BRAHMANDA – THE COSMIC EGG

When I started researching on the description of the Brahmanda, I found many references. I found that the Hindu cosmological concept of the Brahmanda is explained in many Puranas and some other books. There is separate purana named as Brahmanda Purana. As I found description of various sacred symbols like the Kurma, the Mount Meru, the Swastika, The Linga, etc. are related to astronomical facts as observed from Earth, I was sure that I will be able to relate the description of the Brahmanda with astronomical facts.

Suddenly, I remembered that I was able to visualize an egg after looking at the  of the Nehru planetarium. I thought there might be a similar way to visualize Brahmanda. That egg like structure of the Nehru Planetarium helped the architects to create a sky like structure where stars and planets can be displayed using projectors to give a real life experience to the visitors. For an observer sitting in the planetarium, the egg like roof feels like a small model of the sky. Observer in planetarion can observe the stars and planets moving the virtual sky with the help of projectors.

I started drawing the figure where Earth was enveloped in a spherical shell like an egg. Earlier, when I was exploring the description of the Linga, I found that it was mentioned that the Linga inserted a seed at the center of the Cosmic Egg. This can be visualized from a figure where Earth is like an egg yolk and the sky is like a shell of the egg. The Earth was visualized as if it is floating on the Cosmic Ocean with half lower hemisphere submerged in the cosmic ocean.

I found that concept of Brahmanda was developed with an base assumption that the Earth is spherical and it is has stable potion like a ball suspended in the air tied by a invisible thread at the top. Another assumption was that the Earth is not rotating around itself while all the heavenly bodies like stars and planets including the Sun and the moon are rotating in the sky due to force of Cosmic wind keeping the Dhruva at the center. The third assumption was that the North direction is the sacred or divine direction as the only stable star in the sky i.e. the North Pole Star is present at North Most position in the sky. This assumption developed a belief that the North direction is the true side and direction of rotation of heavenly objects as observed in Northern hemisphere of the sky is the correct or true direction. As the North direction was considered as sacred direction, the opposite direction i.e. South direction was considered as inauspicious direction or the direction of demons. In southern hemispherical part of the sky, heavenly bodies appear to rotate in exactly opposite direction compared to Northern side. While the part of the sky visible from the equatorial regions was considered as region of death i.e. Martya Loka as all heavenly bodies die daily in this part of

 Brahmanda as a Cosmic Egg

the sphere of the sky.

This can be explained in another way. At the North Pole, day and night are of six months each. Sun rises from the South once in an year and sets again in the south after 6 months. So, this can be visualized as if Sun dies in the equatorial part of the sphere of sky. As all the heavenly bodies die in this part of the sphere of sky except few heavenly bodies which are near the North Pole Star, this part was considered as region of death.

In this way the entire sphere of sky as observed from the earth’s surface was divided in three parts which gave birth to the concept of the Trailokya. So, the Trailokya is same as the Brahmanda. As the Brahmanda i.e. the cosmic egg was divided in three parts it was called as Trailokya. The movement of heavenly bodies in the southern part of sphere of sky is like water reflection of motion of heavenly bodies in the Northern part of the sphere of sky. This observation gave birth to the concept of the Cosmic Ocean. This Cosmic Ocean was assumed to be present in the Cosmic Egg. Earth was assumed to be floating on this Cosmic Ocean.

I started drawing this structure as shown in the images. I also searched for the sacred symbols which represented the Brahmanda. I found that the Kalasha i.e. the pot filled with water and the Shrifal i.e. the coconut are considered as very sacred and they represent small model of the Brahmanda.

During many Poojas and prayers, the Kalasha and the Shrifal are worshipped considering them as true univeral form of the god. Many people worship the Kalasha and the Shrifal daily along with other forms of the god.

 Kalasha Description in ancient Indian scriptures

As per the description given in some of the ancient Indian scriptures, the Kalasha is considered as the collection of all divine parts of the god. As per the description, the Kalasha is the representation of collection of divine part of Devas (gods) and Danavas (Demons). As we discussed earlier, the Northern hemisphere of Earth is considered as the Devas part and Southern Hemisphere is considered as the Danavas part. When there two parts of Devas and Danavas combined together, it forms the complete Earth.

Water in the Kalasha is considered as the representation of the Cosmic Ocean. It is assumed that all rivers originate and get water from this cosmic ocean.

Here is the complete description of Kalasha:

(By collecting) each Kala (Divine Part) of the Devas (Gods), and (by collecting) each Kala (Good Part) of the Danavas,What is built by assembling them, (that aggregation of Divine Parts) is called Kalasha,(The aggregation of Divine Parts which form the Kalasha are) On the Mouth of the Kalasha (the Kala of) Vishnu is dwelling, and on its Neck (the Kala of) Rudra is dwelling, On its Base is abiding (the Kala of) Brahma, and on its Center the (Kalas of) Matriganas (Group of Divine Mothers) are remembered,On its Interior are dwelling (the Kalas of) the Seven Seas (Sagara Sapta) and the (Sacred) Earth (Medini) with Seven Islands (Sapta Dwipas) And Rivers Arjuni, Gomati, Chandrabhaga, Saraswati,Kaveri, Krishna, Vena, Ganga, Mahanadi,Tapi, Godavari, Mahendri and Narmada,All the various Nadas (Male Rivers) which are present, and similarly all the other Nadis (Female Rivers),(And) All the Tirthas (Sacred Water of Pilgrimages) which are there in the Prithivi (Earth), are abiding (with their Kalas) inside the Kalasha,All the Seas,

and all the Rivers flowing in the Tirthas (Pilgrimages), which bestows Sacred Waters (which are dwelling as Kalas inside the Kalasha), May come to me to bestow Peace and remove the Evil Influences which produces Decay,The (Kalas of) Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda,along with all their Branches are dwelling inside the Water of the Kalasha,May Gayatri, Savitri, Shanti and Pushtikari (come) here (May they) come (here) for the purpose of Deva Puja (Worship of God) and remove all Evil influences which brings about Decay.

Similar to the Kalasha, the coconut is also considered as representation of the Brahmanda. The outer hard shell of the coconut is considered as the Brahmanda. The water present inside the coconut is considered as the representation of the Cosmic Ocean. The upper opening of the coconut is considered as the representation of the Dhruva i.e. the North Pole Star. When the seed of the coconut is formed inside the coconut it is spherical in shape, this is considered as the representation of the Earth.

Similar to the Kalasha and the Coconut there are other sacred symbols also which represent others of the Brahmanda.

Here is the description of the Shaksha (conch):

In Shankha (Conch) abides the Chandra (Moon) and Arka (Sun) Devatas, and in its middle the Varuna Devata,On its back abides Prajapati and on its front Ganga and Saraswati; One should know this (i.e. look at Shankha in this way), In former times You rose from the Sea and was held by Vishnu in His Hand, You are worshipped by all the Devas; Salutations to Panchajanya, Whatever Tirthas (Sacred Waters of Pilgrimages) are there in the Three Worlds, by the command of Vasudeva,  they abide inside the Shankha

(Conch), O best of Wise men; Threfore Shankha is to be Worshipped, Om, Let us contemplate on Panchajanya (Shankha of Sri Krishna) and meditate on Pavamana, May that Shankha (i.e. Sound of Shankha) awaken our Consciousness.

I drew all the images considering the explanation of the structure of the Brahmanda. It helped me get clarity and I was able to visualize the structure of the Brahmanda. After doing so much research on the sacred symbols and animal forms of the god in Indian culture, I found that temple is like a planetarium which explains us the Hindu Cosmology and helps devotees to visualize the Vishwaroopam of the god. So, I started thinking about the temple and tried to understand how it helps us to explore the Vishwaroopam.