Lord Brahma's Fifth Head

     Brahma had created a goddess named Shatarupa. She and Swayambhuva Manu together gave birth to all living creatures. She was the very personification of the universe. She was, in a sense, Brahma's daughter. But, She was so beautiful the Brahma fell in love with his own daughter. He was so entranced by her beauty that he desired only her for himself.
     When she circumambulated her father to pay her respects, Brahma sprouted four heads so that he could see her in every direction. She became very shy and so flew upwards. Brahma then created a fifth head above him so that he could see her upwards as well. When she turned into a cow, he turned into a bull, when she turned into a doe, he became a stag. when she turned into a swan, he turned into a gander. He kept turning into the male counterpart of her female form. He could realize she was energy and matter itself. The great goddess Shakti.
     She ran and complained to Lord Shiva, who became disgusted hearing this. He scolded Brahma for desired his own daughter. Four of Brahma's heads agreed and apologized, but the fifth head and spoke angrily back to Shiva. In anger, Shiva became the terrifying Bhairava, and with his nail, chopped off the fifth head of Brahma. This was how Brahma got four heads. Bhairava kept the skull on his finger and used it as a drinking and food bowl. This is why Shiva is also known as Kapalika, the skull-bearer.
     Shatarupa would eventually be known as Saraswathi, the goddess of knowledge, sound, and music. She was hesitant when Brahma asked her to be his wife, but he convinced her, saying that their union was vital for creation.

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