Nasadiya Sukta

The Nāsadīya Sūkta (after the incipit , or "not the non-existent"), also known as the Hymn of Creation, is the 129th hymn of the 10th mandala of the Rigveda (10:129). It is concerned with cosmology and the origin of the universe. The Nāsadīya Sūkta has been the subject of extensive scholarly attention.

There are numerous translations and interpretations of the text. Nasadiya Sukta begins with the statement: "Then, there was neither existence, nor non-existence." It ponders when, why, and through whom the universe came into being in a contemplative tone, and provides no definite answers. Rather, it concludes that the gods too may not know, as they came after creation, and that even the surveyor of that which has been created, in the highest heaven may or may not know. To this extent, the conventional English title Hymn of Creation is perhaps misleading, since the verse does not itself present a cosmogony or creation myth akin to those found in other religious texts, instead provoking the listener to question whether one can ever know all the details of origins of the universe.

Interpretations

The hymn has attracted a large body of literature of commentaries both in Indian darsanas and in Western philology.Wendy Doniger says of this hymn (10.129) "This short hymn, though linguistically simple... is conceptually extremely provocative and has, indeed, provoked hundreds of complex commentaries among Indian theologians and Western scholars. In many ways, it is meant to puzzle and challenge, to raise unanswerable questions, to pile up paradoxes." The Rig Veda. (Penguin Books: 1981) p. 25. . The hymn, as Mandala 10 in general, is late within the Rigveda Samhita, and expresses thought more typical of later Vedantic philosophy."Although, no doubt, of high antiquity, the hymn appears to be less of a primary than of a secondary origin, being in fact a controversial composition levelled especially against the theory." Ravi Prakash Arya and K. L. Joshi. : Sanskrit Text, English Translation, Notes & Index of Verses. (Parimal Publications: Delhi, 2001) (Set of four volumes). Parimal Sanskrit Series No. 45; 2003 reprint: 81-7020-070-9, Volume 4, p. 519. Even though untypical of the content of the Vedic hymns, it is one of the most widely received portions of the Rigveda. An atheist interpretation sees the Creation Hymn as one of the earliest accounts of skeptical inquiry and agnosticism.Patri, Umesh and Prativa Devi. "Progress of Atheism in India: A Historical Perspective ". Atheist Centre 1940-1990 Golden Jubilee. Vijayawada, February 1990. Retrieved 2007-04-02. Astronomer Carl Sagan quoted it in discussing India's "tradition of skeptical questioning and unselfconscious humility before the great cosmic mysteries."Carl Sagan, Cosmos: A Personal Voyage Part 10 - The Edge of Forever Video Link (timestamp-36:40)

The text begins by paradoxically stating, "not the non-existent existed, nor did the existent exist then" (), which is paralleled in verse 2 by "then not death existed, nor the immortal" (). However verse 2 already mentions that there was "breathing without breath, of its own nature, that one" ). In verse 3, being unfolds, "from heat (tapas) was born that one" (). Verse 4 mentions desire (kāma) as the primal seed, and the first poet-seers (kavayas) who "found the bond of being within non-being with their heart's thought".

Karel Werner describes the author's source for the material as one not derived from reasoning, but a "visionary, mystical or Yogic experience put into words."

Brereton (1999) argues that the reference to the sages searching for being in their spirit is central, and that the hymn's gradual procession from non-being to being in fact re-enacts creation within the listener (see ), equating poetic utterance and creation (see śabda).

Metre Nasadiya Sukta consists of seven trishtubhs, although para 7b is defective, being two syllables short,

"if he has created it; or if not [...]" Brereton (1999) argues that the defect is a conscious device employed by the rishi to express puzzlement at the possibility that the world may not be created, parallel to the syntactic defect of pada 7d, which ends in a subordinate clause without a governing clause:

"he verily knows; or maybe he does not know [...]"

Text and translation

Nasadiya Sukta

Bron en licentie