adminShingai Rukwata Ndoro Chiseling the Debris —
WE are still within the Hindu texts called the Vedas, considered one the oldest existing documents after the ancient Egyptian texts, most likely between c. 1,500 and 1,200 BCE. These contain information that can shed some light on the “before the beginning” that we then find in Genesis 1:1-2 and 1 Enoch 48:1-3 informed by the Canaanite and ancient Egyptian cosmologies.
In the period 800-200 BCE, the Vedas were expounded in predominantly mystical and monistic terms into what is called the “Upanishads.” There are some assumptions in the Upanishads that may be able to shed some light on what happened “before the beginning.”
Here is an example:
From the infinite divinity came forth Brahma,
First among the divinities, from whom sprang the cosmos.
Brahma gave the vision of the divinity,
The true source of wisdom that life demands.
The illumined sages say knowledge is twofold, higher and lower,
The study of the Vedas, linguistics,
Rituals, astronomy, and all the arts,
Can be called lower knowledge.
The higher is that which leads to self realization,
The eye cannot see it, mind cannot grasp it,
The deathless Self has neither caste nor race,
Neither eyes nor ears nor hands nor feet.
Sages say this Self is infinite in the great. And in the small, everlasting and changeless,
The source of life.
The deathless self meditated upon. Himself and projected the universe as evolutionary energy.
From this energy developed life, mind,
The elements, and the world of karma,
Which is enchained by cause and effect.
The deathless Self sees all, knows all.
From him springs Brahma, who embodies the process
Of evolution into name and form. By which the One appears to be many.
— from the Mundaka Upanishad, Part 1, Chapter 1.
This account of the creation portrays more than just the creation of the universe. It also includes the creation of a creator as well. Such possibility would make those Abrahamic faiths affinities cringe in shame.
According to the “Upanishads,” it is through Brahma that the divine head is revealed. But Brahma “came forth from” the deathless Self is the One that appears as many. This seems to say that the self is in everything including you and me! (Timothy J. Sakach, 2007).
The condition “Before the Beginning”(Genesis 1:1-2 and 1 Enoch 48:1-3)
Before the world was created, the self alone existed;
Nothing whatever stirred.
Then the Self thought: “Let me create the world.”
He brought forth all the worlds out of himself:
Ambhas, high above the sky; Marichi, the sky;
Mara, the middle region that is earth;
And Apa, the realm of waters below.
The Self thought: “I have created these worlds.
Let me now create guardians for these worlds.”
From the waters he drew Purusha? And gave him a form.
— from the Aitareya Upanishad
In these verses, the Self creates worlds. Then the Self creates Purusha, which means “the Divine!” The document goes on to tell that after creating the elements of earthly existence, then human beings, and then finally the Self manifests himself in meditative pure consciousness:
Who is this Self on whom we meditate?
Is it the Self by which we see, hear, smell, and taste?
Through which we speak in words?
Is Self the mind by which we perceive, direct, understand?
Know, remember, think, will, desire and love?
These are but servants of the Self, who is pure consciousness.
This Self is all in all.He is all the divinity. —from the Aitareya Upanishad
The Rig Veda contains many references to one called Manu, the father of all living. He carried precious seed into the new world in his Ark. With him were Seven Sages who along with Manu possessed great spiritual knowledge. A great flood destroyed the old world, and only Manu and the Seven Sages survived. From “Father Manu” came the knowledge and wisdom of his holy ones, called Divinities. (Timothy J. Sakach, 2007).
All of the “Enlightened Ones” were considered to be Manu’s progeny. The narrative of Noah in the Bible resembles that of Manu and this cannot be hardly a coincidence.
In conclusion, the Hebrew Scriptures are not divinely unique and are far from being original.
References:
Timothy J. Sakach “What Happened “Before the Beginning?” www.innertech.com/blog/2007/02/gospel-begins-what-happened-before-the-beginning
Mundaka Upanishad with Shankara’s Commentary www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/mundaka-upanishad-shankara-bhashya
Aitareya Upanishad www.celextel.org/upanishads/rig_veda/aitareya.html
Michael Witzel, “The Development of the Vedic Canon and its Schools : The Social and Political Milieu,” Harvard University, in Witzel (1997), pp. 259–264www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~witzel/canon.pdf
Friedrich MaxMüller, “India: what can it teach us?” A course of lectures delivered before the University of Cambridge, (1892)
Sri Aurobindo, “Rig Veda – Hymns to the Mystic Fire” (1946),
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