NASADIYA --- THE CREATION HYMN OF THE RIG VEDA --- 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, unfathomably deep? There was neither death nor immortality then. There was no distinguishing sign of night nor of day. That One breathed, windless, by its own impulse. Other than that there was nothing beyond. Darkness was hidden by darkness in the beginning, with no distinguishing sign, all this was water. Then from that which was hidden by the void, that One arose, through the power of heat. Desire came upon that One in the beginning, that was the first seed of mind. Poets seeking in their heart with wisdom discovered that that which is, is kin to that which is not. A cord extended across Being and Non-Being. Was there below? Was there above? There were seed-bearers, there were mighty powers. There was impulse beneath, there was giving forth above. Who really knows? Who will here proclaim it? Whence was it produced?  Whence is this creation? The gods came afterwards, with the creation of this universe. Who then knows whence it has arisen? Whence has this creation arisen --- perhaps it formed itself, or perhaps it did not. The One who looks down on it, in the highest heaven, only He knows. Or perhaps He does not.