The Creation Hymn - Rigveda

Folks,

Just remember for the time being that what Bible is to Christians is the Rigveda in part to the Hindus( I say so because there are myriad other books , but Rigveda is the earliest and preserved text of the Indo-European language, roughly dating back to 1700 B.C although the tradition of passing the hymns through oral tradition dates back much further in history ) In its current form, it consists of 10 books with 1028 hyms varying in age and length( means they were compiled at diff times throughout history)

Rigveda is a compound of rig + veda(veda comes from sanskrit root vid meaning 'knowledge' ) which is a collection of sacred Sanskrit hymns dedicated to the demi-gods in Hinduism.
The following is an English translation of the Creation hymn from the Rigveda(Book 10, hymn 129) which I thought to be a good point to start...

"A time is envisioned when the world was not, only a watery chaos (the dark, "indistinguishable sea") and a warm cosmic breath, which could give an impetus of life. Notice how thought gives rise to desire (when something is thought of it can then be desired) and desire links non-being to being (we desire what is not but then try to bring it about that it is). Yet the whole process is shrouded in mystery.

Where do the gods fit in this creation scheme?

The non-existent was not; the existent was not at that time. The atmosphere was not nor the heavens which are beyond. What was concealed? Where? In whose protection? Was it water? An unfathomable abyss?

There was neither death nor immortality then. There was not distinction of day or night. That alone breathed windless by its own power. Other than that there was not anything else.

Darkness was hidden by darkness in the beginning. All this was an indistinguishable sea. That which becomes, that which was enveloped by the void, that alone was born through the power of heat.

Upon that desire arose in the beginning. This was the first discharge of thought. Sages discovered this link of the existent to the nonexistent, having searched in the heart with wisdom.

Their line [of vision] was extended across; what was below, what was above? There were impregnators, there were powers: inherent power below, impulses above.

Who knows truly? Who here will declare whence it arose, whence this creation? The gods are subsequent to the creation of this. Who, then, knows whence it has come into being?

Whence this creation has come into being; whether it was made or not; he in the highest heaven is its surveyor. Surely he knows, or perhaps he knows not."

Regards,

Manu