Nasadiya Sukta of Rg Veda

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Dear devotees,

 

Nasadiya Sukta forms the 129th sukta of 10th mandala of Rg Veda. The seer of

this sukta is Prajapati Parameshti. It has 7 riks. The name “Nasadiya

Sukta†stuck because this sukta starts with “Nasatasid..â€.

 

Similarly, another great and wonderful sukta which forms as 164th Sukta in 1st

Mandala of Rg Veda is called “Asya Vamasya Sukta†because it starts with

“Asya Vamasya Palitasya….†though the Seer is Dirghatamas.

 

The Nasadiya Sukta is one of the most important suktas in Rg Veda and is on

par with Purusha and Sri Sukta. It also forms a part of Udaka Shanti Mantras of

Krishna Yajurveda.

 

The Nasadiya Sukta is the description of the Ultimate State prior to Creation.

The Seer Parameshti says that this Ultimate State is designated as either

EXISTANT or NON-EXISTANT. This is the state of Being and Nothingness. There

was NOTHING SECOND to it. This is the explanation of the first mantra which

runs:

 

“Na asat asit no iti sat asit tadaaneem na asit rajah no iti vyoma parah yat

kim a avareevareeti kuha kasya sarman ambhah kim asith gahanah

gabhiramâ€â€¦â€¦(i)

 

But THAT ALONE SHONE throbbing and the seer uses a beautiful word ie.,

“breathed without breathlesslyâ€. . This State is beyond all the

dualities which we perceive viz., Death and Immortality, Day and Light, no

higher worlds and no nether worlds. Only THAT alone was. This is explained in

the 2nd mantra which runs like this:

 

“na mrityu asit amritam na tarhi na ratriyaah ahnah asit praketah asit

avatam svadhaya tat ekam tasmat ha anyat na parah kim chana

Aasaâ€â€¦â€¦â€¦..(ii)

 

In this mantra, the Seer uses the word “SVADHAâ€. As per Nirukta,

“svasmin dhiyat aasritya vartata iti svadha†is the vyuthpatti ie., that

which BEARS. The Paramatma during the Pralaya or Cosmic Dissolution bears the

Maya in himself. During the Dissolution, the Supreme along with his Tamomaya

Avarana (Dark Covering) which is Maya is described as “Dark Infinite Watersâ€

and this combination of Prakriti and Purusha is inseparable. The Seer uses the

word “apraketa salilam†(the infinite waters beyond our understanding) to

describe this combination of Prakriti-Purusha. Now, how this Prakriti and

Purusha are one and inseparable, this is BEYOND OUR CONCEPTION AND

UNDERSTANDING. And hence, the seer in the 3rd mantra says that “tamasa gudam

agre apraketamâ€. From this Couple, sprang forth the entire creation. This

creation is Tuccha (lower creation) that came about from the Tapas of Purusha.

Hence, the Seer says that “tuchyena aabhu apihitam yat asit

tapasahâ€. The 3rd mantra runs like this:

 

“tamah asit tamasa gudham agre apraketam salilam sarvam ah idam tuchyena

aabhu apihitam yat asit tapasah tat mahina ajayata ekamâ€â€¦â€¦â€¦(iii)

 

 

The 1st chapter of Chandi Sapthasathi starts with this Vedic Symbolism. This

Yoganidra of Vishnu is described as Tamomaya Avastha of the Supreme prior to

Creation.

 

When the creation or cosmos is dissolved, only this State shines as INIFINITE

WATERS which is called “APRAKETAM SALILAMâ€. This state of Pralaya or

Dissolution is symbolically described in Puranas as Vishnu along with his

Yoganidra sleeps on Eternal Waters.

 

Now, what is the CAUSE OF THIS ENTIRE CREATION? The Seer answers this

question in the 4th mantra. The entire principle of Srividya is based on this

4th Mantra.

 

“kAMAH tat agre sam avarthata adhi manasah retah prathamam yat asit satah

bandhum asati nih anindam hridi vateeshya kavayah manishaâ€â€¦â€¦.(iv)

 

The Seer says that “KAMA†or “DESIRE†in the Purusha is the CAUSE OF

THE CREATION. This KAMA should remind us of the principle of

Kameswara-Kameswari. This Kama is the DIVINE LAW of this Couple. Any person

who violates this DIVINE LAW is bound to get the punishment. The result is the

Bhandasura Vadha (slaying of Bhandasura). The Kama Pralaya resulted in the

emergence of Kameswari.

 

Avidya, Kama, Karma are the seeds of Creation. So, after the Pralaya or

Cosmic Dissolution, the Avidya, Kama, Karma in the form of tendencies of entire

beings (Samashti Jiva) are visualized as the SEED or BIJA. So, when Action is

performed, one has to face the Result also. Hence, the Purusha in order to give

the KARMA PHALA or FRUITS OF ACTION desires to PROCREATE. Hence, the Karma Bija

becomes the First Seed of Creation and hence it is called “Retas†(semen).

Out of the Desire (Kama) to bestow the fruits of Action, the Purusha places this

Retas in the Prakriti and lo the Creation springs forth.

 

The Seers (Kavayah) have discovered this SECRET which is the connection

between BEING AND NON-BEING by constant reflection with their Intellect (manisha

pratirshya) in their deep chasms of their heart (hridi). Here, Kavi can be

referred to the Seer Prajapati Parameshti (Kraanta darshi or the seer is called

Kavi) who is the mantra drashta of this Nasadiya Sukta.

 

He further makes the statement that EVEN THE GODS CANNOT KNOW THIS “SECRET

OF CREATION†EXCEPT THE SUPREME PURUSHA. This the Seer exclaims in the 6th

mantra by saying that

 

“kah addha veda kah ihah pra vochat kutah ajaata kutah iyam visrushti

arvaak devah asya visarjanena adha kah vedah yatah aababhuvaâ€â€¦â€¦â€¦.(vi)

 

Further, the Seer Parameshti declares boldly that ONLY THE SUPREME PURUSHA IN

THE HIGHEST HEAVENS (PARAME VYOMAN) CAN ONLY BEAR AND COMPREHEND THIS ENTIRE

CREATION. OTHERS CANNOT. The 7th mantra which is the last rik of Nasadiya

Sukta in Rg Veda runs like this:

 

“iyam visrushtih yah aababhuva yadi vaa dadhe yadi va na yah avya adhiakshah

PARAME VYOMAN sah anga veda yadi va na vedaâ€â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦.(vii)

 

Parame is “utkrishte sarvabhute†ie., “most superior of all†and

Vyoman is Sva-prakasa or the Consciousness. It is also called Akasa. “Aa

samantaat prakasate iti akasaha†ie., that which shines everywhere as

Consciousness is Akasa. It is also called DAHARAKASA or CHIDAKASA. So, PARAME

VYOMAN OR THE HIGHEST HEAVENS which is CHIDAKASA.

 

It is interesting to note that this word “PARAME VYOMAN†repeats also in

“ASYA VAMASYA SUKTAâ€. This word is “pranava vachakaâ€. In Rg Veda,

nowhere the word “OM or Pranava†has been uttered except symbolically as

“RCHO AKSHARE PARAME VYOMANâ€. The “akshara†is the Pranava or Sabda

Brahman that that shines in Chidakasa / Daharakasa / Highest Heavens / Parame

Vyoman.

 

With regards,

Sriram

 

 

 

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