Devalok

Stories 7

All kinds Origin Legend Local story Folk tale From the epics Festival story Temple legend In stone and bronze How a tradition frames it
Everywhere Pan-India 95 South India 67 West India 30 East India 22 North India 15 The Himalaya 12 Northeast India 5 Southeast Asia 4 Central India 4
✕ creation devotionboondisguisesupremacycursemarriagepenancepridetestdancepilgrimagesacrificebirthemanationfirebeheadingdemon slayingdesireiconographyausteritychurningcombined formcosmogonyhomecominglingapoisonrebirthriveratonement
Origin · 2 tellings · contested

Brahma born from Shiva's right side

Shiva alone exists before the world.

Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma

Pan-India

Origin · 2 tellings · contested

Brahma is born in the golden egg

A golden egg forms in the waters and glows like the sun.

Brahma

Pan-India

Origin · 6 tellings · contested

Saraswati: daughter, consort, or both

Brahma's body splits into a male and a female half.

Brahma, Saraswati, Svayambhuva Manu, Kamadeva

Pan-India

Origin · 2 tellings · contested

The fish that warned the Bhils

A fish warns a brother and sister of a flood; afterwards Bhagwan, or in one telling Rama, sends them to repeople the world.

Bhagwan (Bhil), Rama

Pan-India West India

Origin · 2 tellings · contested

The golden womb and Prajapati

Before the gods there are only the primordial waters.

Prajapati, Brahma

Pan-India

Origin · 2 tellings · contested

The lotus from Vishnu's navel

During the dissolution Vishnu lies on the serpent Ananta in the cosmic waters.

Vishnu, Brahma, Shesha

Pan-India

Origin · 2 tellings · contested

The mind-born sons, Narada and Daksha

Brahma wishes for children and brings them out of his own mind.

Brahma, Manasaputras, the mind-born sons of Brahma, Narada, Daksha

Pan-India