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नासदीय सूक्तम् Meaning — Line by Line

नासदीय सूक्तम्

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

Meaning — Line by Line

Every verse of नासदीय सूक्तम् with its Hindi meaning. Tap any word to hear it, or ▶ to recite the verse.

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  1. Verse 1. Nasadasinno sadasittadanim nasidrajo no vyoma paro yat;
  2. Verse 2. Na mrityurasidamritam na tarhi na ratrya ahna asitpraketah;
  3. Verse 3. Tama asittamasa gulhamagre'praketam salilam sarvama idam;
  4. Verse 4. Kamastadagre samavartatadhi manaso retah prathamam yadasit;
  5. Verse 5. Tirashchino vitato rashmiresham adhah svidasidupari svidasit;
  6. Verse 6. Ko addha veda ka iha pra vochatkuta ajata kuta iyam visrishtih;
  7. Verse 7. Iyam visrishtiryata ababhuva yadi va dadhe yadi va na;
Verse 1#

Nasadasinno sadasittadanim nasidrajo no vyoma paro yat;

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)

Meaningतब न असत् था, न सत् था; न अन्तरिक्ष था, न उसके परे आकाश। क्या ढका हुआ था? कहाँ? किसके आश्रय में? क्या गहन-गभीर जल था?

Verse 2#

Na mrityurasidamritam na tarhi na ratrya ahna asitpraketah;

मृत्युरासीदमृतं तर्हि 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)

Meaningतब न मृत्यु थी, न अमरता; न रात्रि का चिह्न था, न दिन का। वह 'एक' वायुरहित होकर अपनी ही शक्ति से श्वास ले रहा था; उससे परे और कुछ भी नहीं था।

Verse 3#

Tama asittamasa gulhamagre'praketam salilam sarvama idam;

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

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

Meaningआरम्भ में अंधकार से ढका अंधकार था; यह सब अप्रकट जलराशि थी। शून्य से आवृत वह 'एक' तप की महिमा से प्रकट हुआ।

Verse 4#

Kamastadagre samavartatadhi manaso retah prathamam yadasit;

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)

Meaningआरम्भ में उसमें काम (इच्छा) उत्पन्न हुई — वही मन का प्रथम बीज था। ऋषियों ने हृदय में विचार करते हुए असत् में सत् का बन्धन खोज निकाला।

Verse 5#

Tirashchino vitato rashmiresham adhah svidasidupari svidasit;

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

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

Meaningउनकी रश्मि (डोरी) तिरछी फैली हुई थी; क्या नीचे था, क्या ऊपर था? बीजधारी शक्तियाँ थीं, महिमाएँ थीं; नीचे स्वधा, ऊपर प्रयत्न।

Verse 6#

Ko addha veda ka iha pra vochatkuta ajata kuta iyam visrishtih;

को अद्धा वेद 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)

Meaningकौन सचमुच जानता है, यहाँ कौन कह सकता है कि यह सृष्टि कहाँ से उत्पन्न हुई? देवता तो इस सृष्टि के पश्चात् आए; फिर कौन जानता है कि यह कहाँ से हुई?

Verse 7#

Iyam visrishtiryata ababhuva yadi va dadhe yadi va na;

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

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

Meaningयह सृष्टि जहाँ से उत्पन्न हुई, चाहे इसे धारण किया गया हो या नहीं — परम व्योम में जो इसका अध्यक्ष है, वही जानता है; अथवा सम्भवतः वह भी नहीं जानता।

Word-by-Word Breakdown

न असत् आसीत्
na asat asit
There was not the non-existent (asat)
नो सत् आसीत्
no sat asit
Nor was there the existent (sat)
तदानीं
tadanim
At that time, then
रजः
rajah
The atmospheric realm, the dust/sphere of space
व्योम
vyoma
Sky, ether, the heaven beyond
अम्भः
ambhah
The primordial waters
गहनं गभीरम्
gahanam gabhiram
Unfathomable, deep, profound
न मृत्युः आसीत्
na mrityuh asit
There was no death
न अमृतं
na amritam
Nor immortality
आनीत् अवातं
anit avatam
That One breathed without air/breath
स्वधया
svadhaya
By its own power, of its own nature
तत् एकं
tat ekam
That One (the sole Reality)
तमः
tamah
Darkness
सलिलं
salilam
The undifferentiated waters / flux
तपसः
tapasah
By the power of tapas (cosmic heat/austerity)
कामः
kamah
Desire (the primal creative urge)
मनसः रेतः
manasah retah
The seed of mind, the first germ of thought
कवयः मनीषा
kavayah manisha
The wise seers, through contemplation
विसृष्टिः
visrishtih
Creation, the emanation of the cosmos
अध्यक्षः
adhyakshah
The overseer, the one who presides in the highest heaven
परमे व्योमन्
parame vyoman
In the highest heaven, the supreme ether
वेद यदि वा न वेद
veda yadi va na veda
He knows — or perhaps even He knows not

Origin & History

Source: Rigveda, Mandala 10, Sukta 129

Author: Rishi Parameshthi Prajapati (traditional)

Period: 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Nasadiya Sukta about?
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.
Why is it considered so important?
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.
What does 'Tad Ekam' (That One) mean?
'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.
Is the Nasadiya Sukta chanted in rituals?
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.

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