Deity

Brahmani

Hindu Deities

Brahmani is one of the Sapta Matrikas, the seven mother goddesses of Hindu tradition, embodying the shakti or divine power of the creator god Brahma. She rides his mount, the swan, and carries his rosary and water pot. The Devi Mahatmya recounts the Matrikas springing from the bodies of the gods to fight beside the goddess Durga against the demon armies, each taking her parent god's own form and arms. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Facts

Attributions

Mythic Association

In the Metropolitan Museum's Pahari painting of the Devi Mahatmya battle scene she is shown mounted on a swan, flying above the field alongside the other Matrikas around Durga and the emaciated Chamunda. 2

Identity

Genderthe subject's own account

Female 1

Function

Domain / Functionthe subject's own account

Protection and guardianship 1

Belief

Theologythe subject's own account

Debated 1

Attestation

Veneration Todaythe subject's own account

Actively venerated in a living tradition 1

Historicitythe subject's own account

Not a historical person: a divine or other-than-human being 1

Origins

Origin of the Namethe subject's own account

Brahmani is the feminine form of Brahma, naming her directly as his shakti rather than as an independently rooted theonym. 1

Cult

Attributes and Iconographythe subject's own account

Shown riding a swan, Brahma's own mount, and carrying his rosary and water pot, the standard canon for the Matrika who is his shakti. 1

Correspondences & Relations

Pantheons

Hindu

Connections

Associated With

Battle Scene from a Devi Mahatmya, Object Record (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

This source names Brahmani directly: "on Garuda, Kaumari on a peacock and Brahmani on a swan flying above, with Indrani on an elephant and Maheswari on a bull."

Source Battle Scene from a Devi Mahatmya, Object Record (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Brahma

This source names Brahma directly: "Brahmani is one of the Sapta Matrikas, the seven mother goddesses of Hindu tradition, embodying the shakti or divine power of the creator god Brahma."

Source Matrikas (Wikipedia)

Durga

This source names Durga directly: "the gods to fight beside the goddess Durga against the demon armies, each taking her parent god's own form and arms."

Source Matrikas (Wikipedia)

Matrikas (Wikipedia)

This source names Brahmani directly: "power of a corresponding male deity: Brahmani of Brahma, Vaishnavi of Vishnu, Maheshvari of Shiva, Kaumari of Kartikeya, Varahi of Varaha, Indrani of Indra and Chamunda of Chandi or Parvati, each..."

Source Matrikas (Wikipedia)

Shakti

This source names Shakti directly: "of Hindu tradition, embodying the shakti or divine power of the creator god Brahma."

Source Matrikas (Wikipedia)