Our thoughts are boundless to explain any unknown. And human power of mind is actually an inherent tool to help us in finding our progress way. In the ancient world, we encountered surprising changes of nature and our mind eventually gathered the construction idea of building our civilization. Once we formed it, we began classifying our thoughts to understand and analyse those factors that influenced our day to day life. Unfailingly, in this classification, we included our question on Universe and the Mystery of First Human Life.
If we look back around 3,500 years ago, during Vedic time, the initial theories on universe and creation of human being will seem to be a big puzzle itself. It appears as if the thinker has lost clue on how to untie the tangled thought threads and decided to spread it as a floor mat of curious abstract designs. To say it more clearly, our early ideas on astronomy and origin of human life were mostly conjectured on the basis of supernatural beliefs – the common thought stream of those days. They were outstretched as far any human senses could reach to explain the strange cosmic dimensions as the magical creation by the Supreme Almighty.
Who is the Creator?
To see the vast world and understand it was a big struggle for human beings. In those beginning days, when our surroundings were unknown, the first thing that we started to find is the existence of an ‘Ultimate Creator’. That creator, from whom everything evolved. Then, another even more complex question came in our mind and that was what could have existed before the creation of this ‘Ultimate Creator’ began?
So, that was how we started linking a probable ‘Beginning’ with its ‘End’ and then another ‘Beginning’. This way, we found the knowledge of ‘Infinity’ (‘Poorna‘ or ‘Ananta‘, as described in Vedic Texts) an endless dimension covering the span of every creation – Universe and Creation of Human Being, their End and Rebirth.
Next, we began building our ideas on that ‘Ultimate Supreme Creator’ – A formless, unseen ALL-POWERFUL entity, yet possessing certain human features. Here, we began surmising in a number of ways and those were described under separate mythological accounts.
Among them, ‘Purusha Sukta‘ of RigVeda is an acknowledged text, where there are three primal entities to control over the Universe:
- Kshar Purush, also known as ‘Kaal‘ or ‘Brahm‘ who is the keeper of 21 Universe including the one where we are living. He has the power to command the cycles of life and death over these universe occur.
- Akshar Purush, who possesses command over 7 Shankh Universes. But, is considered to be in lower position than Kshar Purush in terms of controlling on the universe and creation of human being.
- Param Akshar Purush, is the Ultimate Almighty under whom everything, including Kshar Purush and Akshar Purush come as parts. Even, he is the controller of three lokas (Realms), namely, Satya Loka, Alakh Loka and Agam Loka. Apart from these three, another Loka, ‘Anami Loka‘, existed before the any known creation of this Universe.
What We Found: Our mythologies describe universe to be an endless and layered formation. It has separate abodes for the mortal and immortal worlds. The ALL-POWERFUL Keepers exist to control the cycle of life, growth, destruction and rebirth of this universe and creation of human being.
Counting the Passage of Time
Activities of the universe are all done in an ever going cycle and they keep repeating. Then, how long it takes for a creation to pass to the next stages of growth, destruction and rebirth? We developed a Time System to note these events. Since, every single or smallest possible activity is believed to be working under the command of ALL-POWERFUL Keepers, this Time System follows the hypothesis of ‘Years of Gods’.
As to do the time counting for the events of universe and creation of human being, this primitive Time System is divided in four ‘Yugas‘:
- Krita, a period of 4,000 years including within the events of ‘Dawn’ and ‘Dusk’ of 400 years each
- Treta, a period of 3,600 years including within the events of ‘Dawn’ and ‘Dusk’ of 300 years year
- Dvapara, a period of 2,400 years including within the events of ‘Dawn’ and ‘Dusk’ of 200 years each
- Kali, a period of 1,200 years including within the events of ‘Dawn’ and ‘Dusk’ of 100 years year
What We Found: Time repeats itself beginning from the moment of creation lasting till destruction in a cycle of four ‘Yugas‘, which is collectively called 1 ‘Mahayuga‘ of 12,000 ‘Years of Gods’. 1,000 Mahayugas make 1 Kalpa (eon), which is assumed as 1 day of Brahma, the creator God of Earth and living things. Each ‘Year of God’ has 360 Human Years having 360 days in 1 year. Time of destruction between two consecutive ‘Yugas‘ continues for equal number ‘Years of Gods’ as taken in Creation till Destruction Cycle.
Formation of Heaven and Earth
A number of sages and scholars contributed in composing our ancient Hindu mythology of universe and creation of human being. They presented their vast imaginary narrations to give a connection between this cosmic mystery and the work of God. A very well known assumption from Puranic Texts was the existence of Three Divine Guardian Gods, ‘Brahma‘, Creator God, ‘Vishnu‘, Preserver God and ‘Shiva‘, Eliminator God.
The ancient scholars imagined the beginning of the universe as a dark landless, air less object less void with ocean of water everywhere. On that milky waterbed, slept ‘Vishnu‘ over the fangs of ‘AnantNag‘ or Serpant God. ‘Brahma’ sat on a lotus that penetrated out of ‘Vishnu‘s’ naval. Then, through the power of his mind, Brahma constructed everything else of the World.
Again, in RigVeda, we see the description of ‘Hiranyagarbha‘, the Golden Womb or Primitive Egg, the enclosure of whole universe and creation of human being that broke to separate its content in two halves – one for the Sky as heavenly bodies and the other over the Earth in the form of mortal world. Each constituent element that formed, such as, Sun, Moon, Wind, Fire and others was given God’s position to signify its divine power.
What We Found: The concept of ‘Big Bang Theory’ is closely connected with the hypothesis of this Primordial Egg. Later, we get descriptions of severe natural disasters causing world’s end out of curse or devastation and then again to rise up with the help of ‘Avatar‘ – incarnations of ‘Vishnu‘.
Formation of First Human Being
Finally, about the creation of Human Being. The first man ‘Manu‘, forefather of human race and its saviour from the Great Flood was said to have emerged out of Brahma as narrated in the Text in around 900 BC. Also, revered to be the first Great King, Manu was a scholar himself to compose the first Sanskrit Code of Law ‘Manu Smriti‘. His name suggests similar Sanskrit words synonymous to ‘Human Being’, such as, ‘Manas‘, ‘Manusya‘, etc.
What We Found: Every evolution described in the formation of universe and creation of human being is believed to be through the extraordinary power of mind of Almighty, who is heavenly. Accordingly, such creations were instantaneous without the requirement of any physical interaction. There were Godly forecasting for the coming disaster given to the chosen human soul to help him save the World.
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