Question

contradiction between Nasadiya Sukta and Hiranyagarbha

Answer

I agree that most of translation of Nasadiya Sukta concludes that " he knows - or maybe even he does not know."

Rigveda 10.129.7 Whence all creation had its origin, he, whether he fashioned it or whether he did not, he, who surveys it all from highest heaven, he knows - or maybe even he does not know.

However another interpretation I found for this line is No other than him does know it completely (only he knows).

According to Sayana Bhashya

The most followed Bhashya (commentary) on Vedas are of Sayanacharya's. I do not have English or Hindi translation of Sayanacharya's Sanskrit commentary on Rigveda, neither I am a Sanskrit expert but still trying to interpret/conclude with reference to Sayanacharya's original Sanskrit commentary:

Read this page:

enter image description here

  • Here the (red) underlined text interprets the bottom line of the verse of Rigveda:

    यदि वा न वेद न जानाति । को नाम अन्यो जानियात् ।

    Which को नाम अन्यो जानियात् means who is other that knows or who other knows (A Sanskrit scholar can confirm this meaning).

  • The (green) underlined text explains further that only Omniscient Ishwar knows the creation, no other. that is what meant.

    सर्वज्ञ ईश्वर एव तां सृष्टिं जानियात् नान्य इत्यर्थ: ।

So, it can be concluded that the interpretation is only he does know, no other.

According to Dayananda Saraswati

To support or verify this interpretation, I am quoting the commentary of Swami Dayananda Saraswati of Aryasamaja whose interpretations of Vedas are also considerably followed

Quoting from Aryasamaj Rigveda Bhashya:

enter image description here

Here underlined text is in Hindi which translates in English as follows:

Only Parameshwara knows it completely, others don't know it completely

You may also read English version from Book by Dr. Tulsi Ram.

According to Subodha Bhashya

Yet another commentary I am citing is Rigveda Subodha (Hindi) Bhashya by Damadoar Saatvalekar:

You may refer this page from Internet Archive:

enter image description here

Here underlined Hindi bhashya translates in English as follows:

O scholar! That Tattva (who creates) knows these all even whether others don't know

Note: “The question: contradiction between Nasadiya Sukta and Hiranyagarbha” is licensed by Stack Exchange Inc (https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/); user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA.