Nasadiya Suktam

Nasadiya Suktam

नासदीयसूक्तम्

The nAsadIya-sUkta is one of the most popular hymns from the Rigveda. Occurring in the 10th mandala of the Rigveda Samhita, this Sukta speaks about the universe and its cosmological origins that modern astronomers and cosmologists are still trying to understand. There are multiple books and essays available on this Sukta. Some of the authors speak about the philosophy behind the nAsadIya Sukta while others explain the Sukta from a modern scientific viewpoint. 

In this article, I will provide the anvayakrama (ordering of the words in a prose type form) along with the word by word meaning of the entire sUkta. I will also explain some of the grammatical nuances that we encounter. I hope that the readers will find this article useful.

नास॑दासी॒न्नो सदा॑सीत्त॒दानी॒म् नासी॒द्रजो॒ नो व्यो॑मा प॒रो यत्।
किमाव॑रीव॒: कुह॒ कस्य॒ शर्म॒न्नंभ॒: किमा॑सी॒द्गह॑नं गभी॒रम्॥१॥

अन्वयः– तदानीं न असत् आसीत् नो सत् आसीत्, न रजः नो व्योमा यत् परः (अस्ति)। कुह कस्य शर्मन् आ अवरीवः, किं गहनं गभीरम् अम्भः आसीत् ?

पदार्थः–  tadAnIM- back then, na asat- no nonexistence, AsIt-was there,no[1]- sat- no existence, AsIt – was there,na rajaH- no world (matter), no vyoma- no sky (space), yat paraH- which is above, kuha- where, kasya-whose, sharman [2]- (in whose) protection, aa avarIvaH- covered [3],kiM- what, gahanaM- deep, gabhIraM- profound, ambhaH- water,aasIt- was there

अनुवादः– In the beginning, there was neither non-existence nor existence. There was no matter (Earth), nor any space (sky) above it. Where and under whose protection was It covered? Was there deep and profound water?

[1]: nO = na + u, vedic form that means the same as na.
[2]: In classical Sanskrit, this saptami vibhakti word would be sharmaNi
[3]: vR dhAtu, lang-lakAra prathamapurusha, ekavachanaM

न मृ॒त्युरा॑सीद॒मृतं॒ न तर्हि॒ न रात्र्या॒ अह्न॑ आसीत्प्रके॒तः।
आनी॑दवा॒तं स्व॒धया॒ तदेकं॒ तस्मा॑द्धा॒न्यन्न प॒रः किञ्च॒नास॑॥२॥

अन्वयः–मृत्युः न आसीत्, न अमृतम्, रात्र्याः अह्नः प्रकेतः नासीत्। तत् एकः अवतां स्वधया आनीत् , तस्मात् परः अन्यत् किञ्चन न आस ॥

पदार्थः–  mRityuH na AsIt- there was no death, na amRtaM- nor immortality, rAtryAH- of night, ahnaH- of day, praketaH- sight/appearance,nAsIt- was not there, tat- that, ekaM- one, avatAM- without wind, svadhayA- on its own, aanIt [4]- was breathing, tasmAt paraH- greater than that, anyat- another, kincana- something else, na Asa[5]- was not there.

अनुवादः– There was neither death nor immortality. Neither was there any signs of night or day. Though windless, the one was breathing on its (His?) own. Apart from this, there was nothing else.  

[4] अन्  dhAtu, lang-lakAra, prathamapurusha, ekavachanaM 
[5] अस्  dhAtu, lit-lakAra, prathamapurusha, ekavachanaM

तम॑ आसी॒त्तम॑सा गू॒ळ्हमग्रे॑ऽप्रके॒तं स॑लि॒लं सर्व॑मा इ॒दं।
तु॒च्छ्येना॒भ्वपि॑हितं॒ यदासी॒त्तप॑स॒स्तन्म॑हि॒नाजा॑य॒तैकं॑॥ ३॥

अन्वयः–अग्रे तमसा गूळ्हं तमः आसीत्, इदं सर्वम् अप्रकेतं सलिलम् आः। यत् तुच्छ्येन अपिहितम् आभु आसीत्, तत् एकं तपसः महिना अजायत॥

पदार्थः–  agre: before (creation), tamasA: with darkness, gULhaM [6] - covered, tamaH- darkness, AsIt- was there, idaM sarvaM- all this,apraketaM- unrecognizable, salilaM- water, aaH [7] - was, yat- that,tucchyena – with emptiness, apihitaM- covered, aabhu- void, AsIt- was there, tat- that, ekaM- one (without another), tapasaH- of heat (or penance), mahinA- significance, ajAyata [8] - was born.

अनुवादः– In the beginning (before creation), there was darkness that was covered by darkness. Everything (all space) was covered with unrecognizable water. The One, which was void covered by emptiness, arose by the power of penance (or heat). 

[6] गुह् dhAtu + क्त pratyaya. In classical Sanskrit, this would become गूढम्. However, in the Rigveda, when ढ् occurs between 2 svarAs, it becomes ळ्ह्. 
[7] अस् dhAtu, lang-lakAra, prathamapurusha, ekavachanaM (another vedic form for aasIt)
[8] जन् dhAtu, lang-lakAra, prathamapurusha, ekavachanaM

काम॒स्तदग्रे॒ सम॑वर्त॒ताधि॒ मन॑सो॒ रेत॑: प्रथ॒मं यदासी॑त्।
स॒तो बन्धु॒मस॑ति॒ निर॑विन्दन् हृ॒दि प्र॒तीष्या॑ क॒वयो॑ मनी॒षा॥४॥

अन्वयः– अग्रे कामः यत् अधि मनसः प्रथमं रेतः आसीत्, तत् समवर्तत। कवयः हृदि मनीषा प्रतीष्या असति सतः बन्धुं निरविन्दन्॥

पदार्थः–  agre- first, kAmaH- desire, yat- which, adhimanasaH- of the mind, prathaM- first, retaH- seed, AsIt- was there,tat- that, samavartata [9]- was born. kavayaH- poets (sages), hRdi- in the hearts, manISA- through knowledge, pratISya- having analysed, asati- in the non existence,sataH- of the existence,bandhuM- connection, niravindan[10]- found.

अनुवादः– At the very beginning, a desire, which was the primal seed of the mind, arose. The wise men searched their heart through wisdom and found the connection of existence in the non-existant. 

[9]: सम् + वृत् dhAtu,lang-lakAra, prathamapurusha, ekavachanaM
[10]: विद् dhAtu, lang-lakAra, prathamapurusha, bahuvachanaM

ति॒र॒श्चीनो॒ वित॑तो र॒श्मिरे॑षाम॒धः स्वि॑दा॒सी ३ दु॒परि॑ स्विदासी ३ त्।
रे॒तो॒धा आ॑सन्महि॒मान॑ आसन्त्स्व॒धा आ॒वस्ता॒त्प्रय॑तिः प॒रस्ता॑त्॥५॥

अन्वयः–एषां रश्मिः तिरश्चीनः विततः, अधः स्वित् आसीत्, उपरि स्वित् आसीत्। रेतोधाः आसन् महिमानः आसन्, स्वधा अवस्तात् प्रयतिः परस्तात् आसन्॥

पदार्थः–  eshAM- its (primal seed’s),rashmiH- rays, tiraschInaH- horizontally, vitataH- spread,adhaH svit AsIt- or was below, upari svit AsIt- or was above. retodhAH-bearers of the primal seeds, Asan- were there,mahimAnaH- great men, Asan- were there. svadhA- power, avastAt- below, prayatiH- impulse, parastAt- over it, Asan- were there.
 अनुवादः– The rays of light from this creation spread in all directions- horizontal, upward and downward. The bearers of seeds of creation as well as great men were there. There was power below and impulse from above.

को अ॒द्धा वे॑द॒ क इ॒ह प्र वो॑च॒त्कुत॒ आजा॑ता॒ कुत॑ इ॒यं विसृ॑ष्टिः।
अ॒र्वाग्दे॒वा अ॒स्य वि॒सर्ज॑ने॒नाथा॒ को वे॑द॒ यत॑ आब॒भूव॑॥६॥

अन्वयः–कः अद्धा वेद, कः इह प्र वोचत्, कुतः इयं विसृष्टिः कुतः आजाता। देवाः अस्य विसर्जनेन अर्वाक्, अथ यतः आबभूव कः वेद ॥

पदार्थः–  kaH- who, addhA- in its original form (yathArtha), veda [11]- knows, kaH- who, iha- here, pra vochat [12]- can tell, kutaH- from where, iyaM visRSTiH- this creation, kutaH- from where, AjAtA- was born.devAH- the gods, asya visarjanena- of this creation, arvAk- posterior,atha- thus, yataH- from where, aababhUva [13]- came to be, kaH- who,veda- knows.

अनुवादः– Who indeed knows and who can truly tell us about where this creation came from? Even the gods are posterior to this creation. So who can tell us about how everything came to be?

[11]: विद्dhAtu,lit-lakAra, prathamapurusha, ekavachanaM
[12]: वच् dhAtu, lung-lakAra, prathamapurusha, ekavachanaM
[13]: भू dhAtu lit-lakAra, prathamapurusha, ekavachanaM

इ॒यं विसृ॑ष्टि॒र्यत॑ आब॒भूव॒ यदि॑ वा द॒धे यदि॑ वा॒ न।
यो अ॒स्याध्य॑क्षः पर॒मे व्यो॑म॒न्त्सो अ॒ङ्ग वे॑द॒ यदि॑ वा॒ न वेद॑॥ ७॥

अन्वयः– इयं विसृष्टिः यतः आबभूव, यदि वा दधे यदि वा न। यः अस्य अध्यक्षः परमे व्योमन् (अस्ति), सः अङ्ग वेद यदि वा न वेद॥

पदार्थः–  iyaM visRSTiH- this creation,  yataH- from where,aababhUva- came to be, yadi vA- if, dadhe [14]- (it is) held, yadi vA na- or if not. asya-of this (creation), yaHadhyakSaH- that Lord, saH- he, parame vyoman [15]- in the highest skies (heaven), anga veda- surely knows, yadi vA - or perhaps, na veda- knows not

अनुवादः– How did this universe come to be? Perhaps the Lord of this universe, who lives in the highest heaven, surely knows. Or perhaps he too does not!

[14]- धा dhAtu,  Atmanepadi, lit-lakAra, prathamapurusha, ekavachanaM
[15]- Word is in saptamI-vibahkti and would be vyomani in classical (loukika) Sanskrit.

Udaka Shanti

Udaka Shanti

(उदकशान्तिः)

Udakashanti is an important shuddhi/shAnti ritual that is performed before important samskAras such as seemantaM, upanayanaM and vivAha. “udakaM” in Sanskrit means water. During this ceremony, the water (in a kalasha) is sanctified through the chanting of an extensive collection of vedic mantrAs (as mentioned by maharshi bodhAyana in his girhya-shesha sUtrAs). After the completion of the vedic chanting by the priests, the yajamAna (and is family/friends) get  sanctified by bathing in this holy water.

Various mantrAs from the TaittirIya-Samhita and TaittirIya-brahmaNa (in order) are chanted during this ceremony. In this article, I will only speak about what the kalpa-sUtrAs and dharma-shAstrAs tell about udakashAnti.

The actual prayoga and mantrAs are available through several online and offline sources. My favorite include:

1.      Online: Page on oocities.org

2.      Book: “Saprayoga-udakashanti” edited by Sri Vedaratna Keshava Shastri Joglekar.

Scriptural authority for Udakashanti:

The main authority for most smArta-karmAs are the kalpa-sUtrAs. kalpAs are one of the 6 vedAngAs and consist of the srauta-, grihya-, sulba- and dharma-.sUtrAs. There are multiple sUtra-kArAs for every vedic shAkhA.

Among the various sutrakArAs belonging to the TaitirIya shAkha of the Krishna-Yajurveda, BodhAyana, Apastamba, HiranyakeshI and VaikhAnasa are the most important. BodhAyana is the oldest sUtrakAra from the taittirIya school. Followers of Apastamba-sUtra traditionally refer back to the BodhAyana-sUtrAs for various dharma- and karma- vishayAs not mentioned or covered by Apastamba. Udakashanti is one such ritual where ApastambIyAs follow the paddati of maharshi bodhAyana.

When should udakashAnti be performed?

According to the BodhAyana-sheSa-sUtrAs:

जन्मनक्षत्रे पुण्ये नक्षत्रे विवाह–चौळोपनयनसमावर्तन–सीमन्त–अग्न्याधेयान्यन्यानि मङ्गलकार्याणि ग्रहोपरागे ग्रहोत्पाते वा द्विपात्सु चतुष्पात्सु भयं विन्देत अथ शान्तिमारभेत। 

UdakashAnti can be performed for the following occasions:

1)      During one’s janma- and puNya- nakshatra (birth/auspicious star)

2)      Before various samskArAs such as VivAha (marriage), Choula-karma (head-tonsure), Upanayanam, SamAvartana (samskAra after the completion of vedic studies) and Seemantam (performed during the 4th month of pregnancy)

3)      Agni-aadhAna (setting up of the aupAsanAgni)

4)      To ward off the evil effects of the various planets

5)      To overcome fear (from other humans and animals)

Moola-sutraM

बोधायन–गृह्य–शेष–सूत्रं.१.१४

अथ वै भवति–श्रद्धा वा आपः श्रद्धामेवारभ्येति। यज्ञो वा आपो यज्ञमेवारभ्येति। वज्रो वा आपो वज्रमेव भ्रातृव्येभ्यः प्रहृत्येति। आपो वै रक्षोघ्नी रक्षसा–मपहत्या इति। आपो वै देवानां प्रियं धामेति। अमृतं वा आपः तस्मागभ्दिरवतां तमभिषिञ्चिनतीति। आपो वै सर्वा देवता देवता एवारभ्येति। आपो वै शान्ताः शान्ताभिरेवास्य शुचं शमयति। इति ब्राह्मणम्। तस्मात्पवित्रेण शान्त्युदकं करोति। जन्मनक्षत्रे पुण्ये नक्षत्रे विवाह–चौळोपनयनसमावर्तन–सीमन्त–अग्न्याधेयानयन्यानि मङ्गलकार्याणि ग्रहोपरागे ग्रहोत्पाते वा द्विपात्सु चतुष्पात्सु भयं विन्देत अथ शान्तिमारभेत।

अथ उदकशान्तेः मन्त्रानुक्रमः ।

“तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम्“ इत्येतां पच्छोऽर्धचशोऽनवमानमुक्त्वा वेदादीन् जपति।

राक्षोघ्नं “कृणुष्व पाजः प्रसितिं“ इत्येतमनुवाकं मदेचिदस्येत्यर्धर्चमपोग्धृत्य

“इन्द्रं वो विश्वतस्परि हवामहे जनेभ्यः“ इत्येतमनुवाकं

“यत इन्द्र भयामहे, स्वस्तिदा विशस्पतिः“ इति द्वाभयाम्।

“महाग् इन्द्रः, सजोषा इन्द्रः“ इति द्वाभयाम्।

“ये देवाः पुरःसदः“ इति पञ्चभिः पर्यायैः।

“अग्नये रक्षोघ्ने“ इति पञ्च।

“अग्निरायुष्मान्“ इति पञ्च।

“या वामिन्द्रावरुणा“ इति चतस्रः।

“यो वामिन्द्रावरुणौ“ इत्यष्टौ।

“अग्ने यशस्विन्“ इति चतस्रः।

राष्ट्रभृतं “ऋताषाडृतधामा“ इत्येतमनुवाकम्।

“नमो अस्तु सर्पेभ्यः“ तिसृभिः अनुछन्दसम्।

पञ्च चोडाः “अयं पुरो हरिकेशः“ इति पञ्चभिः पर्यायैः।

अप्रतिरथं “आशुः शिशानः“  इत्येतमनुवाकम्।

“शञ्च मे मयश्च मे“ इत्येतमनुवाकम्।

विहव्यं “ममाग्ने वर्चो विहवेष्वस्तु“ इत्येतमनुवाकम्।

मृगारं “अग्नेर्मन्वे“ इत्येतमनुवाकम्।

सर्पाहुतीः “समीची नमासि प्राची दिक्“ इति षड्भिः पर्यायैः।

गन्धर्वाहुतीः “हेतयो नाम स्थ तेषां वः पुरोगृहाः“ इति षड्भिः।

अज्यानीः “शतायुधाय“ इति पञ्च।

“भूतं भव्यं भविष्यत्“ इत्येतमनुवाकम्।

अथर्वशिरसं “इन्द्रो दधीचो अस्थभिः“ इत्येतमनुवाकम्।

प्रत्यङ्गिरसं “चक्षुषो हेते मनसो हेते“ इति प्रतिपद्य

“भ्रातृत्वं पादयामसि“ इत्यन्तम्।

“सिग् हे व्याघ्र उत या पृदाकौ“ इत्येतमनुवाकम्।

“अहमस्मि“ इत्येतमनुवाकम्।

“ता सूर्याचन्द्रमसा“ इत्येतमनुवाकम्।

“अग्निर्नः पातु“, “ऋध्या स्म“, “नवोनवः“ इत्येतैस्त्रिभिरनुवाकैरुत्तमैरुपहोमैश्च।

सुरभिमत्याब्लिङ्गाभिः वारुणीभिः हिरणयवर्णाभिः पावमानाभिः व्याहृतिभिः।

यो ब्रह्माब्राह्मण तच्छंयोः इति घृतसूक्तम्।

“तच्छंयोरावृणीमहे“  इत्येतमनुवाकम्।

“नमो ब्रह्मणे“ इति परिधानीयां त्रिरन्वाहोति ब्राह्मणम्॥

A brief explanation of the sUtrAs

1)      The first part of the sUtrA  “अथ वै भवति–श्रद्धा वा आपः …… तस्मात्पवित्रेण शान्त्युदकं करोति।“ spells out the mantrAs that are chanted in the beginning- “ॐ अ॒पः प्रण॑यति। श्र॒द्धावा आपः॑।“ to “आपो॒वैशां॒ताः शां॒ताभि॑रे॒वास्य॒ शुच॑ग् शमयति“. In the normal udakashAnti prayoga these days, the mantrAs mentioned above are chanted along with a few other mantrAs while during kalasha/kumbha-AvAhanaM.

2)      The second part of the sutra “जन्मनक्षत्रे पुण्ये नक्षत्रे … अथ शान्तिमारभेत।“ speaks about the various circumstances/events for which udakashAnti may (or should) be performed.

3)      The third part of the sUtra “तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम् इत्येतां………नमो ब्रह्मणे इति परिधानीयां त्रिरन्वाहोति ब्राह्मणम्” lists out the various mantrAs from the taittiriya samhita and brAhmaNa that has to be chanted during this ceremony. For example, “राक्षोघ्नं कृणुष्व पाजः प्रसितिं इत्येतमनुवाकं” tells us to chant the rAkSoGna-anuvAka-mantrAs starting “कृ॒णु॒ष्व पाजः॒ प्रसि॑तिं॒..” (TaitrirIya Samhita 1.2.14).

One can notice that the list of mantrAs chanted during udakashAnti prayoga is extensive and consists of many important (and famous) mantrAs from the TaittrIya Samhita and brahmaNa. Since maharshi bodhAyana is unambiguous in providing the list of mantrAs, there is very little pATha-bhedas that exists today.

The mantrAs need to be learned from a Guru and not directly read from a book. However, for reference, any udakashAnti publication (proofread by a sAmpradAyic-vedAdhyAyin) could be used.  My personal favorite is “Saprayoga-udakashanti” edited by Sri Vedaratna Keshava Shastri Joglekar.