what is the hindu story of creation?

Answer 1

Hindus believe that there is One Supreme Spirit of the universe. This Spirit is God.

Hindus also believe that God can be seen in many different ways, so for Hindus God can take on the shape of different gods and goddesses.

There are several creation stories in Hinduism. Here is one of the creation stories from Hindu mythology.

Before this time 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 or motion. From the depths a humming sound began to tremble, Aum. 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 to fly in the air and many fish to swim in the sea. 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.

Answer 2

The Hindu story of creation involves the three gods and a serpent named Sesha. One of the three main gods, Vishnu, the preserver of life, then says that they should churn the sea, so that all manner of revelation and creatures can come out of it.
At this point on the Earth, the sea is actually milk, and in the middle of the sea is a giant snow mountain. Also, swimming in the sea is Sesha, the thousand-hooded serpent. His body is wrapped around the great mountain. One one shore, his tail is held by the Asuras, the dark, olden gods. One the other shore his neck is held by the devas, the mortal gods of heaven (ones like Indra, Agni, etc.) They then pull in turh, and then the mountain churns the sea of milk.
Then, stuff comes out of it, such as the moon, Lakshmi (goddess of good fortune), Indra's elephant, the Surabhi, the cow of wishes, etc.
Then, the sea becomes poisonous and becomes saltwater, and Shiva, god of destruction, swallows the poison to save the worlds. This makes his neck become iridescent as a butterfly's wing. Then, Shiva puts the crescent moon in his hair as an ornament.
And that's it, I think.

Answer 3

From what I have read on the sites that google returned when I searched for "hindu creation", there are multiple creation stories/myths. Here is one:

In the beginning was Self (Atman) alone, in the shape of a person. He, looking round, saw nothing but his Self. He 1st said, "This is I"; therefore he became "I" by name. Therefore even now, if a man is asked, he 1st says, "This is I," and then pronounces the other name which he may have. And because before all this he (the Self) burnt down all evils, therefore he was a person (purusha). Verily he who knows this burns down everyone who tries to be before him. He feared, and therefore anyone who is lonely fears. He thought, "As there is nothing but myself, why should I fear?" Then his fear passed away. For what should he have feared? Verily fear arises from a second only. But he felt no delight. Therefore a man who is lonely feels no delight. He wished for a second. He was as large as man and wife together. He then made this, his Self, to fall in 2, (pat) [the word "pat" means 2] and thence arose husband (pat) and wife (patni). Therefore Yagnavalkya said, "We 2 are thus (each of us) like half a shell." Therefore the void which was there is filled by the wife. He embraced her and men were born. She thought, "How can he embrace me after having produced me from himself? I shall hide myself." She then became a cow, the other became a bull and embraced her, and hence cows were born. The one became a mare, and the other a stallion, the one a male ***, and the other a female ***. He embraced her, and hence one-hoofed animals were born. The one became a she-goat the other a he-goat; the one became a ewe, the other a ram. He embraced her, and hence goats and sheep were born. And thus he created everything that exists in pairs, down to the ants.

(Permission: Brithadaranyaka Upanishad. Translated by F. Max Muller.)