Story of Brahmāṇḍa

The word Brahmāṇḍa means the aṇḍa of Brahmā (aṇḍa-egg), the Supreme Being which is the root of the origin of the universe. At a time long ago, which is beyond reckoning, there was nothing but an egg. This egg was split into two and from it a male child with the radiance of innumerable suns came out. This wonderful child was helpless. After his birth he cried for a while, because of hunger and thirst. He got no help. There was nobody to feed it. So this wonderful child looked up and lay there. This helpless child was called 'Virāṭpuruṣa' (the next emanation from Brahmā) by those versed in the Purāṇas. The boy was so called because he was the most material of materiality. But he was an atom of atoms and the first figuration of God. From each pore of the skin of the great virāṭ, who was the base of all the worlds a universe came into being. Thus all the countless universes were born. Each universe has its own trinity of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva and devas (the bright ones), the protectors of the eight zones. One universe comprises fourteen worlds or realms, from Pātāla to the Brahmaloka (from the nether world to the upper world or the realm of Brahmā). Countless such universes exist. Over and above all these universes there is Vaikuṇṭha, and above Vaikuṇṭha there is another world with an area of fifty crore yojanas (leagues), called 'Goloka' (the world of cow). Only the two worlds Vaikuṇṭha and the Goloka are eternal. Bhūloka (the earth) consists of seven islands and sixty-four peninsulas. There are seven worlds above and seven worlds below. The seven upper worlds are Bhūloka, Bhuvarloka, Svarloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka. Satyaloka and Brahmaloka. Thus a universe consists of fourteen worlds. This is the idea given by the Purāṇas about Brahmāṇḍa. (Devī Bhāgavata, Skandhas 9).

Mention is made, in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa, Aṃśa 2, Chapter 7, about the construction of Brahmāṇḍa.

This Brahmāṇḍa, like the seed of the Kapittha tree (Vitar—the wood-apple), is covered under, above and all around by aṇḍakaṭāha (egg-shell). The aṇḍa (egg) is covered by water ten times the egg in volume. This water-shell is covered by a shell of fire. Around the shell of fire there is the shell of air and the air-shell is covered with ether. Around the shell of ether there is the shell of Egoism of darkness. Over the shell of Egoism there is the shell of glory and the shell of glory is covered by Prakṛti, the Divine Nature. It is immeasurable. Prakṛti contains numberless Brahmāṇḍas. As oil exists in sesame, God pervades the whole universe. This is the connection between Prakṛti and Puruṣa. (The Nature and the Supreme Spirit).