na mṛtyurāsīdamṛtaṃ na tarhi na rātryā ahna āsītpraketaḥ | ānīdavātaṃ svadhayā tadekaṃ tasmāddhānyannapara ḥkiñcanāsa ||
“There was neither death nor immortality then. There was no sign of night or day. That One breathed, windless, by its own power. Other than That, there was nothing else.”
What This Means:
In the primordial state, there was no death because there was no life, no immortality because time hadn't begun. Only "That One" existed, self-sustained, breathing without air — a paradoxical image of pure potentiality.
Going Deeper:
"Breathing without wind" suggests consciousness or life-force that needs no external support. This "That One" (tad ekam) is the ultimate reality beyond all dualities — neither mortal nor immortal, neither temporal nor eternal in our sense.
How To Apply This:
The source of all life sustains itself without external support. When you feel dependent on circumstances, remember there is a deeper source within that is self-sufficient.
Key Sanskrit Terms: