Is the story of Adam or Manu the same in the Bible and

Vayu Purana?

Original sin| Biblical Religions| Hindu Religion| Tree of Knowledge|

Adam
A difference between the Biblical and Hindu religions appears to be
regarding the concept of “original sin.” The Biblical religions believe
that Adam committed the sin by eating of the Tree of Knowledge
despite the prohibition made by God; whereas we do not find any such
concept in the Hindu tradition.

The Biblical narrative of Adam has two possible interpretations. I will

explain the mainstream Biblical interpretation; then I will explain the
alternative interpretation; and lastly show that the alternative
interpretation is parallel to the Hindu religion.

God created man is parallel to four sets of humankind created by

Brahma.
Creation of Adam and Swayambhu Manu
In Genesis it is said that “God made man in his image” (1:26-27). The
question is whether this was an evolved- or a primitive man. The
mainstream interpretation is that God created evolved man. The
alternative interpretation is that God created a man who had the
potential to evolve but as yet was primitive. This interpretation is
parallel to the Hindu texts. The Vayu Purana says that Brahma initially
created four sets of one thousand pairs of human beings but they did
not engage in creation (Vayu Purana 10:6). They not engaging in
creation indicates a sense of primitiveness. So, if we consider Genesis
1:26-27 to tell of the creation of primitive man then it becomes parallel
to the Hindu text.

In the Bible and Vayu Purana, Adam- Swayambhu was created from
darkness.

In Genesis 2:5 it is said that there was no man till the ground; and in
Genesis 2:7 it is said that God created man from earth or dust. The
mainstream interpretation is that there was no physical man at this
time and the creation of mankind in Genesis 1:26 and Creation of Adam
in Genesis 2:7 is repetition of the same story. The alternative
interpretation of these two verses is that when the statement that
“there was no man to till the ground” only means that the physical man
did not till the ground. God had created man in Genesis 1:26 but this
man was in a primitive state and did not cultivate as told in Genesis 2:5.
But God wanted to “create.” So, God placed some lower-, violent- or
evil tendency in the psyche of Adam to break his lethargy. These lower
tendencies are indicated in the saying that God created Adam from
“dust.” Man was living in a primitive state. He was not cultivating, not
building houses, and not taking creation forward. So, God, in order to
break his stupor, implanted certain lower quality. This interpretation is
parallel to the Vayu Purana saying that Brahma found that creation was
not taking place. So, he took on a body of “tamas” or the quality of
darkness and created two persons named Swayambhu and Shatarupa
from this body (Vayu Purana 10:5-10). Genesis 2:7 saying that Adam
was created from dust and the Vayu Purana saying that Brahma created
Swayambhu from darkness are parallel.
 God placed the Tree of Knowledge in the middle of the Garden and
gave negative suggestion to eat the tree of knowledge.

Story of Tree of Knowledge

Next, God placed the Tree of Knowledge in the middle of the Garden
(Genesis 2:9). Next, God told Adam that he should not eat of that the
Tree (2:17). The mainstream interpretation is that God tempted Adam
by first placing the Tree in the middle and then telling him not to eat of
it to see whether Adam would stick to his words. The alternative
interpretation is that God had placed the Tree in the middle of the
Garden so the Adam would eat of it but the Adam did not eat. So, God
gave him a “negative suggestion” not to eat. Psychologists say that
subconscious reacts more quickly to a negative suggestion than to a
positive suggestion. If a mother tells a child please eat this bread, then
the child may not eat the bread whereas if the mother tells the child
not to eat the bread then the child is more likely to eat the bread. The
alternative interpretation is that God Adam a negative suggestion so
that Adam would eat of the Tree.

However, Adam and Eve still did not eat of the Tree. Then the Serpent
told Eve that if she ate of the Tree she would not die. Eve, so
persuaded, ate of the Tree along with Adam and their eyes were
opened. The mainstream view is that till that time there was no death,
Adam would have lived perpetually. But because Adam and Eve did not
honor God’s words, therefore, Adam died although after 930 years. The
alternative interpretation is that the Serpent was a representation of
the Kundalini or the psychic path in the spine. Eve’s own unconscious
came out and told her, “Look here is the Tree of Knowledge. If you eat
of it, you will not die.” Then she and Adam ate of it.

Adam eyes opened and Swayambhu became the progenitor.

God always wanted Adam to eat of the Tree of Knowledge. God first
placed the Tree in the middle of the Garden. The God gave a negative
suggestion. Lastly, Eve’s own unconscious encouraged her to eat of it
and their eyes were opened. This interpretation is parallel to the Vayu
Purana which says that Brahma made Swayambhu from the quality of
darkness (10.2) and he became the progenitor of the large number of
human beings.

God cursed the Serpent to live on the ground both in the Bible and the
Vayu Purana

Story of Serpent
Then God cursed the Serpent to live on the ground and eat dust. An
alternative interpretation is that the psychic movement in the spinal
cord, portrayed as a Serpent, was cursed to live in the dark.
 Psychic movement in the spinal cord, portrayed as a Serpent,

The Vayu Purana says in parallel that at a particular time Brahma was
very angry that creation was not taking place so his hairs became
serpents and Brahma cursed them to live at a place where the sun did
not reach (Vayu Purana 9:36-38). The Biblical curse that the serpent will
eat dust and Brahma’s curse that they will live in the dark could mean
that the psyche will perpetually live inside the spine.
 Women bear children in pain, which indicates an producing larger
numbers of children in the Vayu Purana.

Story of Women
Then God cursed the woman that you will now bring forth children in
pain (Genesis 3:15). This could be a small pain leading to a beneficial
result of producing larger numbers of children just as a surgery leads to
improved health. The Vayu Purana says in parallel that women used to
have periods only once towards the end of their life before a particular
time. At the time of Swayambhu Manu they began to have periods at
monthly frequency which means they started procreating large number
of children (Vayu Purana 8:43). Thus, the Biblical “curse” to the women
to have bear children in pain is parallel to the Vayu Purana saying the
women started having monthly periods.
 God cursed the land that it will bring forth “thorns and thistles”the
Vayu Purana states that the trees began to go in the homes of the
people.

Story of Land
Then God cursed the land that it will bring forth “thorns and thistles”
(Genesis 3:17). We see cultivation also brings forth thorns and thistles.
That is not new. The important point is that the earth, which was not
producing any edible crop previously, now started bringing forth thorns
and thistles along with bountiful crops. This is mentioned in the Vayu
Purana as saying that the trees began to go in the homes of the people
(Vayu Purana 8:87).
 God placed guards near the Tree of Life or the Kalpa-vriksha.

God placed guards near the Tree of Life and Kalpa-vriksha

The last point is that “God placed guards near the Tree of Life.” There
were two trees in the Garden of Eden—the Tree of Knowledge and the
Tree of Life. Adam had already eaten of the Tree of Knowledge. Then
God placed guards near the Tree of Life. However, the Bible is silent
about the purpose of the placing of the guards. We find guards are
placed to guide the people in the right direction in a tourist resort and
like places. It is possible that God had placed these guards not to
prevent Adam from reaching the Tree but to guide mankind to reach
the Tree and partake of it in a measured manner so that the Tree did
not become extinct. The Vayu Purana says in parallel that there was a
Tree called Kalpa-vriksha or a “desire-fulfilling” tree. This tree became
weak at a certain point of time (Vayu Purana 8.94). Perhaps God had
placed guards to make sure it was eaten off in a measured manner so
that it did not become in extinct but this is not mentioned explicitly in
the Vayu Purana.

We suggest that the alternative interpretation of the Bible and the

Vayu Purana are parallel.

First, God created humankind is parallel to four sets of humankind

created by Brahma.

Second, God said there was no man to cultivate the land. Brahma said
that creation was not taking place.

Third, God created Adam from dust. Brahma created Swayambhu from
the quality of darkness.

Fourth, God placed Tree of Knowledge in the Garden; and fifth, God
prohibited Adam from eating of it. The Vayu Purana is silent on this
though the narrative slips into it.

Sixth, the Serpent told Eve to eat of the tree is parallel to the lower
qualities encouraging Swayambhu to undertake cultivation.

Seventh, the Bible says the eyes of Adam and Eve were opened is
parallel to Swayambhu beginning to cultivate.

Eighth, God cursed the Serpent to live in dust just as Brahma cursed the
serpents to live in the darkness.

Ninth, God told women to bring for children in pain is parallel to the
Vayu Purana saying that women began to have monthly periods.

Tenth, God cursed the earth to bring forth thorns and thistles along
with crops is parallel to Vayu Purana saying that trees began grow in
the homes of the people.
Eleventh, God placed guards on the Tree of Life so that they did not
become weak is parallel to the Vayu Purana saying that the Kalpa-
vriksha did become weak.

We suggest that the Biblical and Vayu Purana narratives of creation

become parallel if we take these alternative interpretations of the
Bible. This leads us to further suggest that the two narrative might have
a common origin which needs further exploration.