In the Hindu Trimurti or divine trinity, Brahma is the creator, Vishnu is the sustainer, and Shiva is the destroyer, or the one who brings things to their completion. Brahma is portrayed with four heads, but it is said that he once had five. How did he come to have so many heads? And how did he lose one of them?

One tale that explains the matter is that it all started from the mischief of Kamadeva, the god of erotic love. Kamadeva’s powers caused many problems, particularly when he crossed paths with Shiva, but that is another story.

In this tale, it is said that Brahma was busy with the work of creation – he had made Manu, the first man, and then he made the first woman, Satarupa, a name that means ‘a hundred forms.’ But Kamadeva slyly began to stir up Brahma, so that when he looked at Satarupa, he felt longing for her. He found her so beguiling he could not take his eyes from her, and beneath his gaze Satarupa began to feel uncomfortable. Therefore she went from one side of Brahma to another, but when she changed her position, Brahma grew another head to continue looking at her.

Now she moved again, but each time Satarupa moved, Brahma’s longing produced another head to stare at her. Then when she had circled Brahma completely, and there were four heads looking in all directions, Satarupa leaped into the air above him – and a fifth head appeared, looking up at her.

Finally in desperation, Satarupa called on the help of Lord Shiva. When Shiva appeared, he was very angry with Brahma – for as he was the creator, Satarupa was his daughter, and to look at her inflamed by the spells of Kamadeva was not fitting. With one blow Shiva struck off the fifth head, and he would have destroyed Brahma entirely if it were not for the intervention of Vishnu.

Most often, Shiva is portrayed holding a skull – and it is said that the skull is that of Brahma’s fifth head.