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Project Name: NASADIYA SUKTA. Rigveda 10. 129.

SEPTEMBER 8, 2020
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Introduction
Rig-Veda is regarded as the oldest and the most important works of Vedic literature. For about
three thousand years, millions of Hindus have looked on the words of the Veda as the word of
God. It is the great Indian Bible, Which no Hindus would forget to adore from the core of his
heart. Its style, language and tone are most beautiful and mysterious comprises of 10th Mandala,
1028 Suktas and contain 10,552 Mantras. Nasaddiya Sukta comes under 10th mandala. So here,
in this we will discuss on Nasaddiya Sukta 10. 129 from the book of Vedic Samhitas and its
importance relevance.1

1. Dates of writing
The Rig-Veda is the oldest Indo-European text which is known. Its origin is dated back between
3000 B.C. and 6000 B.C. it was first codified 700 B.C. when the Vedic language was dead
already. However, the general opinion is that the rig veda was composed between 1500- 0 BC.
There are several versions contributed by the well learn scholars such as Max Muller, a German
philologist and an orientalist. He compiled a Sanskrit edition on Rig-Veda 10 between 1849-
1874. He also published an English version of the book ‘a history of the ancient literature’. 2

2. Nasaddiya Sukta
Nasaddiya Sukta is a beautiful cosmology hymn that seek to explain origin of creation from
the Rig- Veda. Rig Veda 10:129 is in a famous hymn of the tenth mandala. It is generally
regarded as one of the later hymns, probably composed in the 9th century BCE. It has the Indian
name Nasadiya Sukta, “Not the Non-existent”, and is often given the English title ‘Creation’,
because of its subject.
The ‘Nasadiya Sukta’ is perhaps the most scientific description of the ultimate Reality as well
as of the projection of the phenomenal world. It makes the relative and the Absolute, nature
and Spirit, the twin aspects of that one Reality and shows that men of wisdom , who had
controlled their senses, found out the ultimate cause of this world (which appears to be real) in
their own hearts. 3

3. About the Hymn

This hymn brings out the profound insight into the mystery of reality. It is a product of a
mystical experience that far transcends the limits of logical thinking. It expresses a rich variety
of different symbols related to the one supreme reality. The hymn provides an insight into the
nature of the Supreme Being as personal God and as a pure spirit detached from the empirical
world. The depiction of the Supreme Being in the hymn is regarded as the highest being whose
essence is immortality is the true basis of the Vedanta philosophy around which in course of
time grew numerous schools of Indian philosophy.

1
Raj Kumar Pruthi, Introduction to Vedas (Delhi: UBS Publisher Distributors, 2008), 20.
2
V.S. Lalrinawma, Major Faith Taditions of India (Delhi: ISPCK, 2007)57.
3
“Cosmogenesis in Ancient Hindu Scriptures And Modern Science” file:///C:/Users/Admin/nasa.pdf
(Accessed on 18- 01 20).

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 4. Metre: It is the metre of Trishubh.4 It consists of 7 Trishtubh with 11 syllables (each
with 4 lines).
5. Rishi (author): Prajapathi Parameeti. it was identify with Prajapati by Sayana (ancient
scholar)5

6. Translation on Rigveda 10. 129:

Verse 1- नास॑दास न्न

ी॒ ो सदा॑स त्ती॒दान म
ी॒ ् नास द्र
ी॒ जोी॒ नो व्ो॑मा पी॒रो यत्।

किमाव॑र वी॒ : िुही॒ िस्यी॒ शममी॒न्नंभी॒: किमा॑स द्ग

ी॒ ह॑नं गभ री॒ म्॥१॥6

Translation – Then even nothingness was not, nor existence,

There was no air then, nor the heavens beyond it.
What covered? Where was it? In whose keeping
Was there then cosmic water, in depths unfathomed? 7
The verses bring us the straightaway to the heart of the mystery with series of question of
existent and non-existent with an ontological theogony. The existent (Sat) and non-existent
(Asat) restrict the meaning to visible and invisible and in Hindu cosmology to matter and spirit
i.e. prakrti and purusa. “Asat” refers to insentient matter which is always changing due to its
perishable nature. “Sat” refers to the individual selves which are unchangeable and hence,
imperishable, thus called real.8

किमाव॑र वी॒ : - it means, what is the covering that obstructs the attributive knowledge
of the individual self. Hence therefore it is the ignorance- अविद्या (Avidya).

िुही॒ – it means, where did this अविद्या or ignorance brought about by karmas originate
from? It means, “Where is the beginning of the cycle of births and deaths?”

िस्यी॒ शममी॒न्नंभी॒: Whose refuge did they exist in? They existed in Narayana, the
Supreme Brahman. Vide the Brahma Vaivarta Purana,
naraṇam ayanam yasmattasman-narayaṇah smrtah (brahma vaivarta puraṇa)

Meaning: He is to be called Narayana because he is the abode or refuge of the

“naras” or imperishables.9

न्नंभी॒: किमा॑स द्ग

ी॒ ह॑नं गभ री॒ म् – “न्नंभ॒” refers to the Lord who has the Universe signified
by “waters” as his body. The Brihadāraṇyaka Upanishad states thus, “yasya prithvi

4
Vedic Samhita Hymn.
5
“Nasadiya Sukta,” World Heritage Encyclopedia (Honolulu: World Library Foundation, n.d.),4.
6
Ankur Sharma, “Rig-veda – Non Existence Verses” (January- August 2015).
7
Ralph T.H. Griffith, trans., The Hymns of the Rgveda, edited by J.L. Shastri (Delhi: Motilal
Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited, [1973] 1995) 633.
8
Ravi Prakash, Rgveda Samhitas, ed, vol. 5 (Delhi: Parimal Publications, 2016), 516.
9
Swami Shuddhabodhananda Saraswati, ‘Nasadiya Suktam,’ Arsha Vidya Newsletter (July 2015),
https://www.arshavidya.in/Newsletter/Jul15/nasadiya-suktam.pdSf ( Accessed on 18-08- 2020).

2
sariram…” (The Earth is his body). The term “waters” here denotes the subtle elements and
hence the Universe constituted of these elements. The verse state that he is the refuge of the
universe and also declared the universe as his body. Just as the water of the Ocean is clear, but
we cannot see the Ocean floor, similarly though the Supreme Brahman may be easy to realize
because of being revealed in the Upanishads, it is difficult to grasp his essential nature. His
greatness cannot be comprehended in entirety.10

Meaning of the text

The author represents the text as complete ‘empty’ which means absolutely ‘nothing’.
Like in the book of Genesis “the earth was formless and empty, and darkness”. Out of
nothingness, there emerge the Absolute that continue to exist in the state of inaction without
any sign of life neither manifest(sat) nor unmanifest (asat). This state of quiescence is known
as pralayavastha means a complete state of dissolution or destructtion. The manifest world
was born out of the unmanifest but however according to Vedic seers, it is said that the
unmanifest world that evolves out of manifest was not there in pralayavastha. This indicates
that even Prajapati who is both Nimittaddrana (Efficient cause) and the Upadanakaraya
(Material cause) of the world too did not exist. This can be assume that even Prajapati remain
merged in the Absolute during the time of dissolution.11

Verse 2 - न मृत्यु
ी॒ रा॑ स दी॒ मृतंी॒ न रात्र्ाी॒ अह्न॑ आस त्प्रिी॒ तः।
आन ॑दवाी॒तं स्वी॒ धयाी॒ तदिंी॒ तस्ा॑द्ाी॒न्यन्न पी॒रः किञ्ची॒नास॑ ॥२॥12

Translation - Then there was neither death nor immortality

Nor was there then the torch of night and day.
The One breathed windlessly and self-sustaining.
There was that one then, and there was no other. 13

“मृत्यु
ी॒ ”- means death and signifies the cycle of births and deaths. अमृतं॒ refers to moksha or
liberation.” means death and signifies the cycle of births and deaths.

“एिम् ”- means he is of a unique nature or matchless.

10
“Nasadiya Sukta – Vedic commentary”, http://indiafacts.org/nasadiya-sukta-vedantic-commentary/
(Accessed on 18- 08- 20).
11
The philosophical Hymns of the RKSamhita- The Nature Of Their Contents,
file:///C:/Users/Admin/sanskrit.pdf( Accessed on 19-08-20).
12
Ankur Sharma, “Rig-veda…, (January-August 2015).
13
Ralph T.H. Griffith, trans., The Hymns of the Rgveda…, 635.

3
 “स्वी॒धयाी॒ - means maya or prkrti, the source of the world of phenomena. It signifies that it is
by his own will, as he has no support but is the support of all.

तस्ा॑द्ाी॒न्यन्न पी॒रः किञ्ची॒नास॑॥- The literal meaning of the text “Tasmaddhnyan na parah kim
chanasa” is perhaps ‘Therefore, another none supreme, (so) why that delight?’. It implies that
it was self-delighting, though there was none other it. Such Ananda born of the Self is the
highest form of glory. It does not mean nothing other than him exists, but that everything exists
dependent on him.14
Meaning of the text:

It state that during the time of dissolution there was neither death not immortality but however
in Vedic philosophy it shows that it is Absolute that withdraw the creation unto him at the time
of annihilation and the creation returns to its source. Just as the mud pot broken down into mud,
thus the pot doesn’t exist. But however, it indicates a state of change from ‘pot’ into ‘mud’.
Under this circumstance the seer state all that exist is the Absolute itself and nothing else.
Though he shows no sign of life yet he lives by dint of its intrinsic power. According to Seer
Sayana it is none other than Brahman i.e. the ultimate reality. 15

Verse 3- तम॑ आस त्त

ी॒ म॑सा गळ्हमग्
ी॒ ऽ॑ प्रिी॒ तं स॑कली॒लं सवममा
॑ इी॒दं ।

तुच्छ्ी॒ यनाी॒भ्वकप॑कहतंी॒ यदास त्त

ी॒ प॑सी॒स्तन्म॑ कही॒ना जा॑यी॒तैिं॑॥ ३॥16

Translation - It was darkness concealed in darkness

And an uninterrupted continuum of fluid
Out came in material form and shape
That one lying deep inside, on its own intent.17

तम॑ - “tamas” means darkness, ignorance and illusion. “Tamas“, the Darkness, not just the
pitch black darkness, but also the darkness of ignorance, that is the absence of available
information, and the darkness of veil put on by illusion.

“त्प॑स” – Tapas is said to mean not penance, but the contemplation of the things which were to
be created. The self which is incomparable as per Gita 2.29, became associated with a body
due to will of Brahman.

14
Swami Shuddhabodhananda Saraswati, ‘Nasadiya Suktam,’…, (Accessed on 18-08- 2020).
15
The philosophical Hymns of the RKSamhitas…, (Accessed on 19-08-20).
16
Ankur Sharma, “Rig-veda…, (January- August 2015).
17
Ralph T.H. Griffith, trans., The Hymns of the Rgveda…, 635.

4
The mundakopanishad says “yasya jnānamayam tapah” – “Tapas” means “knowledge”. Here,
the “knowledge” is in the form of thinking or willing, or sankalpa. Thus, it refers to the will of
Brahman by which the selves were associated with bodies based on karma.18

Meaning of the text:

The text reveal “Darkness तम॑- lay in darkness त्प॑स hidden गळ्ह
॒ at first आग्र,॑ (or so) it appeared
(praketa)”. It remains hidden in pitch black because it stays merged in Absolute. Everything
remains under his control.

The seer says that before creation the world remains beyond human knowledge thus cannot be
distinguish. The out of these arises One through the power of tapas Sayana choose to explain
the word tapasah as the contemplation of the object to be created on the part of the creator

Verse 4- िामी॒स्तदग्ी॒ सम॑वतमी॒ताकधी॒ मन॑सोी॒ रत॑: प्रथी॒मं यदास ॑त्।

सी॒तो बन्ुमस॑
ी॒ कती॒ कनर॑ कवन्दन् ही॒कद प्री॒त ष्ा॑ िी॒वयो॑ मन ष
ी॒ ा॥४||19

Translation: In the cosmic mind, all pervading

Desire, the primal seed made its first appearance
And the wise men, seeking deep in their heart
Could see the link between ‘that is’ and ‘that is not’. 20

िामी॒ – “kama” means desire, love, affection, longing, wish etc. Kama here in this hymn is the
causeless cause. It is an effect without a cause. It is a longing that came over, enveloped that
One who breathed windless. That One is not an entity, not a person, not God, not even the
Creator.

रत॑- “retaḥ” means seed which in turn means “cause”. The mind is the effect of desire as it is
goaded by the latter to overpower the self, making it turn away from true knowledge and
indulge in experience of sense objects.

िी॒वयो॑ मन षी॒ ा- “kavayo manīṣā”- “kavi” means the ability to meditate on the self and perceive
it in the mind. “manīṣā” refers to the possession of discriminatory knowledge regarding the
body and the self.

18
Swami Shuddhabodhananda Saraswati, ‘Nasadiya Suktam,’…, (Accessed on 18-08- 2020).
19
Ankur Sharma, “Rig-veda..., (January- August 2015).
20
Ralph T.H. Griffith, trans., The Hymns of the Rgveda…, 635.

5
ही॒कद - “hṛdi” here refers to the mind and not heart. The same mind, when desire is subdued, is
used to understand the self as opposed to pursuing sense objects.

Swami Vivekananda explains in his article, that mind is nothing but vibrations caused in the
‘chitta’ (by desire). “The mind carries the impression farther in, and presents it to the
determinative faculty, Buddhi, which reacts. Behind Buddhi is Ahamkara, egoism. Behind
Ahamkara is Mahat, intelligence, the highest form of nature's existence. Each one is the effect
of the succeeding one.”21

Meaning of the text:

This passage speaks in a philosophical terms of cause and the effects. Kama काम॒ is the effect
of tapas which is the first seed of the mind. It is the mind that cause desire and will, which
perform act like contemplation. They compared with the Absolute which is tucchya. In later
vedic the Mind is identified as Prajapati in texts like yahprajdpatistan manah22(Prajapati and
mind). So the main cause of the universe is the desire arising in the mind of the lord to create
the world. In this way the mind creates a seed of cosmic and the appearance of desire which
was impossible without mind. The mind of the lord is born alone with the process of creation.

Verse 5 - कती॒री॒श्च नोी॒ कवत॑तो री॒ श्मिर॑षामी॒धः श्मस्व॑दाी॒स दु ी॒परर॑ श्मस्वदास त्।

री॒ तोी॒धा आ॑ सन्मकही॒मान॑ आसन्त्स्वी॒धा आी॒ वस्ताी॒त्प्रय॑कतः पी॒रस्ता॑त्॥५॥23

Translation - Reins of the link, a grid of crisscross lines,

Holds all the seeds and mighty forces,
Microcosmic forces below
And macro forces out above.24

Here, री॒ श्मि।- “raśmi” means luster, which refers to the Supreme Brahman of the form of light
(jyoti). That Lord is spread out everywhere as he pervades all. The rk describes his avatārās
existing in samsāra as well as in paramapadā which is denoted by “above” and “below”. That
is proven by the Purusha Sukta statement as well which says “ajāyamāno bahudha vijāyate”
(unborn, he takes many births).

रत॑- “retaḥ” means seed which means “cause”. The primary cause of the factor i.e. mind.

The poet represents the light(rasmi) as the speed flash of sunlight that move across upwards
and downwards. It engulfs the entire world in the twinkle of an eye spreading all over the
cosmos in great speed. The lord is spread out everywhere as he pervades all. The word रर ॒त ध
॒ ा

21
Swami Shuddhabodhananda Saraswati, “Naasadiya Sukta,” …, (Accessed on 18- 08-20).
22
“The philosophical Hymns of the RKSamhita…, (Accessed on 19-08-20).
23
Ankur Sharma, Rig-veda..., (January- August 2015).
24
Ralph T.H. Griffith, trans., The Hymns of the Rgveda…, 634.

6
retodhah is used to refer to the gods in the sky who fertilize the earth with plants and trees, thus
provide food for the denizen of earth. They are called the prayati i.e. controller of life because
of them there is svadha i.e. food for earth.25

Verse 6- िो अी॒द्ा वद
॑ ी॒ ि इी॒ह प्र वो॑ची॒त्कुती॒ आजा॑ताी॒ िुत॑ इी॒यं कवसृ॑कटः।

॑ ी॒ यत॑ आबी॒भव॑॥६॥ 26
अी॒वामग्ी॒ वा अी॒स्य कवी॒सजमन॑ ी॒नाथाी॒ िो वद

Translation- Who really knows, who can declare

When it started or where from?
And where will the creation end?
Seekers and sought entered later –
And so who knows when all this manifested?27

वद॑ ी॒ – Veda from the root word means to know, to acquire or to see through from mind’s eye.
In simple term it can be understood as knowledge and wisdom.

ि, प्र and िुत॑ – Who, What, How and When. The verse began to question the unknowability
mystery of the creation.

अी॒वामग्ी॒ वा – Arvag + devas (plural) = Later gods.

Meaning of the text:

The verse began to create doubts in the minds of the scholars by questioning the mystery behind
the creation. Since during the time of dissolution even the Prajapati himself were unware of the
universe because when the process of creation began, the gods are not yet born. The seer
specifically trying to mention ‘Saguna Brahman’ who has no form and without attributes
behind all these creations.

Verse 7 - इी॒यं कवसृ॑ कटी॒यमत॑ आबी॒भवी॒ यकद॑ वा दी॒ ध यकद॑ वाी॒ न।

यो अी॒स्याध्य॑क्षः परी॒ म व्ो॑मी॒न्त्सो अी॒ङ्ग वद

॑ ी॒ यकद॑ वाी॒ न वद॑ ॥ ७॥ 28

25
Swami Shuddhabodhananda Saraswati, ‘Nasadiya Suktam,’…, (Accessed on 18-08- 2020).
26
Ankur Sharma,” Rig-veda..., (January- August 2015).
27
Ralph T.H. Griffith, trans., The Hymns of the Rgveda…, 633.
28
Ankur Sharma, “Rig-veda..., (August 2015).

7
Translation - He from whom this creation arose,
He may uphold it, or he may not (no one else can);
He who is its superintend in the highest heaven,
He assuredly knows,
Or if he knows not (no one else does).29

Meaning of the text: (continuation of verse 6...) The Vedic scholar continue to explain that
even the devas or gods create doubt on how and when the creation has appeared. The process
of creation seems to be completely mystery and unknowable, there is a little wonder that human
are unable to grasp the mystery. According to Visvakarman in Rigveda it has been declared
that it is impossible for mortal being to comprehend the mind of God. Brahman is the Supreme
Cause of the Universe, and therefore the cycle of births and deaths are maintained by him.30

7. Philosophical understanding of Nasadiya Sukta

The ‘Nasadiya Sukta’ is the most scientific description of the ultimate Reality as well as the
projection of the phenomenal world. It makes the relative and the Absolute, nature and Spirit,
the twin aspects of that one Reality and shows that men of wisdom-किय, who had controlled
their senses, found out the ultimate cause of this world in their own hearts-ह॒वि through
concentrated intellects-मन ष ॒ ा. The hymn also speaks about the automatic evolution of the
world from the “one thing”. Desire act as the first principle of world from ‘one thing’ and tapas
shows how the generation of the world became possible.31 Thus, there was a conscious effort
to create. After having speculating the birth of the world as an evolution from One Substance
the seer began to create a confusion of doubts about the Creator and the source of the creation
and then by speaking about an over seer or contemplator of the world who knows about the
process of creation. The seer at first refers to this overseer of the world as its source, but later
express further doubt by saying that perhaps he too does not know whether he himself created
the world or not.

8. School of Philosophy
The Nasadlya Sukta is the “most striking illustration” of creation from nothing. Philosophy in
India, however, began to arose as it continues go deeper towards the mystery of life and its
existences. There are various school of thought founded by sages Konada, Gotama, Kapila,
Patanjali. Jamiini and Vyasa that uphold the Vedas. There were six astika (orthodox) schools
upholding the Vedas. Advaita was committed to the existences of a single supreme being, and
concluded that matter is mere expression of it. The Dvaita school tried to argue that both matter
and spirit were real and coexisted. But Vaisheshika, a philosophical school said to have held

29
“Nasadiya Sukta – Vedic commentary”, http://indiafacts.org/nasadiya-sukta-vedantic-commentary/
(accessed on 18- 08- 20).
30
“The philosophical Hymns of the RKSamhita…, (Accessed on 19-08-20).
31
The philosophical Hymns of the RkSamhita…, (Accessed on 19-08-20).

8
that matter was made up of atoms. Saankhya, another school adopted a materialistic method of
exposition, although it had a dualistic philosophy, relying on purusha (self) and prakriti (nature)
as the two elements of reality.

The nastika (heterodox) philosophy of Buddhism and Jainism rejected the creator God and
uphold their view on all-encompassing spirit that pervades the universe. Bhagavad Gita was
the main source that give the dominant mode of Hindu philosophy to deal with the idea of
duality. It results to a strong philosophical tradition by setting up the speculation on
fundamental questions of existence, consciousness, creation and human practices. This gave
rise to different streams of thought into distinct schools of philosophy. They try to cover up all
the variations of deductions that humans can make in trying to understand the reality. 32

Conclusion:
Nasadiya Sukta are called the hymn of creation but often these are much different from most
cosmogonies that offer a clear answer to questions about the origin of the cosmos. The hymn
is indeed complicated to define the creator behind the creation. It takes us to the deeper level
of doubt and confusion of who comes first and who is dependent on whom. The quest for truth
defines the beauty of the hymn. It is a deep search for one ultimate reality. Hence, therefore
Nasadiya Sukta is regarded as one of the most beautiful cosmological hymn that reflect the
philosophical inquisitiveness of the human mind.

Bibliography
Chatterjee Satischandra
and Dhirendramohan Datta. An introduction to Indian
Philosophy. New Delhi: Rupa
Publication India, 2007.

Griffith, Ralph T.H, trans. The Hymns of the Rgveda.Edited

by J.L. Shastri (Delhi: Motilal
Banarsidass Publishers Private
Limited, [1973] 1995).

Lalrinawma,V.S. Major Faith Taditions of India.

Delhi: ISPCK, 2007.

Pruthi, Raj Kumar. Introduction to Vedas. Delhi:

UBS Publisher Distributors, 2008.

32
Satischandra Chatterjee and Dhirendramohan Datta, An introduction to Indian Philosophy (New
Delhi: Rupa Publication India, 2007)1-10.

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Ravi Prakash. Rgveda Samhitas, Eds, vol. 5.
Delhi: Parimal Publications,
2016.

Sharma, Ankur. “Rig-veda – Non Existence

Verses” (January- August 2015).

“Nasadiya Sukta.” World Heritage Encyclopedia.

(Honolulu: World Library
Foundation, n.d.)

Webliography
Swami Shuddhabodhananda Saraswati. “NaasadiyaSukta” Arsha Vidya
Newsletter.
file:///C:/Users/Admin/nasadiya-
suktam.pdf. (Accessed on 18- 08-20).

“Nasadiya Sukta – Vedic commentary”.

http://indiafacts.org/nasadiya-sukta-
vedantic-commentary/ .Accessed on 18-
08- 20.

“Cosmogenesis in Ancient Hindu

Scriptures and Modern Science”
file:///C:/Users/Admin/nasa.pdf Accessed
on 18- 08 20.

The philosophical Hymns of the Rk

Samhita-The Nature Of Their Contents,
file:///C:/Users/Admin/sanskrit.pdf(
accessed on 19-08-20).

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