नासदासीत्

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१२९ ...{Loading}...
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सायण-भाष्यम्

एकादशेऽनुवाके त्रयोविंशतिसंख्याकानि सूक्तानि। तत्र ‘नासदासीत्’ इति सप्तर्चं प्रथम सूक्तं त्रैष्टुभम्। परमेष्ठी नाम प्रजापतिर्ऋषिः। वियदादिभावानां सृष्टिस्थितिप्रलयादीनामत्र प्रतिपाद्यत्वात् तेषां कर्ता परमात्मा देवता। तथा चानुक्रान्तं- ‘नासत्सप्त प्रजापतिः, परमेष्ठी भाववृत्तं तु’ इति। गतो विनियोगः॥

Jamison Brereton

129 (955)
Creation
Prajāpati Parameṣṭhin
7 verses: triṣṭubh
This is one of the most famous hymns of the R̥gveda, and one of the most signifi cant for later Indian cosmogonies. Because it is elusive and suggestive rather than directly narrative, it has given rise to a wide variety of interpretations. The interpre tation we offer here follows the more extensive discussion in Brereton (1999), which also refers to earlier literature and alternate interpretations.
If this is a cosmogonic hymn, it is certainly a strange one, because the last verse does not come to a conclusion but ends with a question. This incompleteness is formally marked by both metrical and syntactic irregularities. The meter of verse 7b is two syllables short, leaving the its hearers to anticipate two beats that are not there, and the syntax of 7d is incomplete since the poem ends with a relative clause without a main clause. A close look at the rest of the hymn explains the reason for these poetic strategies.
In verse 1 there is a progression from negations—what existed was neither exist ing nor nonexisting and neither space nor heaven existed—to questions (1c) to possibilities (1d). Verse 2 also begins with negation, here the negation of death, deathlessness, and the signs of night and day. The only narrative progress is the greater specificity in verse 2 about what is negated: there are no mortals or immor tals, there is no moon or sun. But whereas 1cd continued with questions and pos sibilities, 2cd provides an answer to the question of what existed: there existed “that One,” which “breathed without wind.” In 1c the poet asked what “stirred,” or more literally what “moved back and forth,” and in 2c the implicit answer is that the “breathing” of the One moves back and forth. If 2c answers the question of 1c and indeed if verse 2 defines what verse 1 suggests, then “that One” in verse 2 is the pre viously undefined thing that was neither existent nor nonexistent in verse 1.
Verse 3 sharpens the sense that nothing is happening, nothing material at least. It apparently starts over once again: 3a ends “in the beginning” (ágre) just as 1a ends

“at that time” (tadā́nīm) and 2a “then” (tárhi). But where verses 1 and 2 asked ques tions or only hinted at answers, 3a asserts that there was something, namely “dark ness” covered by darkness, and 3c describes a “thing coming into being” (ābhú) covered by “emptiness.” In verse 3, therefore, “that One” still does not have sub stance, but it is beginning to have shape, since there is something that is “covered”
by something. As Thieme (1964: 66–67) has observed, that shape is the shape of an egg, and it is this egg-like shape that in 3d “was born” or hatched through heat. Thus far there has been little development of substance, although there has been an evolution of concept. An unidentified subject that neither exists nor does not exist is introduced in verse 1. It has taken conceptual form as the “One” in verse 2, and finally assumed an egg-like shape in verse 3. In verse 4 there is a shift that apparently breaks the continuity of the hymn. According to 4ab, thought gives rise to desire, which is concretized as the “primal semen,” the origin of beings. However, there is one thing that connects verses 3 and 4 and maintains the hymn’s continu ity: “desire” in 4a corresponds to “heat” in 3d. If so, then “thought” in 4b should correspond to the “One” in 3d. And so it does, for “thought” is the hidden metaphor in verses 1–3. In verse 1 it is thought that neither exists nor does not exist, because thought is something real but at the same time something not real, since it is not externally perceptible. Or, to put it another way, thought has shape but no sub stance, as verse 3 says. This hymn, therefore, shows an omphalos structure, in which the middle verse, in this case verse 4, contains the key to the hymn. Here that key is the revelation that thought is the One, which is the ultimate source of creation. It is not surprising, therefore, that the “connection” (bándhu) between “existing” and “not-existing,” the connection that is thought, was discovered by poets “though inspired thinking” (manīṣā́, 4d). In verse 5 this “connection” also becomes a divid ing “cord” (raśmí) and through it there emerges the distinction between males (the placers of semen and the offering) and females (“greatnesses,” i.e., pregnancies, and independent will).
But even if thought is the ultimate and primal creative act, the origin of the world is still unknown, even by the gods (vs. 6c). If there is an overseer of the world, he might know, or he might not (vs. 7cd). The lack of an answer means that “think ing” will not come to an end. The poem ends with metrical and syntactic irresolu tion and with a question in order that its hearers are left thinking and in that way left repeating the fundamental act of creation, the act of thinking.

01 नासदासीन्नो सदासीत्तदानीम् - त्रिष्टुप्
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ना᳓सद् आसीन्, नो᳓ स᳓दासीत् तदा᳓नीम् । ना᳓सीद् र᳓जो, नो᳓ व्योमा परो᳓ य᳓त् ।
कि᳓म् आ᳓वरिवः+++(=आवरणीयं)+++? कु᳓ह+++(=क्व)+++? क᳓स्य श᳓र्म᳓न्+++(णे)+++? अम्भः कि᳓म् आसीद् ग᳓हनं गभीर᳓म् ?

02 न मृत्युरासीदमृतम् - त्रिष्टुप्
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न᳓ मृत्यु᳓र्, अमृ᳓तं त᳓र्हि न᳓ । रा᳓त्रिया अ᳓ह्न आसीत् प्रकेतः᳓+++(=सङ्केतः [ज्योतींषि])+++ ।
आ᳓नीद् +++(=अचेष्टयत)+++ अवातँ᳓ +++(स्वयमाश्रयेण)+++स्वध᳓या त᳓द् ए᳓कम् +++(ब्रह्म)+++। त᳓स्माद् +हाऽन्यं᳓ न᳓ परः᳓ कि᳓ञ्चना᳓स ।

03 तम आसीत्तमसा - त्रिष्टुप्
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त᳓म +++(ब्रह्म)+++ आसीत्, त᳓मसा गूढ᳓म् अ᳓ग्रे प्रकेत᳓म् +++(=रहस्यम्)+++। +++(यथा)+++ सलिलँ᳓ स᳓र्वम् आ इद᳓म् ।
तुच्छे᳓नाभ्व् अ᳓पिहितं य᳓द् आ᳓सीत् । त᳓मसस् त᳙न्-महिना᳓ जायतै᳓कम् +++(जगत्)+++।

04 कामस्तदग्रे समवर्तताधि - त्रिष्टुप्
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का᳓मस् त᳓द् अ᳓ग्रे स᳓मवर्तता᳓धि +++(=आधिक्ये)+++। म᳓नसो रे᳓तः प्रथमं᳓ य᳓द् आ᳓सीत् ।
सतो᳓ ब᳓न्धुम् अ᳓सति नि᳓रविन्दन् । हृदि᳓ प्रती᳓ष्या कव᳓यो मनीषा᳓ +++(=बुद्ध्या)+++।

05 तिरश्चीनो विततो - त्रिष्टुप्
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तिरश्ची᳓नो वि᳓ततो रश्मि᳓र् एषाम् । अध᳓स्विद् आसी᳓३द्; उप᳓रिस्विद् आसी३त् ।
रेतोधा᳓+++(=बीजानि)+++ आसन्, महिमा᳓न +++(पर्वतादयः)+++ आसन् ।
स्वधा᳓ +++(शक्तिः [माया])+++ अव᳓स्तात्+++(=अधस्तात्)+++, प्र᳓यतिः+++(प्रयत्नः)+++ पुर᳓स्तात् ।

06 को अद्धा - त्रिष्टुप्
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को᳓ अद्धा᳓ वेद क᳓ इह᳓ प्र᳓ वोचत्
कु᳓त आ᳓जाता कु᳓त इयं᳓ वि᳓सृष्टिः
अर्वा᳓ग् देवा᳓ अस्य᳓ विस᳓र्जनेन
अ᳓था को᳓ वेद य᳓त आबभू᳓व

07 इयं विसृष्थिर्यत - त्रिष्टुप्
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इयं᳓ वि᳓सृष्टिर् य᳓त आबभू᳓व । य᳓दि वा +++(स्वरूपं)+++ दधे᳓ य᳓दि वा न᳓ ।
यो᳓ अस्या᳓ध्यक्षः परमे᳓ व्यो᳙मन् - सो᳓ अङ्ग᳓ वेद य᳓दि वा न᳓ वे᳓द ।

०४ किं स्विद्वनं ...{Loading}...

किं᳓ स्विद्व᳓नं क᳓ उ स᳓ वृक्ष᳓ आस+++(आसीत् इति तैत्तिरीयपाठः)+++᳙ -
य᳓तो द्या᳓वापृथिवी᳓ निष्टतक्षुः᳓+++(←तक्ष्)+++ ।
म᳓नीषिणो म᳓नसा पृच्छ᳓ते᳓द् उ त᳓द् -
य᳓द् अध्य᳓तिष्ठ᳓द् भु᳓वनानि धार᳓य᳓न्

004 ...{Loading}...
अधिमन्त्रम् - sa
  • देवता - विश्वकर्मा
  • ऋषिः - विश्वकर्मा भौवनः
  • छन्दः - त्रिष्टुप्
Thomson & Solcum

किं᳓ स्विद् व᳓नं क᳓ उ स᳓ वृक्ष᳓ आस
य᳓तो द्या᳓वापृथिवी᳓ निष्टतक्षुः᳓
म᳓नीषिणो म᳓नसा पृछ᳓ते᳓द् उ त᳓द्
य᳓द् अध्य᳓तिष्ठद् भु᳓वनानि धार᳓यन्

Vedaweb annotation

Strata
Popular for linguistic reasons, and possibly also for non-linguistic reasons


Pāda-label
popular;; repeated line
popular;; repeated line
popular
popular


Morph
āsa ← √as- 1 (root)
{number:SG, person:3, mood:IND, tense:PRF, voice:ACT}

káḥ ← ká- (pronoun)
{case:NOM, gender:M, number:SG}

kím ← ká- (pronoun)
{case:NOM, gender:N, number:SG}

sá ← sá- ~ tá- (pronoun)
{case:NOM, gender:M, number:SG}

svit ← svit (invariable)

u ← u (invariable)

vánam ← vána- (nominal stem)
{case:NOM, gender:N, number:SG}

vr̥kṣáḥ ← vr̥kṣá- (nominal stem)
{case:NOM, gender:M, number:SG}

dyā́vāpr̥thivī́ ← dyā́vāpr̥thivī́- (nominal stem)
{case:NOM, gender:F, number:DU}

niṣṭatakṣúḥ ← √takṣ- (root)
{number:PL, person:3, mood:IND, tense:PRF, voice:ACT}

yátas ← yátas (invariable)

ít ← ít (invariable)

mánasā ← mánas- (nominal stem)
{case:INS, gender:N, number:SG}

mánīṣiṇaḥ ← manīṣín- (nominal stem)
{case:VOC, gender:M, number:PL}

pr̥cháta ← √praś- (root)
{number:PL, person:2, mood:IMP, tense:PRS, voice:ACT}

tát ← sá- ~ tá- (pronoun)
{case:NOM, gender:N, number:SG}

u ← u (invariable)

adhyátiṣṭhat ← √sthā- (root)
{number:SG, person:3, mood:IND, tense:IPRF, voice:ACT}

bhúvanāni ← bhúvana- (nominal stem)
{case:NOM, gender:N, number:PL}

dhāráyan ← √dhr̥- (root)
{case:NOM, gender:M, number:SG, tense:PRS, voice:ACT}

yát ← yá- (pronoun)
{case:NOM, gender:N, number:SG}

पद-पाठः

किम् । स्वि॒त् । वन॑म् । कः । ऊं॒ इति॑ । सः । वृ॒क्षः । आ॒स॒ । यतः॑ । द्यावा॑पृथि॒वी इति॑ । निः॒ऽत॒त॒क्षुः ।
मनी॑षिणः । मन॑सा । पृ॒च्छत॑ । इत् । ऊं॒ इति॑ । तत् । यत् । अ॒धि॒ऽअति॑ष्ठत् । भुव॑नानि । धा॒रय॑न् ॥

Hellwig Grammar
  • kiṃkimka
  • [noun], nominative, singular, neuter
  • “what; who; ka [pronoun].”

  • svid
  • [adverb]
  • “svid [word].”

  • vanaṃvanamvana
  • [noun], nominative, singular, neuter
  • “forest; wood; tree; grove; vana [word]; forest; brush.”

  • kakaḥka
  • [noun], nominative, singular, masculine
  • “what; who; ka [pronoun].”

  • u
  • [adverb]
  • “ukāra; besides; now; indeed; u.”

  • satad
  • [noun], nominative, singular, masculine
  • “this; he,she,it (pers. pron.); respective(a); that; nominative; then; particular(a); genitive; instrumental; accusative; there; tad [word]; dative; once; same.”

  • vṛkṣavṛkṣaḥvṛkṣa
  • [noun], nominative, singular, masculine
  • “tree; fruit tree.”

  • āsaas
  • [verb], singular, Perfect indicative
  • “be; exist; become; originate; happen; result; be; dwell; be born; stay; be; equal; exist; transform.”

  • yatoyatas
  • [adverb]
  • “from which; whence; wherein.”

  • dyāvāpṛthivī
  • [noun], accusative, dual, feminine
  • “heaven and earth; dyāvāpṛthivī [word].”

  • niṣṭatakṣuḥnistakṣ√takṣ
  • [verb], plural, Perfect indicative
  • “create; fashion; carve; shape.”

  • manīṣiṇomanīṣiṇaḥmanīṣin
  • [noun], vocative, plural, masculine
  • “sage; expert; devout.”

  • manasāmanas
  • [noun], instrumental, singular, neuter
  • “mind; Manas; purpose; idea; attention; heart; decision; manas [word]; manas [indecl.]; spirit; temper; intelligence.”

  • pṛcchatedpṛcchatapracch
  • [verb], plural, Present imperative
  • “ask; ask; ask; consult; interrogate.”

  • pṛcchatedid
  • [adverb]
  • “indeed; assuredly; entirely.”

  • u
  • [adverb]
  • “ukāra; besides; now; indeed; u.”

  • tadtattad
  • [noun], accusative, singular, neuter
  • “this; he,she,it (pers. pron.); respective(a); that; nominative; then; particular(a); genitive; instrumental; accusative; there; tad [word]; dative; once; same.”

  • yadyatyad
  • [noun], accusative, singular, neuter
  • “who; which; yat [pronoun].”

  • adhyatiṣṭhadadhyatiṣṭhatadhiṣṭhā√sthā
  • [verb], singular, Imperfect
  • “reach; board; repose on; govern; sit down; stand; prevail.”

  • bhuvanānibhuvana
  • [noun], accusative, plural, neuter
  • “Earth; being; world; bhuvana [word].”

  • dhārayandhāray√dhṛ
  • [verb noun], nominative, singular
  • “keep; sustain; put; hold; wear; hold; carry; keep alive; suppress; preserve; remember; stow; stop; have; fill into; endure; support; understand; fixate; govern; restrain.”

सायण-भाष्यम्

पूर्वस्यामृच्युक्तं ब्रह्मैव भूम्यादिकारणमिति । तदेवानया प्रश्नकथनव्याजेनोच्यते । लोके हि प्रौढं प्रासादं निर्मिमाणः कस्मिंश्चित्प्रौढे वने कंचित् महान्तं वृक्षं छित्त्वा तक्षणादिना स्तम्भादिकं संपादयति । इह तु परमेश्वरप्रेरिता जगत्स्रष्टारः यतः यस्माद्विनाद्यं वृक्षमादाय द्यावापृथिवी निष्टतक्षुः तक्षणेन द्यावापृथिव्यौ निष्पादितवन्तः तत् वनं किं स्वित् किं नाम स्यात् । तथा वृक्ष आस कस्तादृशो महान् वृक्षोऽभूत् । हे मनीषिणः मनस ईश्वराः तदुभयं मनसा जिज्ञासायुक्तेन पृच्छतेदु पृच्छतैव। किंच ईश्वरः भुवनानि धारयन् यत् स्थानम् अध्यतिष्ठत् तत् अपि पृच्छत । एतस्य सर्वस्याप्युत्तरं ‘ ब्रह्म स वृक्ष आसीत् ’ इत्यादिकमुत्तरम् ॥


15अथाष्टमीमाह । लोके हि गृहं चिकीर्षुः पुमान् वनं गत्वा तत्र कंचिद्वृक्षं छित्वा तदीयैः काष्ठैर्गृहं निर्मिमीते । तद्दृष्टान्तेनात्रापि यतः यस्माद्वनजन्याद्वृक्षात् द्यावापृथिवी द्युलोकभूलोकौ निष्टतक्षुः तक्षणेन निर्मितारो निर्मितवन्तः । तादृशं वनं किंस्विद्भवेत् । कश्च तादृशः स वृक्ष आसीत् । हे मनीषिणो बुद्धिमन्तः मनसा स्वकीयेन विचार्य तदिदमर्थद्वयमाचार्यसमीपे पृच्छत । किंच यत्कारणभूतं वस्तु भुवनानि सर्वाल्ँ लोकान् स्वात्मनि धारयन्नध्यतिष्ठत् नियमनमकरोत् तदिदु तदपि वस्तु पृच्छत ॥

Wilson

English translation:

“Which was the forest, which the tree, from which they fabricated heaven and earth? Inquire, sages, inyour minds what (plural ce) he was stationed in when holding the worlds.”


Commentary by Sāyaṇa: Ṛgveda-bhāṣya

They: i.e., the makers of the world,directed by Parameśvara

Jamison Brereton

What was the wood? What was the tree?—out of which they fashioned heaven and earth.
O you of inspired thought [=priests], in your thinking ask about that upon which he rested, giving support to living beings.

Griffith

What was the tree, what wood in sooth produced it, from which they fashioned out the earth and heaven?
Ye thoughtful men inquire within your spirit whereon he stood when he established all things.

Geldner

Welches war denn das Holz, welches der Baum, aus dem sie Himmel und Erde zimmerten? Ihr Nachdenkende, forschet in eurem Geiste darnach, worauf er stand, als er die Welten befestigte?

Grassmann

Was war der Wald, und was war jener Baum doch, aus dem sie Erd’ und Himmel schön gezimmert? Mit eurem Geiste forscht danach, ihr weisen, worauf er stand, als er die Welten stützte.

Elizarenkova

Что это была за древесина и что за дерево,
Из чего вытесали небо и землю?
О вы, способные думать, спросите же мыслью (своей) о том,
На чем стоял он, укрепляя миры?

अधिमन्त्रम् (VC)
  • विश्वकर्मा
  • विश्वकर्मा भौवनः
  • स्वराट्त्रिष्टुप्
  • धैवतः
विश्वास-प्रस्तुतिः ...{Loading}...

ब्रह्म॒ वन॒म् ब्रह्म॒ स वृ॒क्ष आ॑सीत् ॥ 76 ॥
यतो॒ द्यावा॑पृथि॒वी नि॑ष्टत॒क्षुः+++(←तक्ष्)+++ ।
मनी॑षिणो॒ मन॑सा॒ विब्र॑वीमि वः ।
ब्रह्मा॒ध्यति॑ष्ठ॒द् +++(“चादिलोपे विभाषा”)+++ भुव॑नानि धा॒रय॑न्

सर्वाष् टीकाः ...{Loading}...
मूलम्

ब्रह्म॒ वन॒म्ब्रह्म॒ स वृ॒क्ष आ॑सीत् ॥ 76 ॥
यतो॒ द्यावा॑पृथि॒वी नि॑ष्टत॒क्षुः ।
मनी॑षिणो॒ मन॑सा॒ विब्र॑वीमि वः ।
ब्रह्मा॒ध्यति॑ष्ठ॒द्भुव॑नानि धा॒रय॑न् ।

सायण-टीका

16अथ नवमीमाह । यदुक्तं मनीषिणां प्रश्नत्रयं तस्याचार्य उत्तरं ब्रूते ।
यस्माद् वनजन्याद् वृक्षात् द्यावापृथिव्यौ निर्मिते तद्वनस्थानीयं तद्वृक्षस्थानीयं ब्रह्मैव, तस्य सर्वशक्तित्वात् ।
यस्योत्पाद्यस्य या सामग्र्य्-अपेक्षिता सा सर्वा तस्मिन्विद्यते ।
तद् एव ब्रह्म सर्वाणि भुवनानि स्वस्मिन् धारयति नियमयति च ।
हे मनीषिणः आचार्योऽहं मनसा निश्चित्य वः युष्मभ्यं विब्रवीमि विविधमुत्तरं ब्रवीमि ॥