life
*Empty hand placed flat on the chest: Compassion
*Spoon: A sacrificial tool, symbolising that Brahma is a god of sacrifice
*Book (Vedas): Knowledge, wisdom
*Conch shell: Space; when used as a battle horn a weapon against demons
*Prayer beads: Time and spiritual nature

It is worth noting that in Indian Hinduism the disc and the conch shell are considered the main attributes of Vishnu. The fact that Brahma in Thai Hinduism is represented with eight arms (instead of four) and with these two Vishnu attributes are indications of a diverging view on the Brahma deity.

Gifts

Worshippers of Phra Phom usually offer jasmine flowers or jasmine garlands and young coconut milk (with water in them) in their worship. Another common way of worship is to place wooden elephant statues on the altar to honor him. Phra Phrom is also known to admire Thai classical music, which is played near the altar, accompanied by dancers.

Worshippers of Phra Phrom are also usually advised to abstain from consuming meat.

ee also

*Brahma
*Erawan Shrine
*Greater India
*Brahma (Buddhism)

External links

* [http://www.phraphrom.blogspot.com Phra Phrom on Blogspot]
* [http://www.mahaprom.org/index_eng_history.htm Brahma history]