Purusha sukta
Encyclopedia
Purusha sukta is hymn 10.90 of the Rigveda
, dedicated to the Purusha
, the "Cosmic Being". One version of the Suktam has 16 verses, 15 in the meter, and the final one in the meter. While, another version of the Suktam consists of 24 verses with the first 18 mantras designated as the Purva-narayana, and the later portion termed as the Uttara-narayana.
Purusha is described as a primeval gigantic person, from whose body the world and the varnas (socioeconomic classes) are built. He is described as having a thousand heads and a thousand feet. He emanated Viraj, the female creative principle, from which he is reborn in turn before the world was made out of his parts.
In the sacrifice of Purusha, the Vedic chants were first created. The horses and cows were born, the Brahmin
s (Learned men) were made from Purusha's mouth, the Kshatriya
s (Men with strength) from his arms, the Vaishya
s (Men with business acumen)from his thighs, and the Shudra
s (Men who Work) from his feet. The Moon was born from his mind, the Sun from his eyes, the heavens from his skull. Indra
and Agni
emerged from his mouth.
(19.6), the Samaveda
(6.4), the Yajurveda
(VS 31.1-6), the Taittiriya Aranyaka (3.12,13), and it is commented upon in the Shatapatha Brahmana
, the Taittiriya Brahmana, the Shvetashvatara Upanishad
and the Mudgala Upanishad. It is one of the few Rig vedic hymns still current in contemporary Hinduism
like, the Gayatri
mantra. The Purusha Sukta is also mentioned with explanations and interpretations in the Vajasaneyi Samhita (31.1-6), the Sama veda Samhita
(6.4), and the Atharva veda Samhita
(19.6). Among Puranic texts, the Sukta has also been elaborated in the Bhagavata Purana
(2.5.35 to 2.6.1-29) and in the Mahabharata
(Mokshadharma Parva 351 and 352).
The Vedantic
interpretation take the suktam to allegorize the principles of approaching (upasana
), knowledge (jnana
), devotion (bhakti
), and rituals and duties (dharma
and karma
).
, at Chennai
, in commentating on the introduction to Swami Amritananda's translation of Sri Rudram and Purushasuktam, stated that the Vedas describe the essential nature of the Supreme Being and the Purusha sukta is one of those hymns which describe Parabrahman.
Verse 1: According to two commentators, Sayana
and Bhatta Bhaskara, this verse identifies the Supreme Being, Vishnu
in Vaishnavism
.
The Vaishnavite saint, Raghavendra Swami
comments that Vishnu is in all Purushas or souls and that He is complete even in dust, grass,wood and in the small particles.http://purushasookta.patwari.org/
Verse 2: The same commentators state that the Supreme Lord is greater than the sum of His creation. The manifested world is only a fraction of Vishnu. This verse is an allusion to panentheistic concepts in Vaishnavism.
Raghavendra Swami comments that "Vishnu is in the Past, is in the Present and will be in the Future,as He is the Complete- the Omniscient and Omnipotent."
Verse 3: The saint comments that everything in the universe acts as per the order of Hari
.
Verse 4: Bhatta Bhaskar, the commentator has stated that many things such as elements and sense organs were created.
Raghavendra Swami comments that Vishnu is omnipresent.
Verse 5: Raghavendra Swami comments that Sriman Narayana
is the Lord of everything created.
Verse 6: Sayana states since many substances were not yet created so the devas
mentally performed a yajna
. The spring season became ghee
, summer season became fagots and autumn season became havis, purodasa.
Raghavendra Swami comments that Vishnu created the seasons for this yajna.
Verse 7: The saint states that Vishnu, is the ultimate creator, preserver and destroyer.
Verse 8: Bhatta Bhaskara interprets this verse to mean that both wild and domesticated animals were created from Purusha who is the soul of everything. Sayana states a similar interpretation and like Bhatta, agrees that that Vayu
, the wind deva
is the presiding deity over space and animals are from the deity of space.
Verse 9: Bhatta Bhaskara, the commentator states that the Vedas
such as Rig Veda and yajus were born from the sacrifice. Sayana additionally includes creation of the Gayatri
mantra
from this sacrifice.
Raghavendra Swami states that Vishnu created the Vedas
, the Gayatri mantra, etc.
Verse 10: Bhatta Bhaskara interprets the animal creation from this Purusha. He states that horses, animals with two rows of teeth in the upper and lower jaws such as donkeys were born. Additionally, cows, goats and sheep were created.
Raghavendra Swami states that Vishnu created horse, donkey, sheep, cow and goats for this yajna.
Verse 12: Both commentators state that the four classes of human society (castes)
were born from Him.
Warriors were created from the arms of God and the priests were from his head and the merchants from his abdomen and the laborers from his legs. This may be interpreted as meaning that no one caste is more important than the other and that society cannot survive without all parts working together.
Verse 13: Both commentators state that the devas
such as Indra
, Agni
and Vayu
were born from various parts of the Supreme Being,
The saint comments that Hari has created Chandra
by his mind, Surya
by his eyes, Indra
and other devas
from his face. Sri Hari created Vayu
by his breath.
Verse 14: Sayana states that heaven emerges from his head, the earth from his feet and from his ears, the quarters were created. Bhatta Bhaskara interprets this verse to mean the various worlds were created from the Supreme Being.
Verse 15: Sayana states that from such worship came the dharmas which sustained the world emerged and the fruits of such worship. Bhatta Bhaskara states that all the elements which sustain the world emerged and the great ones reached heaven where there is only happiness.
The saint comments that all the devas
performed the yajna and attained the fruits by Vishnu, i.e., moksha
.
It is said that all the great demigods of this universe assemble in front of the Vaikunta
dwara and recite this beautiful prayer.
Rigveda
The Rigveda is an ancient Indian sacred collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns...
, dedicated to the Purusha
Purusha
In some lineages of Hinduism, Purusha is the "Self" which pervades the universe. The Vedic divinities are interpretations of the many facets of Purusha...
, the "Cosmic Being". One version of the Suktam has 16 verses, 15 in the meter, and the final one in the meter. While, another version of the Suktam consists of 24 verses with the first 18 mantras designated as the Purva-narayana, and the later portion termed as the Uttara-narayana.
Content
In the sacrifice of Purusha, the Vedic chants were first created. The horses and cows were born, the Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
s (Learned men) were made from Purusha's mouth, the Kshatriya
Kshatriya
*For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya or Kashtriya, meaning warrior, is one of the four varnas in Hinduism...
s (Men with strength) from his arms, the Vaishya
Vaishya
Vaishya is one of the four varnas of the Hindu social order. According to Vedic tradition, this caste primarily comprises merchants, farmers, cattle-herders and artisans.-Duties of Vaishyas:...
s (Men with business acumen)from his thighs, and the Shudra
Shudra
Shudra is the fourth Varna, as prescribed in the Purusha Sukta of the Rig veda, which constitutes society into four varnas or Chaturvarna. The other three varnas are Brahmans - priests, Kshatriya - those with governing functions, Vaishya - agriculturalists, cattle rearers and traders...
s (Men who Work) from his feet. The Moon was born from his mind, the Sun from his eyes, the heavens from his skull. Indra
Indra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
and Agni
Agni
Agni is a Hindu deity, one of the most important of the Vedic gods. He is the god of fire and the acceptor of sacrifices. The sacrifices made to Agni go to the deities because Agni is a messenger from and to the other gods...
emerged from his mouth.
Context
The hymn finds place in various Vedic texts such as the AtharvavedaAtharvaveda
The Atharvaveda is a sacred text of Hinduism and one of the four Vedas, often called the "fourth Veda"....
(19.6), the Samaveda
Samaveda
The Sama veda , is second of the four Vedas, the ancient core Hindu scriptures. Its earliest parts are believed to date from 1700 BC and it ranks next in sanctity and liturgical importance to the Rigveda...
(6.4), the Yajurveda
Yajurveda
The Yajurveda, a tatpurusha compound of "sacrificial formula', + ) is the third of the four canonical texts of Hinduism, the Vedas. By some, it is estimated to have been composed between 1400 and 1000 BC, the Yajurveda 'Samhita', or 'compilation', contains the liturgy needed to perform the...
(VS 31.1-6), the Taittiriya Aranyaka (3.12,13), and it is commented upon in the Shatapatha Brahmana
Shatapatha Brahmana
The Shatapatha Brahmana is one of the prose texts describing the Vedic ritual, associated with the Shukla Yajurveda. It survives in two recensions, Madhyandina and Kanva , with the former having the eponymous 100 adhyayas,7624 kandikas in 14 books, and the latter 104 adhyayas,6806 kandikas in 17...
, the Taittiriya Brahmana, the Shvetashvatara Upanishad
Shvetashvatara Upanishad
The Shvetashvatara Upanishad is one of the older, "primary" Upanishads. It is associated with the Krishna Yajurveda. It figures as number 14 in the Muktika canon of 108 Upanishads...
and the Mudgala Upanishad. It is one of the few Rig vedic hymns still current in contemporary Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
like, the Gayatri
Gayatri
Gayatri is the feminine form of , a Sanskrit word for a song or a hymn. Gayatri is a consort of Brahma and the goddess of learning. Brahma married her when there was a need for a companion during a yajna. Brahma had to start the yajna along with his wife...
mantra. The Purusha Sukta is also mentioned with explanations and interpretations in the Vajasaneyi Samhita (31.1-6), the Sama veda Samhita
Samhita
Samhita may refer to"*the basic metrical text of each of the Vedas**specifically, these texts with sandhi applied *post-Vedic texts known as Samhitas:** Ashtavakra Gita...
(6.4), and the Atharva veda Samhita
Samhita
Samhita may refer to"*the basic metrical text of each of the Vedas**specifically, these texts with sandhi applied *post-Vedic texts known as Samhitas:** Ashtavakra Gita...
(19.6). Among Puranic texts, the Sukta has also been elaborated in the Bhagavata Purana
Bhagavata purana
The Bhāgavata Purāṇa is one of the "Maha" Puranic texts of Hindu literature, with its primary focus on bhakti to the incarnations of Vishnu, particularly Krishna...
(2.5.35 to 2.6.1-29) and in the Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
(Mokshadharma Parva 351 and 352).
The Vedantic
Vedanta
Vedānta was originally a word used in Hindu philosophy as a synonym for that part of the Veda texts known also as the Upanishads. The name is a morphophonological form of Veda-anta = "Veda-end" = "the appendix to the Vedic hymns." It is also speculated that "Vedānta" means "the purpose or goal...
interpretation take the suktam to allegorize the principles of approaching (upasana
Upasana
Upasana in Sanskrit literally means "Sitting near" but normally the term is used in Hinduism to denote a prescribed method for approaching a Deity or God or getting close to a deity/deities. In the Vedas, some Upasanas are prescribed whereby one meditates on the all-pervading Brahman as some aspect...
), knowledge (jnana
Jnana
Jñāna or gñāna is a Sanskrit and Pali word that means knowledge. It has various nuances of meaning depending on the context. The idea of jnana centers around a cognitive event which is recognized when experienced...
), devotion (bhakti
Bhakti
In Hinduism Bhakti is religious devotion in the form of active involvement of a devotee in worship of the divine.Within monotheistic Hinduism, it is the love felt by the worshipper towards the personal God, a concept expressed in Hindu theology as Svayam Bhagavan.Bhakti can be used of either...
), and rituals and duties (dharma
Dharma
Dharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
and karma
Karma
Karma in Indian religions is the concept of "action" or "deed", understood as that which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect originating in ancient India and treated in Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh philosophies....
).
Interpretations
The President of the Ramakrishna MissionRamakrishna Mission
Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission are twin organizations which form the core of a worldwide spiritual movement known as Ramakrishna Movement or Vedanta Movement. The Ramakrishna Mission is a philanthropic, volunteer organization founded by Ramakrishna's chief disciple Swami Vivekananda on...
, at Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, in commentating on the introduction to Swami Amritananda's translation of Sri Rudram and Purushasuktam, stated that the Vedas describe the essential nature of the Supreme Being and the Purusha sukta is one of those hymns which describe Parabrahman.
Verse 1: According to two commentators, Sayana
Sayana
' was an important commentator on the Vedas. He flourished under King Bukka I and his successor Harihara II, in the Vijayanagar Empire of South India...
and Bhatta Bhaskara, this verse identifies the Supreme Being, Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
in Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu, or his associated Avatars such as Rama and Krishna, as the original and supreme God....
.
The Vaishnavite saint, Raghavendra Swami
Raghavendra Swami
Raghavendra Theertha was a Hindu saint and philosopher who served as the head of the Sri Mutt in Kumbakonam from 1624 to 1636. He wrote a commentary Sudha Parimala on the Nyaya Sudha, an exposition of Dvaita philosophy...
comments that Vishnu is in all Purushas or souls and that He is complete even in dust, grass,wood and in the small particles.http://purushasookta.patwari.org/
Verse 2: The same commentators state that the Supreme Lord is greater than the sum of His creation. The manifested world is only a fraction of Vishnu. This verse is an allusion to panentheistic concepts in Vaishnavism.
Raghavendra Swami comments that "Vishnu is in the Past, is in the Present and will be in the Future,as He is the Complete- the Omniscient and Omnipotent."
Verse 3: The saint comments that everything in the universe acts as per the order of Hari
Hari
Hari is an Avatar, another name of and , and appears as the 650th name in the Vishnu sahasranama of Mahabharata. In Sanskrit "hari" sometimes refers to a colour, green, yellow, or fawn-coloured/khaki. It is the colour of the Sun and of Soma...
.
Verse 4: Bhatta Bhaskar, the commentator has stated that many things such as elements and sense organs were created.
Raghavendra Swami comments that Vishnu is omnipresent.
Verse 5: Raghavendra Swami comments that Sriman Narayana
Sriman Narayana
Sriman Narayana is a combination of two names of Vishnu, a form of God in Hinduism- Sriman and Narayana.Combining two names to form one name is a common Hindu practice. Similar examples include Ramakrishna, Harihara, and Shankaranarayana....
is the Lord of everything created.
Verse 6: Sayana states since many substances were not yet created so the devas
Deva (Hinduism)
' is the Sanskrit word for god or deity, its related feminine term is devi. In modern Hinduism, it can be loosely interpreted as any benevolent supernatural beings. The devs in Hinduism, also called Suras, are often juxtaposed to the Asuras, their half brothers. Devs are also the maintainers of...
mentally performed a yajna
Yajna
In Hinduism, yajna is a ritual of sacrifice derived from the practice of Vedic times. It is performed to please the gods or to attain certain wishes...
. The spring season became ghee
Ghee
Ghee is a class of clarified butter that originated in South Asia and is commonly used in South Asian cuisine....
, summer season became fagots and autumn season became havis, purodasa.
Raghavendra Swami comments that Vishnu created the seasons for this yajna.
Verse 7: The saint states that Vishnu, is the ultimate creator, preserver and destroyer.
Verse 8: Bhatta Bhaskara interprets this verse to mean that both wild and domesticated animals were created from Purusha who is the soul of everything. Sayana states a similar interpretation and like Bhatta, agrees that that Vayu
Vayu
Vāyu is a primary Hindu deity, the Lord of the winds, the father of Bhima and the spiritual father of Lord Hanuman...
, the wind deva
Deva (Hinduism)
' is the Sanskrit word for god or deity, its related feminine term is devi. In modern Hinduism, it can be loosely interpreted as any benevolent supernatural beings. The devs in Hinduism, also called Suras, are often juxtaposed to the Asuras, their half brothers. Devs are also the maintainers of...
is the presiding deity over space and animals are from the deity of space.
Verse 9: Bhatta Bhaskara, the commentator states that the Vedas
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
such as Rig Veda and yajus were born from the sacrifice. Sayana additionally includes creation of the Gayatri
Gayatri
Gayatri is the feminine form of , a Sanskrit word for a song or a hymn. Gayatri is a consort of Brahma and the goddess of learning. Brahma married her when there was a need for a companion during a yajna. Brahma had to start the yajna along with his wife...
mantra
from this sacrifice.
Raghavendra Swami states that Vishnu created the Vedas
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
, the Gayatri mantra, etc.
Verse 10: Bhatta Bhaskara interprets the animal creation from this Purusha. He states that horses, animals with two rows of teeth in the upper and lower jaws such as donkeys were born. Additionally, cows, goats and sheep were created.
Raghavendra Swami states that Vishnu created horse, donkey, sheep, cow and goats for this yajna.
Verse 12: Both commentators state that the four classes of human society (castes)
were born from Him.
Warriors were created from the arms of God and the priests were from his head and the merchants from his abdomen and the laborers from his legs. This may be interpreted as meaning that no one caste is more important than the other and that society cannot survive without all parts working together.
Verse 13: Both commentators state that the devas
Deva (Hinduism)
' is the Sanskrit word for god or deity, its related feminine term is devi. In modern Hinduism, it can be loosely interpreted as any benevolent supernatural beings. The devs in Hinduism, also called Suras, are often juxtaposed to the Asuras, their half brothers. Devs are also the maintainers of...
such as Indra
Indra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
, Agni
Agni
Agni is a Hindu deity, one of the most important of the Vedic gods. He is the god of fire and the acceptor of sacrifices. The sacrifices made to Agni go to the deities because Agni is a messenger from and to the other gods...
and Vayu
Vayu
Vāyu is a primary Hindu deity, the Lord of the winds, the father of Bhima and the spiritual father of Lord Hanuman...
were born from various parts of the Supreme Being,
The saint comments that Hari has created Chandra
Chandra
In Hinduism, Chandra is a lunar deity and a Graha. Chandra is also identified with the Vedic Lunar deity Soma . The Soma name refers particularly to the juice of sap in the plants and thus makes the Moon the lord of plants and vegetation. He is described as young, beautiful, fair; two-armed and...
by his mind, Surya
Surya
Surya Suraya or Phra Athit is the chief solar deity in Hinduism, one of the Adityas, son of Kasyapa and one of his wives, Aditi; of Indra; or of Dyaus Pitar . The term Surya also refers to the Sun, in general. Surya has hair and arms of gold...
by his eyes, Indra
Indra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
and other devas
Deva (Hinduism)
' is the Sanskrit word for god or deity, its related feminine term is devi. In modern Hinduism, it can be loosely interpreted as any benevolent supernatural beings. The devs in Hinduism, also called Suras, are often juxtaposed to the Asuras, their half brothers. Devs are also the maintainers of...
from his face. Sri Hari created Vayu
Vayu
Vāyu is a primary Hindu deity, the Lord of the winds, the father of Bhima and the spiritual father of Lord Hanuman...
by his breath.
Verse 14: Sayana states that heaven emerges from his head, the earth from his feet and from his ears, the quarters were created. Bhatta Bhaskara interprets this verse to mean the various worlds were created from the Supreme Being.
Verse 15: Sayana states that from such worship came the dharmas which sustained the world emerged and the fruits of such worship. Bhatta Bhaskara states that all the elements which sustain the world emerged and the great ones reached heaven where there is only happiness.
The saint comments that all the devas
Deva (Hinduism)
' is the Sanskrit word for god or deity, its related feminine term is devi. In modern Hinduism, it can be loosely interpreted as any benevolent supernatural beings. The devs in Hinduism, also called Suras, are often juxtaposed to the Asuras, their half brothers. Devs are also the maintainers of...
performed the yajna and attained the fruits by Vishnu, i.e., moksha
Moksha
Within Indian religions, moksha or mukti , literally "release" , is the liberation from samsara and the concomitant suffering involved in being subject to the cycle of repeated death and reincarnation or rebirth.-Origins:It is highly probable that the concept of moksha was first developed in...
.
It is said that all the great demigods of this universe assemble in front of the Vaikunta
Vaikunta
Vaikuntha , Param Padam , or Paramapadam is the abode of Lord Vishnu. It is believed, in the tradition of Vaishnavites, to be the place of eternal bliss, exclusive to the Lord, His eternal consort, the Goddess Lakshmi, and the three-folded Serpent Sesha Naga, upon whom the Lord, and His Shakti ,...
dwara and recite this beautiful prayer.
External links
- Translation and Transliteration by Rajarajeshwari Kalpataru
- http://www.celextel.org/vedichymns/purushasuktam.html
- Ramanuja school interpretation.
- Dvaita interpretation of Purusha sukta.
- Divine Life society interpretation.
- Translation by Ralph Griffith
- Detailed Article on Purusha Suktham