The Purusha
Sukta RV 10:90
infinite
beings are the Purusha, sight of a many, feet numerous
to tread;
and, pervading the earth on all sides, he exists beyond
the ten directions.
Purusha, indeed, is all this,what has been and what will
be,
and the Lord of immortality transcending by mortal nurture.
Such is his magnificence, but Purusha is greater than
this;
all beings are a fourth of him, three-fourths--his immortality--lie
in heaven.
Three-fourths of Purusha ascended, the fourth part was
here again and again,and, diversified in form, it moved
to the animate and the inanimate world.
From him was Viraj born, and from Viraj was born Purusha;
and, as soon as born, he spread over the earth from behind
and in front.
When with Purusha as offering the Devas performed a sacrifice,
spring was the molten butter, summer the fuel, and autumn
the oblation.
On the grass they besprinkled him, the Sacrifice Purusha,
the first born.
With him the Devas sacrificed, and those Sadhyas and the
Rishis.
From that sacrifice, fully offered, was gathered the mixed
milk and butter.
And animals ruled by Vayu arose the sylvan and the domestic.
From that sacrifice, fully offered, the Rik and the Saman
were born,
the Chandas was born of that, and from that was the Yajus
born.
From that were born horses, and the animals with two roes
of teeth;
yea, kine were born of that, and of that were born the
goat and the sheep.
When they divided Purusha, how many portions did they
make?
What did they call his mouth? What his arms? and what
his thighs his feet?
The Brahmana was his mouth, and his arms were made the
Rajanya,
his thighs became the Vaisya, and from his feet was the
Sudra born.
From his mind was born the moon, and from his eye the
sun.
From his mouth were Indra and Agni born and Vayu was born
from his breath.
From his navel came the mid-air, from his head the sky
was fashioned,
from his feet the earth, and from his ear the quarters.
Thus they formed the worlds.
Seven were the sticks of the enclosure, thrice seven the
logs of wood prepared,
when Devas, performing the rite, bound, as their victim,
Purusha.
With sacrifice the Devas worshipped the Sacrifice,
Those wee the earliest holy ordinances.
The mighty Ones attained the height of heaven.
where the ancient Devas, the Sadhyas, abide.
The Original Sanskrit
Hymn
sahasrashirshe purushah
sahasrekshah sahesrapet |
sa bhumim vishvato vritvaty atishnhad dasheigulam ||
purusha evedem sarvam yad bhutam yac ca bhavyam |
utamritatvasyesheno yad annenetirohati ||
etaven asya mahimato jyayeshesh ca purushah|
pado esya vishvebhutani tripad asyemritamdivi||
tripµd årdhvá £d ait p£ruùaþ
pµdo 'syehµbhavat p£naþ |
táto v¡ùvaï vy
kràmat
sà÷anàna÷an abh¡
||
tásmàd virµ× ajàyata
virµjo ádhi p½ruùaþ |
sá jàt¢ áty aricyata pa÷cµd
bh½mim átho puráþ ||
yát p£ruùeõa hav¡ùà
devµ yaj¤ám átanvata |
vasant¢ asyàsãd µjyaü grãùmá
idhmáþ ÷arád dhav¡þ
||
táü yaj¤ám barh¡ùi
pra£kùan p£ruùaü jàtám
agratáþ |
tna devµ ayajanta sàdhyµ Æùaya÷
ca y ||
tásmàd yaj¤µt sarvah£taþ
sámbhçtam pçùadàjyám
|
pa÷½n tµü÷ cakre vàyavy¶n
àraõyµn gràmyµ÷
ca y ||
tásmàd yaj¤µt sarvah£ta
Æcaþ sµmàni jaj¤ire |
chándàüsi jaj¤ire tásmàd
yájus tásmàd ajàyata ||
tásmàd á÷và ajàyanta
y k cobhayµdataþ |
gµvo ha jaj¤ire tásmàt tásmàj
jàtµ ajàváyaþ ||
yát p£ruùaü vy ádadhuþ
katidhµ vy
kalpayan |
m£khaü k¡m asya ka£ bàh½
kµ år½ pµdà ucyete ||
bràhmaõ 'sya m£kham àsãd
bàh½ ràjany
þ kçtáþ
|
år½ tád asya yád va¡÷yaþ
padbhyµü ÷ådr¢ ajàyata
||
candrámà mánaso jàtá÷
cákùoþ s½ryo ajàyata
|
m£khàd ¡ndra÷ càgn¡÷
ca pràõµd vày£r ajàyata
||
a nµbhyà àsãd antárikùaü
÷ãrùõ¢ dya£þ
sám avartata |
padbhyµm bh½mir d¡÷aþ
÷r¢tràt táthà lokµÞ
akalpayan ||
saptµsyàsan paridháyas tr¡þ
saptá sam¡dhaþ kçtµþ
|
devµ yád yaj¤áü tanvànµ
ábadhnan p£ruùam pa÷£m
||
yaj¤na yaj¤ám ayajanta devµs
tµni dhármàõi prathamµny
àsan |
t ha nµkam mahimµnaþ sacanta yátra
p½rve sàdhyµþ sánti devµþ
||