Question

Select the correct facts regarding the Nasadiya Sukta (RV 10.129):
A. The Nasadiya Sukta contains seven mantras.
B. The Rishi of the Nasadiya Sukta is Parameshti Prajapati.
C. The Nasadiya Sukta consists of thirty-one mantras.
D. The Nasadiya Sukta is found in the second Mandala of the Rigveda.

• A. Only A and D
• B. Only A and B
• C. Only B and C
• D. Only B and D

Hint:

Remember the "Lucky Seven": The Nasadiya Sukta (Creation) has 7 mantras. Also, associate the "Highest Place" (Parameshti) with the "Highest Question" (Origin of Universe). This helps link the Rishi and the content.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The Nasadiya Sukta (Rigveda 10.129) is celebrated globally as one of the most profound philosophical inquiries into the origin of the universe. It is often referred to as the "Hymn of Creation." Unlike other hymns that attribute creation to a specific personal deity, the Nasadiya Sukta adopts a speculative and agnostic tone, pondering the state that existed before the existence of even gods or the heavens. Mastery of the structural and authorial details of this hymn is fundamental for any student of Vedic philosophy.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's evaluate the statements individually:

Statement A: The Nasadiya Sukta contains seven mantras.
This is factually correct. The hymn is concise, consisting of seven stanzas in the Trishtup meter. These seven mantras progress from the state of "neither being nor non-being" to the emergence of desire (Kama) and the eventually skeptical conclusion about whether even the highest god knows how the world arose. Thus, Statement A is correct.

Statement B: The Rishi is Parameshti Prajapati.
This is also correct. The traditional Rishi attributed to this Sukta is Parameshti Prajapati. In Vedic literature, the name of the Rishi often reflects the philosophical depth of the hymn. Parameshti literally means "one who stands in the highest place," which is fitting for a hymn dealing with the ultimate origin. Thus, Statement B is correct.

Statement C: The Nasadiya Sukta consists of thirty-one mantras.
This is incorrect. As established above, it has only seven mantras. A thirty-one mantra hymn would be significantly longer than the philosophical hymns found in the 10th Mandala. (Note: The Purusha Sukta has 16 or more depending on the version, but Nasadiya is famously 7). Thus, Statement C is incorrect.

Statement D: Found in the second Mandala.
This is incorrect. The Nasadiya Sukta is located in the Tenth Mandala (10.129). The 2nd through 7th Mandalas are "Family Books" (Kula-mandalas) that focus on specific deities and rituals. Highly abstract and philosophical hymns like the Nasadiya and Purusha are characteristic of the 10th Mandala. Thus, Statement D is incorrect.

Summary of Philosophy:
The Sukta begins with the words "nāsadāsīn no sadāsīt..." (There was neither non-existence nor existence). It describes a primordial state of darkness where only the "One" (Tadekam) breathed by its own power, without air. This hymn represents the peak of Vedic intellectual inquiry, moving beyond mythology into pure metaphysics.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct facts are A and B. Therefore, option (B) is the right choice.