To Be, or Not to Be, or Neither

The Vedas are full of puzzles, riddles, chants, spells, incantations, paeans, stories, myths and legends, with no apparent cohesion whatsoever. They are frustrating at best for the person who is seeking clarity in logic. Perhaps the most famous, or infamous examples is the so-called "Hymn to Creation" which sums up the nebulous nature of the Universe's secrets rather (un)clearly. Hope you enjoy this new translation of mine.

Namaste

nāsadāsīn no sadāsīt tadānīṃ nāsīd rajo no vyomāparo yat |

kimāvarīvaḥ kuha kasya śarmannambhaḥ kimāsīd ghahanaṃ ghabhīram ||

na mṛtyurāsīdamṛtaṃ na tarhi na rātryā ahna āsītpraketaḥ |

ānīdavātaṃ svadhayā tadekaṃ tasmāddhānyan na paraḥ kiṃ canāsa ||

tama āsīt tamasā ghūḷamaghre.apraketaṃ salilaṃ sarvamāidam |

tuchyenābhvapihitaṃ yadāsīt tapasastanmahinājāyataikam ||

kāmastadaghre samavartatādhi manaso retaḥ prathamaṃ yadāsīt |

sato bandhumasati niravindan hṛdi pratīṣyākavayo manīṣā ||

tiraścīno vitato raśmireṣāmadhaḥ svidāsī.a.a.at |

retodhāāsan mahimāna āsan svadhā avastāt prayatiḥ parastāt ||

ko addhā veda ka iha pra vocat kuta ājātā kuta iyaṃvisṛṣṭiḥ |

arvāgh devā asya visarjanenāthā ko veda yataābabhūva ||

iyaṃ visṛṣṭiryata ābabhūva yadi vā dadhe yadi vā na |

yo asyādhyakṣaḥ parame vyoman so aṅgha veda yadi vā naveda ||

Neither was there be-ing, nor non be-ing, no heaven, nor space beyond/

What shrouded it? and Where? What provided refuge? Was there water, water without depth?//

Neither was there Death, nor Immortality. No sign, no division between night and day./

That One Be-ing, without breath, breathed by its own, and distinct from this, was no-thing at all//

There was Darkness, which concealed Everything as undivided Chaos./

All that there was, was void and without form, and through the thermal power, the One was born.//

Desire came next. Desire, the primordial seed and germ of the Spirit./

Thoughtful Sages, led by their heart, found the kindred spirit of the be-ing with the non-being.//

Their discerning line extended across; though What was above it then, and What below?/

There were begetters, there were great forces, action here and energy further on//

Who truly knows and who here can proclaim it, from whence it was born and from whence comes the creation?/

The Gods are younger than this world's creation. Who, then, knows from whence it first came to Be?//

That One, the first origin of this creation, perhaps he formed it all, perhaps not,/

Whose eye governs this world in the highest heaven, verily he knows, or, perhaps he knows not.//