ThePurushaSukta

msahasrarpuruasahasrkasahasrapt,
sabhmivivatovtv'tyatiaddagulam.
ThousandheadedisthePurusha,thousandeyedandthousandlegged.Envelopingtheearthfromallsides,
Hetranscendsitbytenfingerslength.
Note:ThisisthefirstmantraofthefamousPurushaSuktaoftheVeda.Herethetranscendenttotalityofall
creationisconceivedastheCosmicPerson,theUniversalConsciousnessanimatingallmanifestation.The
wordearthistobeunderstoodinthesenseofallcreation.Dasangulamisinterpretedastenfingers
length,inwhichcaseitissaidtorefertothedistanceoftheheartfromthenavel,theformerhavingbeen
acceptedastheseatoftheAtmaandthelattersymbolicoftherootofmanifestation.Thewordtenisalso
saidtomeaninfinity,asnumbersareonlyuptonineandwhatisaboveisregardedasnumberless.

puruaevedasarvamyadbhtayaccabhavyam,
utmtattvasyenoyadannentirohati.
etvnasyamahimatojyygcaprua,
pdo'syavivbhtnitripdasy'mtadivi.
Allthis(manifestation)isthePurushaalonewhateverwasandwhateverwillbe.HeistheLordof
Immortality,forHetranscendsallinHisFormasfood(theuniverse).SuchisHisGlorybutgreaterstillis
thePurusha.OnefourthofHimallbeingsare,(while)threefourthofHimrisesaboveastheImmortal
Being.

tripdrdhvaudaitpuruapdo'syehbhavtpuna,
tatovivavyakrmatsannaaneabhi.
tasmdvirajyatavirjoadhiprua,
sajtoatyaricyatapacdbhmimathopura.
That,Threefooted(Immortal)Purushastoodabovetranscending(allthings),andHisonefootwasthis
(worldofbecoming).ThenHepervaded(everything)universally,theconsciousaswellastheunconscious.
FromThat(SupremeBeing)didtheCosmicBody(Virat)originate,andinthisCosmicBodydidthe
OmnipresentIntelligencemanifestitself.HavingmanifestedHimself,Heappearedasalldiversity,andthen
asthisearthandthisbody.


yatpurueahavidevyajamatanvata,
vasantoasysdjyamgrmaidhmaaraddhavi.
tayajabarhiipraukanpuruajtamagrata,
tenadevayajantasdhyayacaye.
When(therebeingnoexternalmaterialotherthanthePurusha)theDevasperformedauniversalsacrifice(in
contemplationbymind),withthePurushaHimselfasthesacredoffering,thespringseasonwastheclarified
butter,summerthefuel,autumntheoblation.TheysetupforsacrificethePurushaastheobjectoftheir
meditationHimwhowaspriortoallcreationandthey,theDevas,SadhyasandRishis,performed(this
firstsacrifice).

tasmdyajtsarvahutasabhtapadjyam,
pagstgcakrevyavynrayngrmycaye.
tasmdyajtsarvahutacasmnijajire,
chandgsijajiretasmtyajustasmdajyata.
Fromthat(Purusha),whowasoftheformofaUniversalSacrifice,thesacredmixtureofcurdsandghee(for
oblation)wasproduced.(Then)Hebroughtforththeaerialbeings,theforestdwellinganimals,andalsothe
domesticones.Fromthat(Purusha),whowastheUniversalSacrifice,theRiksandtheSamanswere
producedfromHimthemetres(ofthemantras)werebornfromHimtheYajuswasborn.

tasmdavajyantayekecobhaydata,
gvohajajiretasmttasmdjtajvaya.
yatpuruavyadhadhukatidhvyakalpayan,
mukhakimasyakaubhkvrpdvucyete.
FromHimwerebornhorsesandwhateveranimalshavetworowsofteeth.Verily,cowswerebornofHim
fromHimwereborngoatsandsheep.AndwhentheycontemplatedthePurusha(astheUniversalSacrifice),
intohowmanypartsdidtheydivideHim(intheirmeditations)?WhatwasHismouthcalled,whatwereHis
arms,whatwereHisthighs,whatwereHisfeetcalled?

brhmao'syamukhamsdbhrjanyakta,
rtadasyayadvaiyapadbhygdroajyata.
candrammanasojtacakosryoajyata,
mukhdindracgnicaprdvyurajyata.
TheBrahmana(spiritualwisdomandsplendour)wasHismouththeKshatriya(administrativeandmilitary
prowess)Hisarmsbecame.HisthighsweretheVaisya(commercialandbusinessenterprise)ofHisfeetthe
Sudra(productiveandsustainingforce)wasborn.TheMoon(symbolofthemind)wasbornfromHis
(cosmic)mindtheSun(symbolofselfandconsciousness)wasbornfromHiseyes.Indra(powerofgrasping
andactivity)andAgni(willforce)camefromHismouthfromHisvitalenergyairwasborn.

nbhysdantarikamrodyausamavartata,
padbhybhmirdiarotrtathlokakalpayan.
saptsysparidhyasitasaptasamidakta,
devyadyajamtanvnabahnapurapaum.
(InthatUniversalMeditationasSacrifice)thefirmamentcamefromHisnaveltheheavenswereproduced
fromHisheadtheearthfromHisfeetfromHisearsthequartersofspacesotheyconstitutedtheworlds.
Theenclosuresofthesacrificialaltarwereseven(thesevenmetresliketheGayatri),andtwentyone(the
twelvemonths,thefiveseasons,thethreeworldsandthesun)werethelogsofsacrificialfuel,whenthegods
(thepranas,thesensesandthemind)celebratedtheUniversalSacrificewiththeSupremePurushaasthe
objectofcontemplationtherein.

yajenayajamayajantadevtnidharmiprathamnysan,
tehankamahimnasacanteyatraprvesdhysantidev.
Bysacrifice(universalmeditation)didthegodsadoreandperform(visualise)thesacrifice(Universal
Being).Theseweretheoriginalcreationsandtheoriginallaws(thatsustaincreation).Thosegreatones(the
worshippersoftheCosmicBeingbythistypeofmeditation)attainthatSupremeAbodeinwhichabidethe
primevalcontemplators(thegodsmentionedabove)whothusworshippedthatBeing.

vedhametapuruamahntamdityavaratamasaparastt,
tamevaviditva'timtyumetinnyapanthvidyate'yanya.

IknowthisGreatPurushawhoshineslikethesunbeyonddarkness.ByknowingHimalonedoesonecross
beyonddeaththereisnootherwayofgoingoverthere.

ntintinti.
Om.MaytherebePeace,Peace,Peace.