068. Avyakta

Om! Let my limbs and speech, Prana, eyes, ears, vitality And all the senses grow in strength. All existence is the Brahman of the Upanishads. May I never deny Brahman, nor Brahman deny me. Let there be no denial at all: Let there be no denial at least from me. May the virtues that are proclaimed in the Upanishads be in me, Who am devoted to the Atman; may they reside in me. Om ! Let there be Peace in me ! Let there be Peace in my environment ! Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !

The three states of evolution in the beginning were Avyakta( indeterminate), Mahattatwa(determined indeterminate) and Ahamkara(determinate). For each of these is a sukta.

Avyakta – Naasadeeya Sukta

Mahattatwa – Hiranyagarbha Sukta

Ahamkara -- Purusha Sukta

NAASADEEYA SUKTA

1. Naa sa daasee nno sa daasee ttadaaneem

naa see drajo no vyomaaparo yat

ki maavareevah kuhakasya sharman

ambhah kimaaseed gahanam gabheeram

2. Na mrithyu raaseed amritham na tharhi

Na raatryaa ahna aaseeth prakethah,

Anee davaatham svadhayaa thadekam

Thasmaad anya nna parah kincha naasa

3. Thama aaseeth thamasaa goodha magre

Praketham salilam sarva maa idam

Thucche naabhu apihitham yadaaseeth

Thapasah thanmahinaa jaaya thaikam

4. Kaamah thadagre samavartha thaadhi

Manaso rethah prathamam yadaaseeth

Satho bandhu masathi niravindan

Hridi pratheeshyaa kavayo maneeshaa

5. Thirashcheeno vithatho rashmi reshaam

Adhasvi daasee dupari svi daaseeth

Rethodhaa aasan mahimaana aasat

Svadhaa avasthaat prayathih parasthath

6. Ko addhaa veda ka iha pravochat

Kutha aajaathaa kutha iyam visrishtih

Arvaagdevaa asya vivarjanena

Adha ko veda yata aababhoova

7. Idam visrishti ryata aababhoova

Yadi vaa dadhe yadi vaa na dadhe

Yo asya adhyakshah parame vyoman

So anga veda yadi vaa na veda

TRANSLATION

Then there was neither Aught nor Naught, no air nor sky beyond.

What covered all? What rested all? In watery gulf profound?

Nor death was then, nor deathlessness, nor change of night and day.

That one breathed calmly, self-sustained; naught else beyond it lay.

Gloom hid in gloom existed first-one sea eluding view.

The one a void in chaos wrapt, by inward forever grew.

Within it first arose desire, the primal germ of mind,

which nothing with existence links, as ages searching find.

The kindling ray that shot across the dark and drearinesswas

it beneath or high aloft? What bard can answer this?

There fecundating powers were found and mighty forces strove –

A self supporting mass beneath, and energy above.

Who knows and whoever told, from whence this vast creation rose?

No gods had been born. Who then can e’er the truth disclose

whence sprang this world, whether framed by hand divine or no-

Its lord in heaven alone can tell, if he can show.

(The translation is taken from MUIR’S ORIGINAL SANSKRIT TEXTS, Vol. V)

Om ! Let my limbs and speech, Prana, eyes, ears, vitality And all the senses grow in strength. All existence is the Brahman of the Upanishads. May I never deny Brahman, nor Brahman deny me. Let there be no denial at all: Let there be no denial at least from me. May the virtues that are proclaimed in the Upanishads be in me, Who am devoted to the Atman; may they reside in me. Om ! Let there be Peace in me ! Let there be Peace in my environment ! Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me ! Here ends the Avyaktopanishad, included in the Sama-Veda.