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Nasadiya Suktam (Hymn of Creation)

नासदीय सूक्तम्

🕉️ vedic·📿 7× repetitions·🕐 Early morning (Brahma Muhurta) or quiet evening, during contemplative study·📜 Rigveda, Mandala 10, Sukta 129

Also known as: nasadiya sukta · hymn of creation · creation hymn rigveda · nasadasin no sadasit · rigveda 10.129 · tad ekam

📜 Complete Lyrics 📖 Word-by-Word Meaning ✨ Benefits & How to Chant ⬇️ PDF Download

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हिन्दी / देवनागरीతెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

The Nasadiya Sukta (Rigveda 10.129), the celebrated 'Hymn of Creation', is one of the most profound philosophical poems of the ancient world. In seven verses it contemplates the state before creation — when there was neither existence nor non-existence, neither death nor immortality — and asks how the cosmos arose. It famously ends not with a dogma but with awe and humility: perhaps even the One who oversees creation from the highest heaven does not know its origin.

Origin & Story

Rigveda, Mandala 10, Sukta 129 · Rishi Parameshthi Prajapati (traditional) · c. 1500-1200 BCE

The Nasadiya Sukta appears near the close of the Rigveda, in its tenth and most philosophical Mandala. Traditionally ascribed to the seer Parameshthi Prajapati, it marks a turning point in Vedic thought — from the praise of individual deities toward abstract reflection on the one ultimate source of all. Rather than asserting a creation myth, the seer poses a chain of unanswerable questions, arriving at the One (Tad Ekam) that existed before the duality of being and non-being, and confessing the limits of even divine knowledge.

✦ As told in scripture

Sages hold that the very questions of the Nasadiya Sukta are its power: by refusing easy answers it lifts the mind beyond words to the silent wonder of Brahman. Seekers report that contemplating its closing verse — 'He alone knows, or perhaps even He knows not' — dissolves intellectual pride and opens a deep, peaceful awareness of the mystery underlying all existence.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

नासदासीन्नो सदासीत्तदानीं नासीद्रजो नो व्योमा परो यत्। किमावरीवः कुह कस्य शर्मन्नम्भः किमासीद्गहनं गभीरम्॥१॥

Nasadasinno sadasittadanim nasidrajo no vyoma paro yat; Kimavarivah kuha kasya sharmannambhah kimasidgahanam gabhiram. (1)

Meaning:Then there was neither the non-existent nor the existent; there was no realm of air, no sky beyond it. What stirred? Where? In whose shelter? Was there water, unfathomably deep?

Verse 2

न मृत्युरासीदमृतं न तर्हि न रात्र्या अह्न आसीत्प्रकेतः। आनीदवातं स्वधया तदेकं तस्माद्धान्यन्न परः किं चनास॥२॥

Na mrityurasidamritam na tarhi na ratrya ahna asitpraketah; Anidavatam svadhaya tadekam tasmaddhanyanna parah kim chanasa. (2)

Meaning:There was neither death nor immortality then; there was no distinguishing mark of night or day. That One breathed, windless, by its own power; other than that there was nothing whatsoever.

Verse 3

तम आसीत्तमसा गूळ्हमग्रेऽप्रकेतं सलिलं सर्वमा इदम्। तुच्छ्येनाभ्वपिहितं यदासीत्तपसस्तन्महिनाजायतैकम्॥३॥

Tama asittamasa gulhamagre'praketam salilam sarvama idam; Tuchyenabhvapihitam yadasittapasastanmahinajayataikam. (3)

Meaning:Darkness there was, hidden by darkness in the beginning; all this was an unillumined flood. That One, which was covered by the void, was born through the power of heat (tapas).

Verse 4

कामस्तदग्रे समवर्तताधि मनसो रेतः प्रथमं यदासीत्। सतो बन्धुमसति निरविन्दन्हृदि प्रतीष्या कवयो मनीषा॥४॥

Kamastadagre samavartatadhi manaso retah prathamam yadasit; Sato bandhumasati niravindanhridi pratishya kavayo manisha. (4)

Meaning:Desire arose in It in the beginning — that was the first seed of mind. The wise, searching in their hearts with contemplation, found the bond of the existent in the non-existent.

Verse 5

तिरश्चीनो विततो रश्मिरेषामधः स्विदासीदुपरि स्विदासीत्। रेतोधा आसन्महिमान आसन्त्स्वधा अवस्तात्प्रयतिः परस्तात्॥५॥

Tirashchino vitato rashmiresham adhah svidasidupari svidasit; Retodha asanmahimana asantsvadha avastatprayatih parastat. (5)

Meaning:Their cord was stretched across: was there a below? was there an above? There were seed-bearers, there were mighty powers — impulse below, gift above.

Verse 6

को अद्धा वेद क इह प्र वोचत्कुत आजाता कुत इयं विसृष्टिः। अर्वाग्देवा अस्य विसर्जनेनाथा को वेद यत आबभूव॥६॥

Ko addha veda ka iha pra vochatkuta ajata kuta iyam visrishtih; Arvagdeva asya visarjanenatha ko veda yata ababhuva. (6)

Meaning:Who truly knows? Who here can declare it — whence it was born, whence this creation came? The gods came after the creation of this world; who then knows whence it arose?

Verse 7

इयं विसृष्टिर्यत आबभूव यदि वा दधे यदि वा न। यो अस्याध्यक्षः परमे व्योमन्त्सो अङ्ग वेद यदि वा न वेद॥७॥

Iyam visrishtiryata ababhuva yadi va dadhe yadi va na; Yo asyadhyakshah parame vyomantso anga veda yadi va na veda. (7)

Meaning:This creation — whence it arose, whether it was established or not — He who is its overseer in the highest heaven, He alone knows; or perhaps even He knows not.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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न असत् आसीत्🔊na asat asitThere was not the non-existent (asat)

नो सत् आसीत्🔊no sat asitNor was there the existent (sat)

तदानीं🔊tadanimAt that time, then

रजः🔊rajahThe atmospheric realm, the dust/sphere of space

व्योम🔊vyomaSky, ether, the heaven beyond

अम्भः🔊ambhahThe primordial waters

गहनं गभीरम्🔊gahanam gabhiramUnfathomable, deep, profound

न मृत्युः आसीत्🔊na mrityuh asitThere was no death

न अमृतं🔊na amritamNor immortality

आनीत् अवातं🔊anit avatamThat One breathed without air/breath

स्वधया🔊svadhayaBy its own power, of its own nature

तत् एकं🔊tat ekamThat One (the sole Reality)

तमः🔊tamahDarkness

सलिलं🔊salilamThe undifferentiated waters / flux

तपसः🔊tapasahBy the power of tapas (cosmic heat/austerity)

कामः🔊kamahDesire (the primal creative urge)

मनसः रेतः🔊manasah retahThe seed of mind, the first germ of thought

कवयः मनीषा🔊kavayah manishaThe wise seers, through contemplation

विसृष्टिः🔊visrishtihCreation, the emanation of the cosmos

अध्यक्षः🔊adhyakshahThe overseer, the one who presides in the highest heaven

परमे व्योमन्🔊parame vyomanIn the highest heaven, the supreme ether

वेद यदि वा न वेद🔊veda yadi va na vedaHe knows — or perhaps even He knows not

Benefits of Chanting Nasadiya Suktam (Hymn of Creation)

✦

Cultivates deep philosophical reflection on the origin of existence and the cosmos

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Considered the high-water mark of Vedic metaphysical thought, prized by seekers of wisdom

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Calms the restless mind by turning it toward the great mystery beyond all opposites

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Inspires intellectual humility — even the highest knowledge bows before the infinite

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A touchstone for meditation on Brahman, the One that breathed before all duality

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Frequently studied by scholars, philosophers and spiritual aspirants across the world

How to Chant Nasadiya Suktam (Hymn of Creation)

Repetitions7times

Best TimeEarly morning (Brahma Muhurta) or quiet evening, during contemplative study

This is a contemplative hymn rather than a ritual one. Chant it slowly, ideally one verse at a time, pausing to reflect on its meaning. Sit in a calm posture, recite each of the seven mantras with attention to the open questions they pose, and let the mind rest in the silence and wonder that the verses evoke. It is well suited to svadhyaya (self-study) and meditation rather than counted japa.

Frequently Asked Questions

It is the 'Hymn of Creation' from the 10th Mandala of the Rigveda. It meditates on what existed before creation and questions how the universe came into being, concluding with the famous admission that perhaps even the cosmic overseer does not fully know its origin.

It is one of the earliest recorded philosophical inquiries into existence, non-existence and the cause of the cosmos. Its non-dogmatic, questioning spirit and its glimpse of the One Reality (tad ekam) beyond all dualities have made it a cornerstone of Indian thought and a text admired worldwide.

'That One' refers to the single, undifferentiated Reality that 'breathed without breath, by its own power' before creation — the formless source later identified with Brahman. The hymn deliberately avoids naming it with any limited form.

It is primarily a hymn of contemplation and self-study (svadhyaya) rather than a fire-ritual hymn. It is recited and discussed in study, meditation and philosophical settings to reflect on the nature of creation.