‘And that is how the universe was made! Or maybe it wasn’t In fact, God alone knows. Or maybe not.’

The modern picturing of ancient narratives in this Hindu example is powerful because it suggests that the Hindu communities continue to find meaning and points of reflection through the new forms of expression in relation to their scriptures. What do we see here? From the figure of Vishnu, asleep on the primeval ocean, a lotus flower blossoms – from his belly button. This only happens when the goddess massages his feet. Within the lotus, the divine creator Brahma is revealed, and he begins his work of world-making.