Then there was neither non-being nor being; no realm of air, no sky beyond it. What stirred? and where? in whose keeping? Was there water, unfathomably deep?
Verse 3 — na mṛtyurāsīdamṛtaṃ na tarhi na rātryā ahna…
na mṛtyurāsīdamṛtaṃ na tarhi na rātryā ahna āsītpraketaḥ | ānīdavātaṃ svadhayā tadekaṃ tasmāddhānyanna paraḥ kiṃ canāsa ||
Then there was neither death nor deathlessness, no sign to mark night from day. That One breathed, windless, by its own power; other than that there was nothing at all.
tama āsīttamasā gūl̤hamagre'praketaṃ salilaṃ sarvamā idam | tucchyenābhvapihitaṃ yadāsīttapasastanmahinājāyataikam ||
Darkness there was, hidden in darkness at the first; all this was an ocean without light. That One, becoming, wrapped in the void, was born through the power of its own heat (tapas).
In the beginning desire arose upon it — the first seed of mind. Searching their hearts with wisdom, the sages found the bond of being within non-being.
Their measuring-cord was stretched across: was there a below? was there an above? There were seed-bearers, there were mighty powers — impulse below, and striving above.
Verse 7 — ko addhā veda ka iha pra vocatkuta ājātā kuta…
ko addhā veda ka iha pra vocatkuta ājātā kuta iyaṃ visṛṣṭiḥ | arvāgdevā asya visarjanenāthā ko veda yata ābabhūva ||
Who truly knows? Who here can declare it — whence it was born, whence came this creation? The gods came after this world's making — so who knows from where it arose?
iyaṃ visṛṣṭiryata ābabhūva yadi vā dadhe yadi vā na | yo asyādhyakṣaḥ parame vyomanso aṅga veda yadi vā na veda ||
Whence this creation arose — whether it was made, or was not — He who watches over it from the highest heaven, He alone knows; or perhaps even He does not know.
About Nāsadīya Sūkta
Nāsadīya Sūkta is a Sanskrit stotra, composed by Vedic Rishis (Shruti), addressed to Brahman — a Sukta. It is presented here in Devanagari, Roman (IAST), Kannada, each verse with its English meaning. Source text: sanskritdocuments.org.
Also known as: Hymn of Creation, Nasadiya Suktam, Nasadasin no Sadasit.
The Durgā Sūktam is a Vedic hymn to the Goddess drawn from the Taittirīya Āraṇyaka and the Ṛgveda; as śruti it is anonymous, ancient revelation and wholly in the public domain.
Nāsadīya Sūkta is a Sanskrit stotra (devotional hymn), composed by Vedic Rishis (Shruti), addressed to Brahman, of 7 verses. On Avabodhak every verse is shown with its English meaning, so you can understand the text line by line as you read.
How do I pronounce Nāsadīya Sūkta correctly?
Avabodhak presents Nāsadīya Sūkta in Devanagari, Roman (IAST), Kannada alongside IAST Roman transliteration that marks every long vowel (ā, ī, ū) and conjunct consonant. Reading the Devanagari text with the IAST line lets you follow the exact pronunciation syllable by syllable, and the guided practice mode replays it line by line.
What is the word-by-word meaning of Nāsadīya Sūkta?
Avabodhak pairs each verse of Nāsadīya Sūkta with its English meaning, and the practice view breaks lines into individual words — so you learn what each word means, not just the overall sense.
Who composed Nāsadīya Sūkta?
Nāsadīya Sūkta is attributed to Vedic Rishis (Shruti).
In which scripts can I read Nāsadīya Sūkta?
Nāsadīya Sūkta is available in Devanagari, Roman (IAST), Kannada on Avabodhak, each with English meaning and IAST transliteration.
Can I chant or practice Nāsadīya Sūkta online?
Yes — Avabodhak offers a free reading view plus guided practice and word-puzzle modes to help you chant and memorise Nāsadīya Sūkta.