In the beginning[1] there was indescribable darkness;
Then was not earth or heaven, naught but God’s unequalled
order.
Then was not day, or night, or moon, or sun; God was
meditating on the void.
Then were not the mines of production, or voices, or wind,
or water;
Neither creation nor destruction, nor coming nor going,
Then were not continents, or hells, or seven seas, or rivers,
or flowing streams,
Nor was there paradise, or a tortoise,[2] or nether regions;
Or the hell or heaven of the Muhammadans, or the destroyer
Death;
Or the hell or heaven of the Hindus, or birth, or death;
nor did any one come or go.
Then was no Brahma, Vishnu, or Shiv:
No one existed but the One God.
Then was no female, or male, or caste, or birth; nor did
any one feel pain or pleasure.
There was no Jati, Sati,[3] or dweller in the forest;
There was no Sidh, or Striver, or dweller at ease;
No Jogi, or Jangam, or religious garb; nor did any one
call himself a Nath;[4]
No devotion, penance, austerity, fasting, or worship;
Nor did any one speak or tell of duality.[5]
God Himself having created was pleased, and valued what He had done.
There was no purification, or self-restraint, or necklace of
sweet basil;
There was no milkmaid, or Krishan, or cow, or herdsman;
- ↑ Arbad is here understood to be for arambh. Arbud in Sanskrit means a number of one hundred millions, so arbad narbad may also mean—for countless years.
- ↑ Which some Hindus believe supports the earth.
- ↑ Sati means a faithful wife, especially one who cremates herself with her deceased husband.
- ↑ A superior of Jogis.
- ↑ Dwait, duality, in the Sikh writings means the worship of other than God.
