Brahmānda

By Jit Majumdar

the cosmic egg
the egg that gives birth to the cosmos or universe; the egg that is the universe
in Hindu cosmology, the conception of the universe as originating from the state of compressed singularity into its present ever expanding state resulting from the Big Bang. In Tantric philosophy and symbolism, this phenomena is represented by the mystical geometric symbols known as Yantras, which are subtle and abstract conceptualizations of the various manifestations of the Primordial Energy or Śakti represent simultaneously the evolution and involution of the universe (Big Bang and Big Crunch), where the cosmic egg (or compressed singularity) represented by a dot, or Bindu at the centre of the yantras, or at the apex of when the yantras are rendered in 3-dimensional form, which expands into the manifested universe through the creative and dynamic power of Śakti, after it is procreated by Śiva through union with Śakti (T. Śāstra); in Vedic literature, this phenomena was imagined as Hiraņyagarbha, or the Golden Womb, who was born as the Lord of everything before creation existed, and contained all the galaxies, the sun, moon and the stars within himself and was surrounded on its outside by ten qualities (Ŗg Veda).

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