There are so many stories of how the universe came into being. These stories are also known as creation myths, and they lie at the heart of every spiritual belief. These narratives might differ in detail, but they share one profound belief: God as the creator. Just like creation myths, we also have some powerful destruction myths that reflect the cyclical nature of life, death, and renewal. Together, creation and destruction myths form the anchor of our spiritual understanding of existence.
Creation Stories From Different Religions: A Broader Framework
So many creation stories from different religions start with nothingness. This is followed by the emergence of life through divine will.
- In the Genesis creation story from the Bible’s Book Of Genesis (Chapter 1), we see that God speaks light into existence and creates all living beings in just 6 days.
- The Quran creation history states that Allah created every creature from water. It denotes that water is such a simple and humble substance, yet it holds the secret to life itself.
“And We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?”
— Quran 21:30
- In Hindu creation history, in Hindu creation story, the central pillar is the idea of God manifesting in various forms especially through the concept of avatars. These avatars are not just about creation but also about maintaining and restoring cosmic balance. Understanding of this process is deeply linked with spiritual evolution.
Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata
Abhyutthānam adharmasya tadātmānaṁ sṛijāmy aham
Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām
Dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge
-Bhagavad Gita
A Look At The Creation And Destruction Stories From Different Religions
Creation and destruction are two sides of the same force. All religions believe that God is both the creator and the destroyer. According to Genesis, God created the entire universe in six days, only to wipe the slate clean later by bringing on the flood so that humanity would have a fresh start. Hinduism and Buddhism both describe the cycle of life and death as a rotating wheel.
There is a profound sense of mystery regarding the origin, purpose, and fate of our universe, but underlying the mystery remains a deep sense of connectivity and belonging, reminding us that all living things – including humans – originate from a common source.
The awareness that there can be only one creator ought to instil humility in us all and eliminate any feelings of superiority of one over the other.
Christianity
The Christianity creation story reads:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
—The New Testament (Corinthians 5:17), Christian text
Judaism
Judaism creation story says:
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth […] And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”
—Hebrew Bible (Genesis 1:1-3), Jewish text
Islam
Going by the Islam creation story we see that:
“On that Day, We shall roll up the skies as a writer rolls up [his] scrolls. We shall reproduce creation just as We produced it the first time.”
—The Qur’an (21:104), Muslim text
Hinduism
As per the Hinduism creation story:
“In these two aspects of my nature is the womb of all creation. The birth and dissolution of the cosmos itself take place in me.”
—The Bhagavad Gita (7:6), Hindu text
Baha’i
According to the Baha’i creation story:
“The world of creation has had no beginning and will have no end, because it is the arena upon which the attributes and qualities of the spirit are being manifested.”
—‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Baha’i leader
Daoism
The Daoism creation story states that:
“At the great Origin there was nothing, nothing, no name.
The One arose from it; there was One without form.
In taking different forms, it brought life and became known as Virtue.
Before any shape was given, their roles were assigned,
varied, and diverse but all linked to one another.
This was their lot.”
— The Book of Chuang Tzu, Daoist text
About the author:
Akhilesh Gupta is the founder of the UEF Foundation and a Fellow of the Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative. He previously served as senior managing director at Blackstone and held leadership roles at Reliance Industries and Hindustan Unilever.
Related reads
False narratives | Charioteer | Sacred words | Religious wear | Cosmic Tree | Beyond Happiness | Fire As A Symbol | Sacred music
For more reflections on personal growth, wisdom and happiness, browse through our website.