The golden womb, the first manifestation of God. Cosmic womb. The immanent principle that has willed to become manifest and multiply. (UV, p. 109)
(Golden Lingam)
Hiranyagarbha is the source of all kinds of knowledge - ethical, spiritual, physical, scientific and social. He may be described as ‘Jnana bhaskara’ (The Sun of Knowledge). When the Sun rises, he assumes a golden hue. By his golden rays, he turns the whole of nature golden. The entire creation emerged from Hiranyagarbha at the beginning. Hiranyagarbha is in the form of an oval-shaped golden egg. From Hiranyagarbha, the first to emerge was the mouth. Sound started from the mouth. Then came the nose, from which arose air. Then came the eyes, from which emanated fire. The ears came thereafter. The directions arose from the ears.
(Swami with the Hiranyagarbha lingam)
Hiranyagarbha is the primary source of the origin of man. Hiranyagarbha is the prime source of all living beings. It is Hiranyagarbha who endowed all these beings with the power of discriminating between the eternal and the ephemeral - between what should be sought and what should be renounced, between what ought to be done and what ought not to be done.
What is the Supreme Knowledge that man needs to make his life sacred and meaningful and what is the path he should pursue to lead a purposeful life? Hiranyagarbha offered to man the knowledge he needed for this purpose. This is the primary activity of Hiranyagarbha.
Hiranyagarbha has two other names: Sutratmaka (the one who functions like a string through all Atmas, even as a string runs through a necklace of gems). This means that he is present in all beings like the string that keeps together the gems in a necklace. This string is called Brahma-Sutra (the string of Brahman). The principle of Hiranyagarbha indicates how the Divine unites all human beings equally like the string of a necklace. Hiranyagarbha thus demonstrates a divisionless universe.
The other name for Hiranyagarbha is Prana. Hiranyagarbha assumes a subtle form in the dream state of a human being. He is the entity who is awake in the dream and sleeping states. In the waking state, the Virata Swarupa creates the visible cosmos. In the dream state, Hiranyagarbha creates the figures in the dreams. All objects in this state have no physical basis. All that are perceived in dreams are the creations of Hiranyagarbha. Hiranyagarbha in his subtle form creates everything in the dream state. (SSS Vol.24, pp. 89-90)
There is the principle of Hiranyagarbha within every individual. Hiranya means gold. When gold is mixed with other metals such as copper, silver, brass it loses its brilliance, value and identity. Then it becomes impossible to ascertain whether it is gold or silver or brass or copper. Similarly, man’s heart, which is Hiranmaya is losing its brilliance, value and identity on account of its association with Vishaya Vasanas (sensual desires). Consequently, it is impossible to ascertain whether one is a human being or an animal or a devil or a demon. There is no love at all in human beings today. Life devoid of love is a devil’s life. Can a man be called a human being, if he has qualities of devils, demons and beasts? Man is leading the life of a demon unaware of the path of truth, righteousness, peace and love. God has not created creatures such as devils and evil spirits. These are the creations of man. (SSS Vol.32 Part I, pp. 18-19)