Rgveda: The Nasadiya Sukta (after ná ásat "not the non-existent")

नासदासीन्नोसदासीत्तादानीं नासीद्रजो नो व्योमापरो यत |
किमावरीव: कुहकस्यशर्मन्नम्भ: किमासीद्गहनं गभीरं || १ ||

न मृत्युरासीदमृतं न तर्हि न रात्र्याऽआह्नऽआसीत्प्रकेतः |
आनीदवातं स्वधया तदेकं तस्माद्धान्यन्नपर: किन्चनास || २ || [...]

इयं विसृष्टिर्यतऽआबभूव यदि वा दधे यदि वा न |
योऽअस्याध्यक्ष: परमे व्योमंत्सोऽअंग वेद यदि वा न वेद || ७ ||

The quote above derives from the Creation Hymn which is the 129th hymn of the 10th Mandala of the Rgveda/ ऋग्वेद [c. 1200–900 BC (the early Vedic period)]. The Rig Veda is a collection of more than 1,000 hymns which represents the first extensive composition in any Indo-European language. O'Flaherty: "Fraught with paradox, the hymns are meant to puzzle, to surprise, to trouble the mind". Very roughly paraphrased as:
[1] There was neither non-existence nor existence then; there was neither the realm of space nor the sky which is beyond. What stirred? Where? In whose protection? Was there water, bottomlessly deep?
[2] There was neither death nor immortality then. There was no distinguishing sign of night or day. That one breathed, windless, by its own impulse. Other than that, there was nothing beyond. [...]
[7] Whence this creation has arisen – perhaps it formed itself, or perhaps it did not—the one who looks down on it, in the highest heaven, only he knows – or perhaps he does not know.
Translation by: Wendy Doniger O’Flaherty.