What is the Hindu creation story?

Answer 1

Before this time (which is believed to have stared at midday in Hinduism) began, there was no heaven, no earth and no space between. A vast dark ocean washed upon the shores of nothingness and licked the edges of the night.

A giant cobra floated on the waters. Asleep within its endless coils lay the Lord Vishnu. He was watched over by the mighty serpent. Everything was so peaceful and silent that Vishnu slept undisturbed by dreams motion. From the depths a humming sound began to tremble, Ohm. It grew and spread, filling the emptiness and throbbing with energy.

The night had ended, Vishnu awoke. As the dawn began to break, from Vishnu's navel grew a magnificent lotus flower. In the middle of the blossom sat Vishnu's servant, Brahma. He awaited the Lord's command.

Vishnu spoke to his servant: 'It is time to begin.' Brahma bowed. Vishnu commanded: 'Create the World.' A wind swept up the waters. Vishnu and the serpent vanished.

Brahma remained in the lotus flower, floating and tossing on the sea. He lifted up his arms and calmed the wind and the ocean.

Then Brahma split the lotus flower into three. He stretched one part into the heavens. He made another part into the earth. With the third part of the flower he created the skies.

The earth was bare. Brahma set to work. He created grass, flowers, trees and plants of all kinds. To these he gave feeling. Next he created the animals and the insects to live on the land. He made birds and many fish. To all these creatures, he gave the senses of touch and smell. He gave them power to see, hear and move. The world was soon bristling with life and the air was filled with the sounds of Brahma's creation.

The earth was created from the interaction between ether, one of the gross elements, and sound. This universe which is one of many has three parts, the heavenly planets, the lower worlds, and the earthly realm.

Actually, there are many creation stories and the most popular/accurate one is as follows:

Hinduism presents a number of accounts pertaining to cosmology, and several explanations have been given as regards the origin of the universe. The most popular belief is that the universe was created by Brahma, the creator manifestation of the supreme soul. In the beginning, there was only Avyactha, or 'The inexpressible' . In this emptiness, Lord Vishnu, the preserver appeared in the form of a child, lying on the leaf of a banyan tree. As soon as he appeared in this form , his mind was filled with doubts about his identity. Then his questions were answered by an unmanned voice- the voice of the supreme soul, which is his true form. It asked him to meditate upon his soul, which he did. A thousand petaled lotus emerged from his navel, in which Brahma appeared. It was Brahma who created the entire universe and all that is in it. Lord Siva (also known as Maheshwara) the destroyer God is also depicted to have come through Brahma, though he is not considered as a creation of Brahma, but as an equal of Lord Vishnu and Brahma. The trio are popularly referred to as Brahma-Vishnu-Maheshwara. It is to be noted that these three, considered as the supreme Trimurti in Hinduism, are not three separate Gods, but three manifestations of the same Supreme soul, Brahman.