Creation: A Sanatana Dharma world view
What is the story of creation in Sanatana Dharma?
Although there are many stories in the many books belonging to this realm, there is an underlying philosophy that is really well explained at the following location:
http://www.pathsofdevotion.com/hinduism/hinduism_science.html
A small excerpt from the above location I think should summarize the bottom line:
There is no one Hindu creation story. Numerous cosmogonies can be found in almost all of the important Hindu scriptures. A Hindu maxim states that “Truth is One; the sages call it by different names” (Rig Veda 1:164:46). This axiom helps to explain how it is possible for Hindus to simultaneously embrace so many different versions of creation. Hindus tend to see metaphors in these creation myths for philosophical and spiritual truths. The Encyclopedia of Religion article on Cosmogony classifies cosmogonic myths into six categories.2 Within the Hindu tradition, there are creation stories that fall under each of those categories. Of all of the ways that one may conceive of universal origins, the Hindu mind has entertained them all.
One of the most sublime accounts of creation occurs in the Rig Veda 10:129. It ponders the mystery of origins and offers more questions than answers.
Who really knows, and who can swear,
How creation came, when or where!
Even gods came after creation’s day,
Who really knows, who can truly say
When and how did creation start?
Did He do it? Or did He not?
Only He, up there, knows, maybe;
Or perhaps, not even He.3
Although there are many stories in the many books belonging to this realm, there is an underlying philosophy that is really well explained at the following location:
http://www.pathsofdevotion.com/hinduism/hinduism_science.html
A small excerpt from the above location I think should summarize the bottom line:
There is no one Hindu creation story. Numerous cosmogonies can be found in almost all of the important Hindu scriptures. A Hindu maxim states that “Truth is One; the sages call it by different names” (Rig Veda 1:164:46). This axiom helps to explain how it is possible for Hindus to simultaneously embrace so many different versions of creation. Hindus tend to see metaphors in these creation myths for philosophical and spiritual truths. The Encyclopedia of Religion article on Cosmogony classifies cosmogonic myths into six categories.2 Within the Hindu tradition, there are creation stories that fall under each of those categories. Of all of the ways that one may conceive of universal origins, the Hindu mind has entertained them all.
One of the most sublime accounts of creation occurs in the Rig Veda 10:129. It ponders the mystery of origins and offers more questions than answers.
Who really knows, and who can swear,
How creation came, when or where!
Even gods came after creation’s day,
Who really knows, who can truly say
When and how did creation start?
Did He do it? Or did He not?
Only He, up there, knows, maybe;
Or perhaps, not even He.3
Having said that, lets take the view from the Purana's that were written much after the Vedas:
According to Wikipedia:
The puranic view asserts that the universe is created, destroyed, and re-created in an eternally repetitive series of cycles. In Hindu cosmology, a universe endures for about 4,320,000,000 years (a kalpa or one day of Brahma the creator) and is then destroyed by fire or water elements. At this point, Brahma rests for one night, just as long as the day. This process, named pralaya (Cataclysm), repeats for 100 Brahma years (311 Trillion, 40 Billion human years), which represents Brahma's lifespan. Similarly at any given time there are an infinite number of Brahmas creating each of these universes, which are infinite in number.
For more details, please visit:
Now, the more you understand Sanatana Dharma, the most well accepted theory of Creation amongst most schools of thoughts is that Creation has no beginning or an end.
Does this directly translate in to the scientific world view, perhaps, not word to word, some where between the Big Bang and the latest theory about the universe, that just came out is the essential understanding of the concept of creation:
THERE IS NO BEGINNING OR AN END TO CREATION, its an eternal cycle.
Now read the latest theory by a Taiwanese scientist, of course decades will go by before they bring the Big Bang and this theory together to come up with something more accurate, but this theory, word to word seems to be reflecting the generally accepted theory of creation amongst most Sanatana Schools:
Mind Blowing!
Updated Feb 11th 2015
Here is the latest study, sure still a work in progress, but the world is getting to what your Rishi's have taught us!!
World has no beginning
Updated Sept 15th 2015:
A cyclical Universe that cycles for ever.
Its just a matter of these theories gaining traction as the current theories fall apart and funding these newer models to understand more.
Updated Feb 11th 2015
Here is the latest study, sure still a work in progress, but the world is getting to what your Rishi's have taught us!!
World has no beginning
Updated Sept 15th 2015:
A cyclical Universe that cycles for ever.
Its just a matter of these theories gaining traction as the current theories fall apart and funding these newer models to understand more.
Think.
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