The Nasadiya Sukta, found in the 129th hymn of the 10th mandala of the Rigveda, offers one of the most profound explorations of creation from the Vedic tradition. This hymn delves into the state of existence before time began, presenting a mysterious and philosophical view of the universe’s origins. In just seven mantras, it questions the nature of reality, suggesting that before creation, there was neither existence nor non-existence, no death or immortality, and no duality. It speaks of a singular presence, a mysterious entity that alone existed in its splendor, leaving even the possibility that not even “He” might fully comprehend the origins of creation. This uncertainty and depth make the Nasadiya Sukta a fascinating and thought-provoking read.
nāsad āsīn no sad āsīt tadānīṁ nāsīd rajo no vyomā paro yat |
kim āvarīvaḥ kuha kasya śarmann ambhaḥ kim āsīd gahanaṁ gabhīram ||
1. nāsad – there was not
2. āsīn – existed
3. no – not
4. sad – reality (truth)
5. āsīt – was
6. tadānīṁ – then
7. nāsīd – there was not
8. rajo – the element of passion
9. no – not
10. vyomā – the sky (or space)
11. paro – beyond
12. yat – which
13. kim – what
14. āvarīvaḥ – covering (or enveloping)
15. kuha – where
16. kasya – whose
17. śarmann – shelter
18. ambhaḥ – water
19. kim – what
20. āsīd – was
21. gahanaṁ – deep (or vast)
22. gabhīram – profound (or mysterious)
“Then, neither existence nor non-existence was there; neither the realm of space, nor the sky which is beyond. What covered it, and where? What sheltered it? Was there water, unfathomable and deep?”
na mṛtyur āsīd amṛtaṁ na tarhi na rātryā ahna āsīt praketaḥ |
ānīd avātaṁ svadhayā tad ekaṁ tasmād dhānyan na paraḥ kiṁ canāsa ||
1. na – not
2. mṛtyuḥ – death
3. āsīt – was
4. amṛtam – immortality
5. na – not
6. tarhi – then
7. na – not
8. rātryā – by night
9. ahna – by day
10. āsīt – was
11. praketaḥ – (the world) in its original state
12. ānīt – brought
13. avātam – (and) protected
14. svadhayā – by its own nature
15. tad – that
16. ekaṁ – one
17. tasmāt – therefore
18. dhānyan – (there is) none other
19. na – not
20. paraḥ – superior
21. kiṁ cana – anything
“There was neither death nor immortality; there was neither night nor day. That one Being, the only one, was then brought and protected by its own nature. Therefore, there is nothing superior to it.”
tama āsīt tamasā gūlham agre ‘praketa ̥ ṁ salilaṁ sarvam ā idam |
tucchyenābhv apihitaṁ yad āsīt tapasas tan mahinājāyataikam ||
1. tama: darkness
2. āsīt: was
3. tamasā: by the darkness
4. gūlham: covered
5. agre: in the beginning
6. ‘praketaṁ: without any knowledge
7. salilam: water
8. sarvam: all
9. ā idam: this
10. tucchye: in the void
11. nābhv: in the non-existent
12. apihitam: hidden
13. yat: what
14. āsīt: was
15. tapasā: by austerity
16. tan: that
17. mahinā: by the great
18. jāyata: came into being
19. ekam: one
“In the beginning, darkness was hidden by darkness; all this was an undifferentiated expanse of water. The void was concealed by emptiness. Through the power of intense fervor (tapas), the One was born.”
kāmas tad agre sam avartatādhi manaso retaḥ prathamaṁ yad āsīt |
sato bandhum asati nir avindan hṛdi pratīṣyā kavayo manīṣā ||
1. kāmas: desire
2. tad: that
3. agre: at first
4. sam: together
5. avartat: came into existence
6. ādhi: in the beginning
7. manaso: of the mind
8. retaḥ: semen
9. prathamaṁ: first
10. yat: which
11. āsīt: was
12. sataḥ: of the existent
13. bandhum: friend
14. asati: in non-existence
15. nir: without
16. avindan: found
17. hṛdi: in the heart
18. pratīṣyā: intent
19. kavayo: poets/sages
20. manīṣā: wisdom
“In the beginning, desire (kāma) emerged from the mind’s essence, which was the first to exist. The wise (sages/poets), who were seekers of truth, found no bond or support in the state of non-being, yet they perceived the existence of the heart and its essence.”
tiraścīno vitato raśmir eṣām adhaḥ svid āsīd upari svid āsīt |
retodhā āsan mahimāna āsan svadhā avastāt prayatiḥ parastāt ||
1. tiraścīno: transversely, horizontally
2. vitato: spread, stretched out
3. raśmiḥ: ray, beam
4. eṣām: of these
5. adhaḥ: below
6. svid: indeed
7. āsīt: was
8. upari: above
9. svid: indeed
10. āsīt: was
11. retodhāḥ: seed bearers, creators
12. āsan: were
13. mahimānaḥ: greatness, mighty forces
14. āsan: were
15. svadhā: own inherent nature, innate power
16. avastāt: below
17. prayatiḥ: striving, effort
18. parastāt: beyond, above
“Was the ray of light stretched out horizontally, or was it above? The fluid (semen) was present below, and greatness was above. The self (svadhā) was established below, while effort (prayatiḥ) was beyond.”
ko addhā veda ka iha pra vocat kuta ājātā kuta iyaṁ visṛṣṭiḥ |
arvāg devā asya visarjanenāthā ko veda yata ābab ||
1. ko – who
2. addhā – truly
3. veda – knows
4. ka – who
5. iha – here
6. pra – forth
7. vocat – can declare
8. kutaḥ – from where
9. ājātāḥ – born
10. kutaḥ – from where
11. iyaṁ – this
12. visṛṣṭiḥ – creation
13. arvāg – after
14. devāḥ – the gods
15. asya – of this
16. visarjanena – with the dispersion
17. atha – then
18. kaḥ – who
19. veda – knows
20. yataḥ – from where
21. ābabhuva – it has come into being
“Where did this creation come from? Where did it originate? The gods themselves are later than this creation. So who knows where it came from? Perhaps it was created or perhaps it was not. The one who created it, maybe even they do not know.”
iyaṁ visṛṣṭir yata ābabhūva yadi vā dadhe yadi vā na |
yo asyādhyakṣaḥ parame vyoman so aṅga veda yadi vā na veda ||
1. iyaṁ: this
2. visṛṣṭiḥ: creation
3. yataḥ: from which
4. ābabhūva: came into being
5. yadi: whether
6. vā: or
7. dadhe: it was established
8. yadi: whether
9. vā: or
10. na: not
11. yo: who
12. asya: of this
13. adhyakṣaḥ: overseer
14. parame: highest
15. vyoman: heaven
16. saḥ: he
17. aṅga: indeed
18. veda: knows
19. yadi: whether
20. vā: or
21. na: not
22. veda: knows
“Whether this creation arose from the act of release or from the act of donation, or whether it arose from neither, the one who presides over it in the highest heaven knows it, or does not know it.”
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