In fact, as noted in the New Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythology (326), Hindu is also known as Sanatana Dharma or in Sanskrit, the original language of India, "The Everlasting Religion." Further, Sanatana Dharma does not have a specific point of origin, founder or church. The leaders of the Hindu culture only restated the teachings of the Vedas, the essential truths of the Aryans. .

             Hindu mythology dates back to the first Vedic hymns, of a very spiritual nature, that were composed to express the sense of beauty, gladness and bounty of the world. This sacred literature, which details hymns of praise, correct ritual procedure, spells and charms (Forty, 126), was at first the sole province of the Brahmans or priests (Rice 24). It was handed down orally from generation to generation. Later, the Vedic hymns were committed to the written word. In a word, they are "divine." They are given to humans directly from God or Brahma. Hindus believe that "God created the whole universe out of knowledge of the Vedas." In other words, "Vedic knowledge existed even before the creation of humankind. They are the authority, or knowledge of God" (Rice 24).

             In Hindu mythology, as noted in Bulfinch"s Mythology (320), Brahma is the source of all the universe in addition to the well from which other deities have flowed. Brahma"s attributes are represented by the three personified powers of "creation," "preservation," and "destruction." Under the respective names of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva (Shiva), these form the Trimurti or triad of principal gods. There are also lesser gods that include Indra, the god of heaven, thunder and rain; Agni, the god of fire; Yama, the god of the infernal areas; and Surya, the god of the sun.

             The Judeo/Christian God and Brahma are very different: In the former, God is the one who creates: He is not his creation. That is, God is not a tree or river or animal; these are instead manifestations of God.