The Hymn of Creation — When Even the Gods Did Not Know
Before the universe had a name”¦ Before time began ticking”¦ Before even the gods were born”¦
There was only One Question.
That question is preserved in the Nasadiya Sukta — one of the most honest and beautiful inquiries into the origin of existence ever written by human beings.
नासदासीन्नो सदासीत्तदानीं नासीद्रजो नो व्योमा परो यत् ।
किमावरीवः कुह कस्य शर्मन्नम्भः किमासीद्गहनं गभीरम् ॥
There was neither non-existence nor existence then. There was neither the realm of space nor the sky beyond. What stirred? Where? In whose protection? Was there water, bottomlessly deep?
न मृत्युरासीदमृतं न तर्हि न रात्र्या अह्न आसीत्प्रकेतः ।
आनीदवातं स्वधया तदेकं तस्माद्धान्यन्न परः किञ्चनास ॥
There was no death, nor immortality then. There was no distinction between night and day. That One breathed, windless, by its own impulse. Other than that, there was nothing at all.
तम आसीत्तमसा गूळ्हमग्रे प्रकेंतं सलिलं सर्वमा इदम् ।
तुच्छ्येनाभ्वपिहितं यदासीत् तपसस्तन्महिनाजायतैकम् ॥
Darkness was hidden by darkness in the beginning. All this was water, indiscriminate. That One, which was hidden by the void, through the power of Tapas, was born as desire.
कामस्तदग्रे समवर्तताधि मनसो रेतः प्रथमं यदासीत् ।
सतो बन्धुमसति निरविन्दन्हृदि प्रतीष्या कवयो मनीषा ॥
In the beginning, desire arose in That One — the first seed of mind. Sages, searching in their hearts with wisdom, found the bond of existence in non-existence.
तिरश्चीनो विततो रश्मिरेषामधः स्विदासी३दुपरि स्विदासी३त् ।
रेतोधा आसन्महिमान आसन्त्स्वधा अवस्तात्प्रयतिः परस्तात् ॥
Their dividing line was extended across. What was above it? What was below? There were begetters and mighty forces. Below was the impulse, above was giving.
को अद्धा वेद क इह प्र वोचत्कुत आजाता कुत इयं विसृष्टिः ।
अर्वाग्देवा अस्य विसर्जनेनाथा को वेद यत आबभूव ॥
Who really knows? Who here will proclaim it? Whence was it produced? Whence is this creation? The gods came later, after the creation of this universe. So who knows from where it has arisen?
इयं विसृष्टिर्यत आबभूव यदि वा दधे यदि वा न ।
यो अस्याध्यक्षः परमे व्योमन्त्सो अङ्ग वेद यदि वा न वेद ॥
This creation — whence it has arisen, whether it was made or whether it was not — He who surveys it from the highest heaven, He indeed knows — or perhaps He does not know.
को अद्धा वेद क इह प्र वोचत्कुत आजाता कुत इयं विसृष्टिः ।
अर्वाग्देवा अस्य विसर्जनेनाथा को वेद यत आबभूव ॥
Who really knows? Who here will proclaim it? Whence was it produced? Whence is this creation? The gods came later, after the creation of this universe. So who knows from where it has arisen?
इयं विसृष्टिर्यत आबभूव यदि वा दधे यदि वा न ।
यो अस्याध्यक्षः परमे व्योमन्त्सो अङ्ग वेद यदि वा न वेद ॥
This creation — whence it has arisen, whether it was made or whether it was not — He who surveys it from the highest heaven, He indeed knows — or perhaps He does not know.
The Sukta begins by describing what did not exist — no existence, no non-existence, no space, no time. This is not "nothingness" but a state beyond all dualities.
Desire (Kama) is not portrayed negatively. It is the first creative impulse — the seed of mind itself. Creation begins with longing.
In an age where science, religion, and social media all claim to have the answers, the Nasadiya Sukta offers something rare: the wisdom of not knowing.
It teaches us that mystery is not the enemy of truth, and that humility is the beginning of real wisdom. This is why many modern physicists find deep resonance with this ancient hymn.
Embrace Sacred Uncertainty — Not every question needs an immediate answer.
Question Your Assumptions — Regularly examine your beliefs about life and identity.
Honor the Mystery — Even the gods do not fully know. You are not alone in not-knowing.
The Nasadiya Sukta does not end with certainty.
It ends with a question that echoes through eternity:
"Who really knows?"
And perhaps that is the most honest answer any tradition has ever given.