Indian Pink Sandstone Torso of Brahma
Central India, ca. 11th/12th century 
Pink Sandstone
22 inches, 25 inches on base
 
The Hindu deity Brahma created all gods, demons, ancestors, and men. Brahma the Creator is also the source of all the knowledge that exists in this world. Early texts describe that there was nothing but an eternal ocean. From this, a cosmic golden egg called Hiranyagarbha was formed and from this, Brahma emerged. From his own person, he then created good & evil and light & dark. 
Brahma then made all living creatures upon the earth. In the process of creating, perhaps in a moment of distraction, the demons were born from Brahma's thigh and so he abandoned his own body which then became Night. After Brahma created good gods, he abandoned his body once again, which then became Day, hence demons gain the ascendancy at night and gods, the forces of goodness, rule the day. After creating ancestors and men, each time again he abandoned his body so that they became Dusk and Dawn respectively. This process of creation repeats itself in every eon. Brahma then appointed Shiva to rule over humanity although in later myths Brahma becomes a servant of Shiva. 
 
Brahma is among the strongest beings in the universe, Although not a chief deity, like Indra, Brahma is one of the pillar gods that hold the foundation of the Hindu pantheon and is widely revered. Due to his stoic and benevolent patience, he is more of a passive and pacifist deity, where the only thing that is important to him is his creation and the things that he will create.  He possesses the extraordinary ability to bestow numerous blessings upon not only gods and humans but also the demon-like beings.
 
He can create organic or inorganic matter from nothing, either as finished objects or simply unfinished elements. On the highest-level Brahma can create anything he can think of, whether conceptual or sentient. This includes the creation of energy, souls and life of any complexity, dimensions or realities, stars, etc. 
 
Being the supreme creator deity of the Hindu pantheon, Brahma can create, shape and manipulate creative energy, with the ability to create/materialize anything (objects, elements, lifeforms, etc.). Brahma’s ability to create something from nothingness is so great that he earned the respect of many gods, even from the gods of other foreign pantheons. As one of the Trimurti, Brahma has the power to manipulate time (chronokinesis). He, along with Shiva and Vishnu manipulate time, using the forces of creation, destruction, and preservation, where they will time the exact time of certain things or individuals’ creation, destruction, or protection all as part of maintaining and balancing the Cosmic Wheel of the Universe. 
 
Brahma, due to his elevated status as the primeval first god, is less involved in picturesque myths where gods take on human form and character but is rather a generally abstract or metaphysical ideal of a great god. In later Puranas (Hindu epics) Brahma is no longer worshipped and other gods are assigned his myths, even if he always maintains his status as the creator god. Nevertheless, he is still honored today with an annual ceremony at the pilgrimage site of Pushkar in Rajasthan, India and he remains a popular figure in Southeast Asia, especially in Thailand and Bali.  
Brahma can create anything on a divine level, such as planets, solar systems, cosmos, universes, and/or even life-containing planets. He can create organic or inorganic matter from nothing, either as finished objects or simply unfinished elements. On the highest-level Brahma can create anything he can think of, whether conceptual or sentient. This includes the creation of energy, souls and life of any complexity, dimensions or realities, stars, etc. He is embodiment of creation, and his power comes from creation itself.