Creation

Before creation, there was only a vast void. According to the Puranas, when Lord Brahma first opened his eyes, he found the entire universe empty. Puzzled by his own existence, he asked, "Who am I?" and descended from the lotus upon which he was seated. There, he encountered Lord Vishnu. When Brahma questioned his origin, Vishnu replied, "You emerged from my navel." However, Brahma disagreed, asserting that he was the primary source of creation and had been born first. As they argued over who was superior, a celestial voice (Aakashvani) echoed from the emptiness, challenging them to a test: "Find the beginning and the end of this pillar of fire." Suddenly, a massive Lingam of fire appeared. Brahma and Vishnu searched tirelessly but could not find its origin or its end. Realizing that a power far greater than themselves existed, they humbled themselves. At that moment, Lord Shiva manifested and revealed, "I am the Supreme Soul, and you both are parts of me. Brahma shall be the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver, and I the Destroyer. We are the "Trinity" From that point forward, Brahma began the creation of all beings, Vishnu took up their protection, and Lord Shiva oversaw the process of dissolution based on each being's lifespan to facilitate rebirth, thus setting the cycle of creation in motion.