The Ancient World (HUM 124 - UNC Asheville)/Texts/Cosmic Egg

The Cosmic Egg is a Hindu creation story about how the Earth was created from a single egg. This egg contained one part of silver and the other part was gold. The silver was considered the silver and the gold was considered the sky. Digging deeper into the elements of what is considered an egg, the story explains that the inner membrane of the egg “is the mist with the clouds” and the out membrane “is the mountains.” Further, the veins symbolized the rivers while the fluid was the ocean. From this egg, came the sun, which the Hindu people mediated on as Brahman.

The Hindu creation story, The Cosmic Egg, is a unique and greatly cherished story within the culture. Like any other religion, there is an explanation for how the Earth and overall life came to be. The most worshipped aspect of this occurrence is the creation of the sun. The story states, “And what was born from it is the yonder sun. [...] shouts and hurrays as also all being and all desire arose. [...] He, who knowing thus, meditates on the sun as Brahman…” Through the telling of this story, it is known that the sun is an important part of the Hindu culture being that they meditate on the sun as Brahman.