It is shown that coherence between nondegenerate sublevels of an atomic ground state is efficiently induced by means of a short resonant light pulse. The free precession of the coherence causes beats in forward stattering of a probe beam, which can sensitively be detected by a polarization technique. Zeeman beats on the 4f 6 6s 2 7 F 1-4f 6 6s6p 7F 0 transition of samarium were observed. In sodium vapor transient ground state coherence was detected in a single-shot measurement.