Brahmāṇḍa (Sanskrit: ब्रह्माण्ड) is a foundational concept in Hindu cosmology, translating to “the Egg of Brahma” or “the Cosmic Egg”, derived from Brahma (the creator deity) and aṇḍa (egg).
It signifies the manifest, enclosed macrocosm or universe.
According to texts such as the Rigveda, Manusmriti, and various Puranas, the cosmos originated from a golden seed or egg known as Hiraṇyagarbha, floating upon the primaeval waters before splitting to form the spiritual and physical realms.
A single Brahmāṇḍa contains fourteen distinct planetary systems (lokas), divided into seven upper realms (including Bhūloka, Svargaloka, and Satyaloka) and seven lower subterranean realms (Pātālas).
Hindu cosmology describes Brahmāṇḍa as temporary and cyclical, subject to endless epochs of creation (srishti), maintenance (sthiti), and cosmic dissolution (pralaya).
Textual traditions, notably the Srimad Bhagavatam, extend this concept into a multiverse framework, stating that infinite individual Brahmāṇḍas bubble forth continuously within the cosmic ocean.
