Alternate Realities in Ancient Mythology
Exploring Parallel Worlds and Timelines
The fascination with alternate realities is not unique to modern science fiction; ancient mythologies from around the world often included concepts of parallel worlds, other realms, and different planes of existence. Greek atomists, Norse myth, and Indo-European traditions all presented worlds beyond the visible, hinting at a timeless curiosity about what exists outside everyday reality.
Norse mythology describes realms like Asgard and Jotunheim, existing side by side yet separate from the human world. Similarly, the idea of an “Otherworld” appears frequently in Indo-European and Celtic stories, depicting spaces that overlap with reality but belong to different dimensions.
These ancient stories offer early examples of the multiverse and parallel universes, showing that humans have long imagined worlds unlike their own. Exploring these myths reveals how deeply rooted the idea of alternate realities is in human culture.
Foundations of Alternate Realities in Ancient Mythology
Many ancient mythologies present worlds shaped by gods, cosmic eggs, and layered realities. These stories often feature spiritual and physical domains, as well as ideas that resemble the modern concepts of multiple universes.
Concepts of the Multiverse and Omniverse
Several traditions, including Hindu and certain Greek philosophies, suggest the existence of multiple universes or realms. In Hindu cosmology, there are endless cycles of creation and destruction, implying countless parallel worlds. Some texts refer to lokas (worlds) existing simultaneously.
Greek thinkers like Anaximander proposed ideas resembling a multiverse, imagining infinite worlds coming to existence and passing away. While the term "omniverse" is modern, ancient systems sometimes described a comprehensive set of realms beyond human perception, hinting at omniverse-like ideas. These perspectives emphasize the vastness of existence within mythology.
Key examples:
Hindu loka system with various universes
Greek philosophical ideas of infinite worlds
Material and Spiritual Realms
Ancient mythologies typically distinguish between the material and spiritual realms. In many traditions, the material realm is the physical world people inhabit, while the spiritual realm contains deities, spirits, and afterlife domains.
The Egyptian pantheon, for example, maintained clear boundaries between the land of the living and the Duat (underworld). Norse mythology described Midgard (physical world) and Asgard (realm of the gods), connected by the Bifrost bridge. These separate but linked worlds underpin many myths, reflecting a dual-layered cosmos.
Common features:
Physical and spiritual domains are distinct but interrelated
Realms often serve specific roles in creation, afterlife, or divine intervention
Creation Myths and Cosmic Eggs
Creation myths frequently feature "cosmic eggs" or primordial seeds. In Hindu mythology, the universe emerges from the Hiranyagarbha (golden egg), from which all material and spiritual worlds develop. This theme also appears in ancient Greek Orphic tradition, where the universe begins with a cosmic egg from which gods arise.
These stories symbolize origins of all realities—material and spiritual. The cosmic egg concept demonstrates how early myths grapple with the emergence of multiple worlds, divine beings, and the layered structure of existence.
Notable cases:
Hindu Hiranyagarbha as source of creation
Orphic egg central to early Greek cosmogony
Parallel Worlds and Cosmic Structure in Hindu Cosmology
Hindu cosmology presents a detailed vision of reality that includes multiple universes, layered worlds, and complex cycles of creation and destruction. This framework describes not just the spatial arrangement of worlds, but also their immense timescales and intricate interconnections.
The Three Lokas: Urdhva-loka, Madhya-loka, and Adho-loka
In Hindu cosmology, reality is divided into three major worlds, known as Urdhva-loka (Upper Worlds), Madhya-loka (Middle Worlds), and Adho-loka (Lower Worlds). Each loka contains countless sub-worlds and levels.
Urdhva-loka encompasses regions inhabited by gods and celestial beings.
Madhya-loka refers to the earthly plane, including Earth and surrounding realms.
Adho-loka is associated with underworlds and realms of lower existence.
These lokas function as distinct yet interconnected realities. Souls may travel between them based on actions and karma, reflecting a structured yet fluid model of existence. The concept shows an early idea of alternate planes of reality within the universe.
Brahmand and the Age of the Universe
The entire cosmos is described as the Brahmand or "cosmic egg." This term refers to all that exists, including galaxies, solar systems, planets, and stars, encapsulated within a single universe. Hindu texts describe an immense age for the universe.
According to scriptures, the universe is currently in the 51st year of Brahma, the creator deity, each "year" lasting trillions of human years. The universe passes through repeating cycles called Kalpas, each representing vast periods of creation, preservation, and dissolution.
These timelines dwarf typical human scales and suggest a cosmology where both space and time are practically infinite, mirroring the vastness suggested in modern astronomical observations.
Scriptural Space-Exploration and the Billions of Universes
Ancient scriptures mention not just one universe but billions of universes in existence at the same time. Each is governed by its own set of cosmic laws, deities, and cycles, and is contained within its own Brahmand.
Texts sometimes describe journeys between worlds and cosmic realms—a kind of early "space-exploration." For example, descriptions in the Puranas and Mahabharata allude to celestial vehicles crossing multiple planes.
This framework implies that what is seen as the universe is only one among countless others, anticipating modern theories of the multiverse. The vastness of Brahmand and its endless variations demonstrate how Hindu cosmology integrated the idea of parallel worlds long before the concept appeared in contemporary science.
Alternate Realities in Greek and Roman Myths
Ancient Greek and Roman myths depict multiple layers of reality, shaping a complex cosmos where gods, mortals, and supernatural beings interact. These stories define distinct territories for deities, immortal entities, and humans, each with unique forms of existence and rules.
Realms of the Gods and the Underworld
Greek gods such as Zeus were believed to reside atop Mount Olympus, a mystical realm separated from the human world. Roman mythology mirrored this structure, with Jupiter as the equivalent supreme deity.
The Underworld was another prominent alternate reality. In Greek myth, Hades ruled this shadowy realm where mortals' souls wandered after death. Persephone and Demeter’s myth highlights the Underworld as not merely a place of the dead, but a domain affecting nature and seasons. Roman myth called this realm Orcus, echoing similar beliefs.
Access between these realms was strictly regulated. Only gods, select mortals, or demi-gods could cross from Earth to Olympus or the Underworld, typically with guidance or divine permission. These multi-layered settings allow mythologies to address themes of life, death, and divine authority.
Dimensions of Immortals and Demi-Gods
Immortals in both Greek and Roman mythology—whether gods, goddesses, or certain nature spirits—were not bound by human limitations. They could traverse different realities, shape-shift, or intervene in mortal affairs. For example, Zeus (Greek) or Jupiter (Roman) exhibited powers and freedom of movement unavailable to mortals.
Demi-gods like Heracles (Greek) existed in a distinct dimension between mortals and gods. They often performed feats that crossed the boundaries of human reality, journeying to the Underworld or battling supernatural beings. These cross-realm adventures highlighted the demi-gods’ unique status and helped bridge divine and mortal worlds.
Classical Deity Correspondences:
Greek Entity: Zeus
Roman Equivalent: Jupiter
Realm/Duty: Olympus/Supreme God
Greek Entity: Hades
Roman Equivalent: Pluto
Realm/Duty: Underworld
Greek Entity: Persephone
Roman Equivalent: Proserpina
Realm/Duty: Underworld/Seasons
Separation Between Gods and Mortals
A strong line divided mortals from gods in both Greek and Roman perspectives. While gods shaped and influenced the human world, they rarely shared their reality with mortals except during extraordinary events. This boundary preserved the mystery and power of the deities.
Contact between mortals and gods required ritual, sacrifice, or specific divine favor. When mortals did cross into divine realms, as in the stories of Orpheus or Persephone, significant trials or conditions applied, emphasizing the separation. Myths reinforced a worldview where the everyday and the supernatural coexisted, but with carefully maintained limits.
The system of realities in these myths structured ancient understanding of hierarchy, fate, and cosmic order. Each boundary and crossing reflected deeper beliefs about the roles and destinies of humans versus immortals.
Hindu Scriptural Interpretations of Alternate Realities
Ancient Hindu scriptures present a layered understanding of reality with detailed descriptions of multiple worlds, cycles of creation, and key divine figures. Core texts introduce concepts like parallel universes, cosmic cycles, and the shifting roles of gods throughout different ages.
The Holy Trinity: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva
In Hindu cosmology, the Holy Trinity consists of Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver), and Shiva (the destroyer). These three deities are responsible for the continuous creation, maintenance, and transformation of innumerable universes—called lokas.
Brahma is often depicted as creating countless worlds, each governed by its own set of laws and timelines. Vishnu appears in various incarnations, or avatars, across these realities to reestablish order. Shiva brings destruction, allowing for renewal and rebirth within endless cosmic cycles.
Ancient texts associate each deity with specific realms and cosmic duties, suggesting that reality itself is multileveled and always in flux. Through their actions, the idea of alternate realities becomes an essential part of Hindu philosophical thought.
Cosmic Roles of Indra, Varun, and Yamaraj
Indra, Varun, and Yamaraj are deities who oversee different aspects of cosmic law and order. Indra is king of the heavens and ruler of Swarg Loka, presiding over natural forces like rain and thunder. He represents power and the shifting fortunes of celestial realms.
Varun is the god of water and moral order, governing oceans and cosmic balance. His dominion spans over both mortal and divine worlds, emphasizing the interconnectedness of all realities. Yamaraj, as the god of death, judges souls and determines their path across different lokas after death.
Together, these deities illustrate a system where parallel existences and afterlives are fundamental principles. The movement of souls, the flow of cosmic energies, and the enforcement of spiritual justice occur across multiple planes.
Sacred Texts: Mahabharat and Shrimad Bhagavad Geeta
The Mahabharat and Shrimad Bhagavad Geeta present some of the clearest insights into alternate realities. In the Mahabharat, Lord Krishna reveals his Virat-roop—a vast, cosmic form—to Arjuna, symbolizing the existence of infinite realms and dimensions beyond human perception.
The Shrimad Bhagavad Geeta discusses the cycles of life, death, and rebirth, describing reality as a temporary manifestation within a much larger, ongoing process. These texts refer to multiple lokas, such as Swarg Loka (heaven), Mrityu Loka (earth), and others, each with distinct experiences and destinies for souls.
Such teachings showcase a structured, multi-layered universe governed by spiritual laws. Both works support the perspective that alternate realities are integral to the soul’s journey and the universe's design.
Cycles of Creation: Kaliyuga and Chaitra Navratri
Hindu tradition divides time into vast cycles known as Yugas, each with its own characteristics and spiritual conditions. Kaliyuga, the present age, is described as a period of spiritual decline, but it is part of a repeating cycle that leads to renewal.
Each new cycle begins with events like Chaitra Navratri, which marks the Hindu New Year and celebrates the divine feminine energy responsible for creation and transformation. These cycles reflect the belief that creation, destruction, and resurrection happen repeatedly across different epochs and universes.
Hindu Cosmic Time Cycles:
Satya Yuga
Duration (years): 1,728,000
Key Feature: Age of truth and virtue
Treta Yuga
Duration (years): 1,296,000
Key Feature: Rise of rituals and sacrifices
Dwapar Yuga
Duration (years): 864,000
Key Feature: Decline of righteousness
Duration (years): 432,000
Key Feature: Age of spiritual darkness
This cyclical worldview underlies Hindu beliefs about alternate realities, emphasizing endless creation across multiple planes and ages.
Alien Realms and Supernatural Entities
Ancient mythology often describes encounters with extraordinary beings and places that challenge the conventional boundaries of reality. Texts from different cultures sometimes blur the line between alien visitors, supernatural entities, and advanced civilizations.
Alien Benefactors and Advanced Civilizations
Many ancient myths contain stories of otherworldly visitors imparting knowledge or technology that appears advanced for its time. Egyptian, Sumerian, and Hindu texts describe gods or sky-beings who bring writing, medicine, or architecture.
Ancient Culture Visitor Accounts:
Culture: Sumerian
Entity/Visitor: Annunaki
Contribution: Civilization, kingship
Culture: Hindu
Entity/Visitor: Vimanas
Contribution: Flying craft, weapons
Culture: Egyptian
Entity/Visitor: Thoth
Contribution: Writing, knowledge
Some researchers and modern science fiction authors, like Arthur C. Clarke, propose that such beings could have been interpreted as aliens by ancient peoples. This idea emerged in 20th-century literature and persists as a topic of debate.
Supernatural Beings Across Pantheons
Beyond alien benefactors, mythologies are populated with supernatural beings: gods, angels, spirits, and demonic forces. These entities inhabit realms distinct from earthly reality, such as heavens, underworlds, and “otherworlds” (as referenced in Indo-European lore).
Different pantheons assign various roles to these beings. For example, Norse mythology has the Aesir and Vanir, while Greek myths describe Olympian gods and chthonic spirits. Some traditions, such as those found in the Quora search result, explicitly mention realms like the angelic sphere or the “spirit realm.”
Lists of beings and realms highlight a wide range, from mystical creatures to evil spirits. These supernatural entities often interact with humans, influencing fate, ethics, and the understanding of the cosmos.
Evidence in Ancient Texts
Ancient texts are primary sources for information on alternate realities and the beings that inhabit them. The Epic of Gilgamesh, Egyptian Book of the Dead, and the Rigveda reference journeys to other worlds, contact with divine beings, and unexplained technologies.
Descriptions of flying chariots, portals, and cosmic wars suggest a worldview open to realities beyond immediate perception. Some texts, such as Hindu scriptures describing Vimanas, are repeatedly cited for their detailed accounts of advanced objects.
These writings provide context for ongoing discussions about how ancient cultures perceived the supernatural and possibility of contact with advanced, perhaps even extraterrestrial, civilizations. The boundary between ancient myth, supernatural belief, and nascent science fiction is porous and invites continual re-examination.
Interactions Between Heavenly Bodies and Alternate Realities
Ancient cultures closely observed the heavens, attributing unique roles to planets, stars, and other celestial entities in their myths. Some traditions proposed that these heavenly bodies could operate as bridges or boundaries that separate, connect, or even allow passage between different cosmic realms.
Heavenly Bodies in Myth and Reality
Many mythologies identified the planets, stars, and the sun and moon as living deities or powerful agents. In Mesopotamian tradition, the planets functioned as gods who guided destiny on Earth.
The Greeks associated the planets with their own deities—Jupiter with Zeus, Venus with Aphrodite, and so forth—linking the orbits of these celestial bodies to cosmic order and fate. Indian cosmology described planets (Navagrahas) not only as physical objects but as nodes of cosmic influence that could affect movement between worlds.
Solar and lunar eclipses often symbolized temporary openings or interactions between the mortal world and other existential planes. Some traditions interpreted the wandering paths of planets as journeys or messages between parallel realities.
The Milky Way and Cosmic Geography
The Milky Way held special significance in many ancient stories as a visible pathway or border between worlds. In Greek myth, it sometimes represented the road of the gods, while in some Indigenous American beliefs, it denoted the route souls travel after death.
The Dogon people of West Africa associated the Milky Way with cosmological movements and the ordering of celestial and earthly domains. In Hindu cosmology, the imagined geography of the universe included countless solar systems and "dvipas" (islands or continents), emphasizing the possibility of parallel cosmic regions linked by stars and galaxies.
Ancient astronomical observations often led to the belief that stars and galaxies served as markers or gates, hinting at vast, hidden realities beyond ordinary human experience. This blend of close observation and creative interpretation helped shape enduring legends about travel or communication between worlds separated by celestial boundaries.
Magic, Science, and the Boundaries of Reality
Ancient mythologies often positioned magic and science as different methods for understanding and influencing the universe. These systems revealed the ways humans tried to define the limits of reality and explore what lies beyond ordinary experience.
The Role of Magic in Traversing Realities
Magic often served as a tool for crossing into alternate realities or interacting with supernatural realms. In many ancient societies, rituals, spells, and divination acted as structured methods for accessing hidden dimensions.
Priests, shamans, and magicians claimed special knowledge and power to traverse the boundaries between worlds. For example, in early Hindu and Mesopotamian traditions, cosmic journeys through magical means were common myths explaining the movement between planes of existence.
Such practices included:
Chants and incantations: Believed to open gateways or communicate with spirits.
Talismans and charms: Used for protection or as keys to otherworldly domains.
Magic was not viewed as mere superstition but as an established part of the cultural understanding of reality.
Scientific Advancement and Mythological Inspiration
As natural philosophy and early science emerged, ancient thinkers began questioning the mechanisms behind the universe's mysteries. They often drew upon mythological stories as frameworks for budding scientific theories.
The transition from magical explanations to more systematic observation did not erase mythology but reshaped it. For example, Greek philosophers like Pythagoras and Plato drew inspiration from mythic ideas to build their cosmologies, blending empirical inquiry with spiritual speculation.
Key points include:
Observation: Early astronomers tracked planetary motion, sometimes inspired by legends about gods and stars.
Interpretation: Scientists and scholars used myth to give context to unfamiliar phenomena, bridging gaps in empirical understanding.
The interplay between science and myth remained dynamic, reflecting humanity's ongoing effort to define what is possible within the boundaries of reality.
Legacy of Alternate Realities in Modern Thought
Ideas about alternate realities have shaped not just ancient myth but also contemporary imagination and scientific speculation. These concepts remain influential, bridging the gap between traditional stories and current popular culture.
Influence on Contemporary Science Fiction
Alternate realities have become foundational in modern science fiction. They provide narrative tools for exploring "what if" scenarios that challenge assumptions and envision different versions of history or existence.
Writers like Arthur C. Clarke helped popularize these themes, introducing audiences to parallel worlds and alternate timelines in novels and short stories. These ideas are not limited to literature. Film and television often use multiverses as central plot devices.
For example, in recent decades, comic book franchises and science fiction movies have made alternate dimensions almost mainstream. This trend builds on earlier stories, adapting ancient myths of other realms into modern fictional worlds. Science fiction does not merely entertain but also prompts discussion about reality, possibility, and the limits of knowledge.
Enduring Myths and Cultural Impact
Ancient stories of alternate realities remain relevant in various cultures today. In Hindu cosmology, for example, the idea of multiple interconnected universes stretches back thousands of years and still influences philosophical discussion.
These myths persist through retellings and reinterpretations. They offer ways to understand existential questions and the potential for realities beyond perception.
Lists of legends from around the world—such as Norse accounts of separate worlds or Greek myths about different planes of existence—show that alternate realities are far from a modern invention. They have become symbols in literature, art, and casual conversation, helping shape modern concepts of the multiverse and alternative possibilities.
