The primitive creation myths had the human race formed by dismemberment of an existing entity. In later myths the Creator produced humans from divine energy.
Primitive life was violent and therefore primitive mythologies tend to be morbid and macabre. Creation of the human race in primitive mythologies was a bloody affair almost across the board. Humans were created by dismemberment of some existing entity. In Babylonian creation myth, written about 2000 BCE, the primordial mother was Tiamat. Kingu was her consort. In the myth a young God, Marduk, kills Tiamat and Kingu. From Kingu’s blood Marduk creates the first humans.
Hinduism has many creation myths. One of the earliest is found in Book 10, Hymn XC of the Riga Veda describes the creation of the human race by dismemberment of the primordial “Man” called Purusha. The sages in a sacrifice dismembered Purusha and from various parts of his body produced the various living beings. Verse 12 is particularly relevant and is reproduced below.
The Brahmin was his mouth, of both his arms was the Kshatriya made.
His thighs became the Vaishya, from his feet the Sudra was produced.
This verse created the division of labor necessary for propagating order in a society by linking the nature of work with the body part. The Brahmins were preachers and recited prayers and hence were associated with the mouth. The Kshatriyas were soldiers and protected society and hence associated with arms. However this verse has gained notoriety for sanctioning a hereditary caste system when all it does is define a division of labor that even exists in all societies today.
As society evolved into a more cultured format, the creation myths changed from dismemberment of an existing entity to creation from divine energy. In some myths the Creator creates a female counterpart for himself and produces progeny whose offspring is the human race. In others the Creator produces the first male and first female humans who procreate and multiply. The second model is adopted in the Book of Genesis. Hindu mythologies have both these versions. In the Creation described in the article Manu and Shatrupa Brahma creates Manu and Shatrupa as the first couple. This is taken from the Bhagavata Purana. In the Matsya Purana the first model is described. Brahma creates Shatrupa as his consort and Manu is their offspring. Then a female offspring Ananti is produced as Manu’s wife and they further the human race. Whichever model is chosen there are undertones of incest. If the matter is viewed objectively then incest is unavoidable if we consider the human race to be descended from one couple.
However the point that is important is mythologies evolve as per the changing values in society. This was demonstrated earlier in the context of the makeover of Pururava and will be demonstrated again and again because contrary to common belief, mythologies are a living, growing, changing facet of life.
