Mythology of The Origin of Existence

Old Norwegian Mythology: Yggdrasil ("The Terrible One's Horse"), also called the World Tree, is the giant ash tree that links and shelters all the worlds. Beneath its three roots the realms of Asgard, Jotunheim, and Niflheim are located. Three wells lie at its base: the Well of Wisdom, guarded by Mimir; the Well of Fate, guarded by the Norns; and the Hvergelmir, the source of many rivers. Four deer run across the branches of the tree and eat the buds; they represent the four winds. There are other inhabitants of the tree, such as the squirrel Ratatosk ("swift teeth"), a notorious gossip, and Vidofnir ("tree snake"), the golden cock that perches on the topmost bough. The roots are gnawed upon by Nidhoggr and other serpents.

Egyptian mythology: Ptah was the chief god of Memphis, who created the Moon, the Sun, and the Earth. Early traditions held that he had created all things from mud but later beliefs held that he created everything from notions that were in his heart and were then pronounced by his tongue. All things -- the universe, living beings, justice, beauty, and so on -- were created in this manner. The gods were also created in this way; coming forth first as concepts of Ptah's mind, then entering into the material forms of the world --stone, metal, wood-- that they were equally created out of Ptah.

Mythology of Creation and Chaos

Babylonian mythology: Tiamat is a huge female dragon that personifies the saltwater ocean, the water of chaos. She is also the primordial mother of all that exists, including the gods themselves. Her consort is Apsu, the freshwater God. From their union, saltwater with freshwater, the first pair of gods were born. Their descendants started to irritate Tiamat and Apsu so they decided to kill them. The offspring discovered their plans and one managed to kill Apsu while he was asleep. Tiamat flew into a rage when she learned about Apsu's death and wanted to avenge her husband. She created an army of monstrous creatures, which was to be led by her new consort Kingu, who is also her son. Eventually, Tiamat was defeated by the young god Marduk, who was born in the deep freshwater apsu. Marduk cleaved her body in half, and from the upper half he created the sky and from the lower half he made the earth. From her water came forth the clouds and her tears became the source of the Tigris and the Euphratus. Kingu also died, and from his blood Marduk created the first humans.

Egyptian Mythology: Khepri (or Khepra) was the one of the class of Egyptian gods associated with a particular animal. Khepri was the sacred scarab, whom the Egyptians believed was associated with the power of renewal, rebirth and resurrection. In some myths it was believed that Khepri renewed the Sun each day before rolling it above the horizon and carried it safely through the other world after sunset to renew it the next day. Other legends stated that when Khepri came into being, being itself came into being; all other beings were then produced from his actions and his body; but before him there was only nonbeing.

Greek mythology: Chaos was the primordial void that existed before order became imposed on the universe and from which all created things originated, including the gods. Proceeding from time, Chaos eventually formed a huge egg from which was issued his children Erebus, Nyx, Eros and Gaia.

Aboriginal Mythology: The Australian aborigines refer to the period before the actual creation of the world as the Alcheringa, the time of the Dreaming. Among the aboriginal Aranda people, the earth was believed to be desolate during the period of the Dreaming, while beneath the earth, the moon and the sun and a multitude of uncreated supernatural beings slumbered. At a certain moment marking the beginning of creation, these supernatural beings awoke from their sleep and broke through the surface of the earth. The sun also came forth from underneath the earth giving light and warmth to these new inhabitants. These mythic spirits were believed to have shaped the land, bringing into being various species and establishing human life. These beings were thought to live on eternally in spirit form and to have left tangible evidence of their presence in the shape of certain prominent land forms considered sacred.

Polynesian Mythology: Void space and the qualities of darkness as the primordial structures of creation are common themes for the cultures in Polynesia. In these myths, the initial state of darkness and void in which the deity dwells is later transformed and the forms of the universe then emerge. Creation is thus predicated on a void or a nothingness--a reality totally different from any form or substance of the created order. In addition, the deities who create from nothing or emerge from this void are given a new and special kind of power; for though creators of the world, they remain distinct from it in their originative form.

Mythology of Order and Fate

Babylonian mythology: In the creation epic Enamu Elish, written around 2000 BC, a tale is told about how the order of the universe was created out of chaos. It tells how Marduk, the god of Babylon, was chosen king of the gods to defeat Tiamat, the mother dragon representing the chaotic void. After capturing her in his net and killing her, Marduk creates the world from her corpse, and stations the various gods in their appropriate spheres. He then creates the human race from the blood of the rebel god Kingu to be the slaves of the gods.

Greek mythology: The three Fates, or Moirai, were the offspring of Zeus and the Titan Themis. Though robed in white, they are described as daughters of the night and equated with the obscure darkness of human destiny. Each had her separate duty to perform: Clotho spun the thread of life; Lachesis fixed the length of the thread as she held it; and Atropos cut the thread with her shears when the span of life was done. This is almost identical to Roman mythology, the three Fates were known as the Parcae.

Mythology of Death and Destruction

Old Norwegian Mythology: Nidhoggr (or Nidhogg) is a monstrous serpent that gnaws perpetually at the deepest root of the World Tree Yggdrasil, threatening to destroy it. Known by many names -- the "Tearer of Corpses," "The Dread Biter," or the "Destroyer at the Roots of the World" -- Nidhoggr also eats corpses to sustain itself. Many creatures help to protect the tree from the serpent; the stags, goats, and eagle are but a few.

Greek Mythology: Legends told of a great and powerful dragon named Typhon. The last of the Titans, Typhon was the son of the earth and the underworld. Typhon's hundred, horrible heads touched the stars, venom dripped from his evil eyes, and lava poured from his gaping mouths. He was a vicious and implacable foe of the Olympian gods who came out of Asia Minor on a blood lust rampage. Hissing like a hundred snakes and roaring like a hundred lions, he tore up whole mountains and threw them at the gods. Along this path, he took storm and destruction with him, wading through the sea as if it were a shallow creek and destroying entire civilizations as he went. It was at the base of Mount Olympus that the battle between Typhon and Zeus began. Evidence of this battle can be seen today, the scarred battlegrounds forming the river beds now in Syria. It was in the shallows off the Italian coast that the great Typhon was defeated. As Typhon tore up huge Mount Aetna to hurl at the gods, Zeus struck it with a hundred well-aimed thunderbolts and the mountain fell back, pinning Typhon underneath. There the monster lies to this very day, belching fire, lava and smoke through the top of the mountain.

Hindu Mythology (Religion): Shiva, the destroyer, is an ambivalent figure, a loner who seeks knowledge through ascetic practice. He is in many ways a dangerous god, a destroyer, but at the same time represents the rejection of normal society and its ways by the ascetic, who seeks release from the world through mystical discipline.

Old Norse Mythology of the Creation and the Apocalypse

In the beginning was a great void known as Ginnungagup. Before the Earth was formed, the world of death existed; in this world (known as Niflheim) was a great well, from which flowed 11 rivers. South of Niflheim existed the extremely hot world of Muspell that was guarded by a giant called Sutr (or "the Black"). The rivers of Niflheim froze, and these frozen rivers occupied Ginnungagup. Sparks from Muspell then fell on the rivers and melted them. Droppings from this melting took shape as Ymir, the giant, and from Ymir's sweat other giants, male and female, were formed.

Ragnarok, or the Twilight of the Gods, is considered to be the cataclysmic end of the cosmos. Also called Gotterdammerung, Ragnarok will be preceded by Fimbulvetr, the winter of winters. Three such winters will follow each other with no summers in between. Conflicts and feuds will break out, even between families, and all morality will disappear. This is the beginning of the end.

The wolf Skoll will finally devour the sun, and his brother Hati will eat the moon, plunging the earth in darkness. The stars will vanish from the sky. The cock Fjalar will crow to the giants and the golden cock Gullinkambi will crow to the gods. A third cock will raise the dead. Earthquakes will shudder the earth, and every bond and fetter will burst, freeing the terrible wolf Fenrir. The sea will rear up because Jormungand, the Midgard Serpent, is twisting and writhing in fury, making his way toward the land. With every breath, Jormungand will stain the soil and the sky with his poison. The waves caused by the serpent's emerging will set free the ship Naglfar, and with the giant Hymir as their commander, the giants will sail towards the battlefield. From the realm of the dead a second ship will set sail, and this ship carries the inhabitants of the hell, with Loki as their helmsman. The fire giants, led by the giant Surt, will leave Muspell in the south to join against the gods. Surt, carrying a sword that blazes like the sun itself, will scorch the earth.

Meanwhile, Heimdall will sound his horn, calling Odin's sons and heroes to the battlefield. From all the corners of the world, gods, giants, dwarves, demons and elves will ride towards the huge plain of Vigrid ("battle shaker"), were the last battle will be fought. Odin will head straight for Fenrir, and Thor will attack Jormungand. Thor will be victorious, but shortly after he dies from the serpent's poison. Surt will seek out Freyr, who will succumb to the giant. The one-handed Tyr will fight the monstrous hound Garm and they will kill each other. Loki and Heimdall, age-old enemies, will meet for a final time, and neither will survive their encounter. The fight between Odin and Fenrir will rage for a long time, but finally Fenrir will seize Odin, and swallow him. Vidar will at once leap towards the wolf, and kill him with his bear hands. Then Surt will fling fire in every direction. The nine worlds will burn, and friends and foes alike will perish. The earth will sink into the sea.

After the destruction, a new idyllic world will arise from the sea and this new earth is filled with abundant supplies. Some of the gods will survive, others will be reborn. Wickedness and misery will no longer exist and gods and men will live happily together. The descendants of Lif and Liftrasir will inhabit this earth.