NĀSADĪYA SŪKTA

Nāsadāsīnno sadāsīttadānīm nāsīdrajo no vyomā paro yat,

kimārīvaḥ kuha kasya śarmannambhaḥ kimāsīdgahanamgabhīram.

 

(na) neither (asat) non-existent (āsīt) was (na) nor (sat) existent (āsīt) was (tadānīm) then

na vyoma nor airs para yat nor any region beyond

(kim) what (āvarīvaḥ) coverer (kuha) mysterious (kasya) of this

(śarman) protector (ambhaḥ) heavenly waters

(kim) what (āsīt)was (gahanam) depth (gabhīram) gravity

 

na mṛtyurāsīdamṛtamna tarhi na rātryā ahna āsītpraketaḥ,

ānīdavātamswadhayā tadekam tasmād dhānyanna paraḥ kim canāsa

 

(na) neither (mṛtyuḥ) death (āsīt) was (amṛtam) immortality (na) nor (tarhi) then

(na) neither (rātryā) night (ahna) day (āsīt) was (praketaḥ) nor the dividers

(ānīt) it heaved (avātam) breathless (swadhaya) by itself (tat) that (ekam) one

(tasmāt) than this (ha) indeed (anyat) other (na) nor (paraḥ) beyond (kiñcana) ever (āsa) was

 

tama āsīttamasāgūḓhamagre’praketam salilam sarvamā idam

tucchyenābhwapihitam yadāsīttapasastanmahinājāytaikam

 

(tama) darkness (āsīt) there was (tamasā) by darkness (gūḓham) enveloped (agre) at the beginning

(apraketam) indistinguishable (salilam) ocean (sarvam) all (ā) indeed (idam) this

(tucchyena) through this void (ābhu) emptiness (apahitam) formless (yat) whic h(āsīt) was

(yat) which (āsīt) was (tapasaḥ) of intense energy (tat) that (mahinā) through greatness (ajāyata) was born (ekam) the One

 

kāmastadagre samavartadādhi manaso retaḥ prathamam yadāsīt

sato bandhumasati niravindanhṛdi pratīśyā kavayo manīṣā

 

(kāmaḥ) desire (tat) then (agre) at the very beginning (samavarte) of time (adhi) arose

 (manasaḥ) of the mind (retah) seed (prathamam) primal (yat) which (āsīt) was

 (sataḥ) the existent (bandhum) kinship  (asati) in the non-existent (nirabindan) they discovered

 (hṛdi) in hearts (pratiṣyā) searched (kayayaḥ) seers (maniṣā) through wisdom

 

 

tiraścīno vitato raśmirepāmadhaḥ swidāsīdupari swidāsīt

retodhā āsanmahimāna āsantswadhā avastātprayatiḥ parastāt

 

(tiraścinaḥ) across (vitataḥ) expanse (eṣām) their (raśmi) line

 (adhaḥ) below (swit) what (āsīt) was (upari) above (swit) what (āsīt) was

(retodhāḥ) desirers (āsan) were there (mahimānaḥ) the great (āsan) were there

 (swadhā) self-determination (avastāt) from below (prayatiḥ) divine inspiration (parastāt) from above

 

ko addhā veda ka iha pravocata ājāta kuta iyam visriṣṭiḥ

arvāgdevā asya visarjanenāthā ko veda yata ābabhuva

 

(kaḥ) kah (addhā) verily (veda) knows (kaḥ) kah (iha) thus (pravocat) declares

 (kutaḥ) whence (ājātā) has this come (kutaḥ) whence (iyam) this (visṛṣṭiḥ) creation

 (arvāk) later (devāḥ) the elements (asya) of this (visarjanena) creation (atha) than

 

 

iha visriṣtiryata ābabhuva yadi vā dadhe yadi vā na

yo asyādhyakṣaḥ parame vyomantso anga veda yadi vā na veda

 

(kaḥ) Brahma (veda) knows (yataḥ) whence (ābabhūva) it came (iyam) this (visṛṣṭiḥ) creation (yataḥ) whence (ābabhūva) it came

(vā) whether (dadhi) he sustained (yadi) if (vā) or (na) not (yaḥ) who (asya) of this (adhyakṣhaḥoverseer (parama) highest (vyoman) state

 (saḥ) he (anga) indeed (veda) knows (yadi) if (na) not (veda) he knows

 

There was neither the non-existent, nor was the existent then
Nor the airs nor any region beyond
What was the coverer of this mysterious darkness
What protector, what heavenly ocean?
What this depth of gravity?

Neither was there death nor immortality
Neither night nor day; nor dusk nor dawn
It heaved breathless, by itself, that One
Other than this, indeed, nothing beyond ever was

Darkness, there was, by darkness enveloped, at the beginning
Indistinguishable sea of darkness, indeed, was this all
Through this void, pervading emptiness, which prevailed
Through the intensity of that energy became apparent, that One

Then at the very beginning of time arose Desire
Which was the first seed (primal conception) of the mind (Supreme Spirit)
The kinship of the existent in the non-existent, they (the seers) discovered
The seers, having searched, with wisdom in their hearts

Across this expanse they extended their dividing line
Below it, pray what was, above it indeed what was?
Those that desire were there, the great (selfless) were there
Self-determination from below and divine inspiration from above

Kah (Brahma) verily knows, Kah thus declares
Whence has this come, whence this creation
The elements came later than the creation of this

Kah knows from what it came, from what this creation came to be
Whether he sustained it or not, who was the overseer of this highest state?
He indeed knows, if none else knows

This hymn titled the Nāsadiya Sukta speaks of an unfathomable darkness that, in the beginning, enveloped all of creation. There was then a seeming nothingness, seething with the potency of life, an incessant heaving, an inconceivable breathing, pulsating with life that lay latent within it. The seer of the hymn speculates that even the sages are unable to grasp the incomprehensible depth of that chasm, that even the very Creator may or may not have understood the mystery of this primordial state of existence. It was nothing, yet the precursor of everything to be.