M3 Flood Myth: Hindu: Manu and the Fish

            Manu and the Fish is a very short myth about Manu, who finds and takes care of a fish. The fish warns him of some terrible things that the fish will help him avoid in exchange for this treatment. Manu feeds the fish, which grows and grows and grows. Manu has to transfer it to successively larger jars until fully grown and returned to the ocean. When the floods come, the fish pulls Manu to safety in a boat.

M3 Creation Myths: Hindu

            I would say I really like the Hindu creation more than the others, but the fact is that I really enjoy all of these myths. I will say that the Hindu creation is unique in my experience.

            It begins with Brahma off by himself. And then he has a random thought. And that thought becomes reality. And so it continues. His very thoughts give birth to reality; however, what’s most interesting is that he cannot control these thoughts. Unbidden, he’ll have an evil thought, and it creates something evil, even though he does not wish for that to be created. This is a sharp contrast to other creation myths, which sought to consciously create the world and everything. Brahma, though, is at the mercies of his own random thoughts.