Define Hiranyagarbha.
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"Hiranyagarbha," a term from Hindu cosmology, is a compound of two Sanskrit words: "hiranya," meaning golden, and "garbha," meaning womb or embryo. It is often translated as the "Golden Egg" or "Cosmic Egg."
In Hindu philosophy, particularly in the Vedas and Puranas, Hiranyagarbha represents the primordial cosmic being or the cosmic intellect, sometimes identified with the creator deity Brahma. The concept symbolizes the potentiality of creation before the manifest universe comes into existence. Hiranyagarbha is associated with the idea of the cosmic egg as the embryonic form of the universe, containing the seeds of all creation.
The imagery of the golden egg symbolizes the radiant, undifferentiated cosmic energy that precedes the diversity of the material world. The unfolding of this cosmic egg represents the process of cosmic creation, where the subtle potentiality transforms into the manifest universe.
Hiranyagarbha is a significant concept in the creation myths of Hindu cosmogony, illustrating the cyclical nature of creation, sustenance, and dissolution within the vast cosmic cycles (kalpas). The symbolism of the golden egg underscores the divine potentiality inherent in the cosmos and serves as a metaphorical representation of the unmanifest source from which the cosmos emerges.