Nasadiya Sukta
The Nasadiya Sukta is one of the most philosophically profound hymns in world literature. Composed over 3,000 years ago, it contemplates the mystery of creation with remarkable intellectual honesty and humility. Rather than providing definitive answers, it raises profound questions about the origin of existence, questions that remain unanswered even today.
Used in: Philosophical study and contemplation, Academic discussions of Hindu cosmology, Meditation on the nature of existence
nāsadāsīnno sadāsīttadānīṃ nāsīdrajo no vyomā paro yat | kimāvarīvaḥ kuha kasya śarmannambhaḥ kimāsīdgahanaṃ gabhīram ||
“There was neither existence nor non-existence then. There was no realm of space, nor the sky beyond. What covered it? Where was it? In whose protection? Was there water, deep and unfathomable?”
What This Means:
Before creation, there was no "something" or "nothing" as we understand them. Even space and sky did not exist. The verse asks profound questions about what could have contained this pre-creation state.
Going Deeper:
This verse transcends the duality of being and non-being. It points to a state beyond all categories of thought, prior to existence, prior to non-existence, prior to the very framework that makes such distinctions possible.
How To Apply This:
When you feel certain about having all the answers, remember that reality's foundation is mysterious. Intellectual humility opens us to deeper understanding.
Key Sanskrit Terms:
All 7 verses of the Nasadiya Sukta
- 1There was neither existence nor non-existence then. There was no realm of space, nor the sky beyond. What...
- 2There was neither death nor immortality then. There was no sign of night or day. That One breathed...
- 3In the beginning, darkness was hidden by darkness. All this was an indistinguishable water. That which was...
- 4In the beginning, desire arose, The first seed of mind. Sages, searching in their hearts with wisdom...
- 5Their ray was extended across, Was it below? Was it above? There were seed-placers, there were powers...
- 6Who really knows? Who can say here From where this creation arose, from where it came? The gods came...
- 7This creation, from where it arose, Whether it was made or whether it was not, He who surveys it from the...