Nasadiya Sukta (Rigveda 10.129) - The Hymn of Creation
Complete lyrics with original text, transliteration, and meaning, 7 sections
Brahma Creation Legend
Verse 1
Original
नासदासीन्नो सदासीत्तदानीं नासीद्रजो नो व्योमा परो यत्। किमावरीवः कुह कस्य शर्मन्नभो किमासीद्गहनं गभीरम्॥
Transliteration
Nāsad āsīn no sad āsīt tadānīṃ nāsid rajo no vyomā paro yat। Kim āvarīvaḥ kuha kasya śarmann abho kim āsīd gahanaṃ gabhīram॥
Meaning / Translation
Then neither non-existence nor existence was there; neither the realm of space nor the sky beyond. What stirred? Where? In whose protection? Was there water, unfathomable and deep?
Verse 2
Original
न मृत्युरासीदमृतं न तर्हि न रात्र्या अह्न आसीत्प्रकेतः। आनीदवातं स्वधया तदेकं तस्माद्धान्यन्न परः किञ्चन आस॥
Transliteration
Na mṛtyur āsīd amṛtaṃ na tarhi na rātryā ahna āsīt praketaḥ। Ānīdavātaṃ svadhayā tad ekaṃ tasmād dhānyan na paraḥ kiñcana āsa॥
Meaning / Translation
There was no death nor immortality then; no sign of night nor day. That One breathed windlessly by its own power; apart from it, nothing else existed.
Verse 3
Original
तमसास्तु तमसा गूढमग्रेऽप्रकेतं सलिलं सर्वमाऽइदम्। तुच्छयेनाभ्वपिहितं यदासीत्तपसस्तन्महिनाजायतैकम्॥
Transliteration
Tamasāstu tamasā gūḍham agre 'praketaṃ salilaṃ sarvam ā idam। Tucchyena bhāvapihitaṃ yad āsīt tapasas tan mahinā jāyataikam॥
Meaning / Translation
Darkness was hidden by darkness in the beginning; all this was undifferentiated water. That which was void and covered by emptiness, that One was born through the power of heat (tapas).
Verse 4
Original
कामस्तदग्रे समवर्तताधि मनसो रेतः परथमं यदासीत्। सतो बन्धुमसति निरविन्दन्हृदि प्रतिष्याकवयो मनीषा॥
Transliteration
Kāmas tad agre samavartatādhi manaso retaḥ parathamaṃ yad āsīt। Sato bandhum asati niravindan hṛdi pratiṣyā kavayo manīṣā॥
Meaning / Translation
Desire (Kama) arose first, the primal seed of mind. Sages, searching in their hearts with wisdom, found the bond of existence in non-existence.
Verse 5
Original
तिरश्चीनो विततो रश्मिरेषामधः स्विदासीदुपरि स्विदासीत्। रेतोधा आसन्महिमान आसन्स्वधावस्तात्प्रयतिः परस्तात्॥
Transliteration
Tiraścīno vitato raśmir eṣām adhaḥ svid āsīd upari svid āsīt। Retodhā āsan mahimān āsan svadhāvastāt prayatiḥ parastāt॥
Meaning / Translation
Their cord was stretched across; was there below? Was there above? There were seed-placers, there were powers; inherent power below, impulse above.
Verse 6
Original
को अद्धा वेद क इह प्र वोचत्कुत आजाता कुत इयं विसृष्टिः। अर्वाग्देवा अस्य विसर्जनेनाथा को वेद यत आबभूव॥
Transliteration
Ko addhā veda ka iha pra vocat kuta ājātā kuta iyaṃ visṛṣṭiḥ। Arvāg devā asya visarjane nātha ko veda yata ābabhūva॥
Meaning / Translation
Who truly knows? Who can declare it? Whence was it born? Whence this creation? The gods came after creation; so who knows from whence it arose?
Verse 7
Original
इयं विसृष्टिर्यत आबभूव यदि वा दधे यदि वा न। यो अस्याध्यक्षः परमे व्योमन्त्सो अङ्ग वेद यदि वा न वेद॥
Transliteration
Iyaṃ visṛṣṭir yata ābabhūva yadi vā dadhe yadi vā na। Yo asyādhyakṣaḥ parame vyomān sa aṅga veda yadi vā na veda॥
Meaning / Translation
This creation — whence it arose, whether it was made or not — He who is its overseer in the highest heaven, He surely knows; or perhaps He knows not.