Hindu mythology offers many versions of the creation of the world, reflecting the richness and diversity of India’s religious and philosophical traditions. Among these, the myths of the Golden Egg (Hiranyagarbha), Prajapati and Nasadiya-sukta are particularly notable.
According to the myth of Hiranyagarbha, in the beginning there was only a boundless ocean from which the Golden Egg emerged. After a year, Brahma, the first god and creator of the world, emerged from it. He divided the egg shell: the upper part became the sky, the lower part became the earth, and between them he placed air. Brahma filled the world with creatures, creating everything that should be in the water, on the earth and in the sky .
In another version described in the Shatapatha-Brahmana, Prajapati (lord of creatures) self-created from Brahman (the supreme reality) and emerged from the Golden Egg floating in the primordial waters. He created the gods and goddesses and all things, including heaven, earth and the seasons. Prajapati breathed life into the world, creating light and darkness, day and night .
“Nasadiya-sukta” from the Rigveda is a philosophical meditation on the origin of the universe. It states that in the beginning there was neither existence nor non-existence, neither air nor sky. There existed only the One, which breathed breathlessly of its own free will. From this One arose desire, which became the first seed of mind. However, even the gods who appeared later do not know how creation came into being, and it is possible that even the supreme observer does not know this .
These myths emphasize the cyclical nature of time and the endless cycles of creation and destruction that characterize Hindu cosmology. They reflect a deep philosophical understanding of the nature of existence and the role of the divine in the creation of the world.