The hymn from the Rig Veda [R.V.10.129] presents a profound cosmology, exploring the origins of creation and the universe. It starts by describing the pre-creation void, a state of non-being, where neither life nor death existed. Out of this void emerged “the One,” a primal force driven by its own impulse. From darkness and chaos, it initiated creation, animated by desire. The hymn acknowledges the mystery of creation’s origin, suggesting that even the gods, being younger than creation itself, might not fully comprehend it, and perhaps neither does the Supreme Being.
This hymn draws connections to other Vedic stories, particularly in its portrayal of the primordial state of chaos, similar to the depiction of cosmic waters in Hindu cosmology, where Vishnu sleeps on the serpent Ananta. The idea of desire as the first seed of creation is echoed in the Upanishads, where desire or kāma is considered a crucial force in the unfolding of the universe.
The ambiguity at the end of the hymn, which questions the knowledge of even the Supreme Being about the origin of creation, resonates with other philosophical discourses in Hinduism, where not all mysteries of existence are fully revealed, even to the gods. This can also be compared to stories like the debate between the creator god Brahma and Vishnu about supremacy, symbolizing the inscrutability of the ultimate source of creation.
In this light, the hymn stands as one of the earliest contemplations on existence, blending mythological thought with philosophical speculation, and remains open-ended, emphasizing the complexity and mystery of the cosmos.