Satyamavejayanti
Well-Known Member
My take on the Purusha Sukta Rigved 10.90
Taking Purush to be as Atman or consciousness only the meaning of this sukta can become a poem about the manifold existence of humans or life. The first mantra where thousands of arms ad heads are told are just a expression of the multiplicity of life on this planet and beyond, Purush if taken as the Individual rather then the supreme become a Mantra of singular life and its spread across the universe.
This is just my own thinking of what could be the meaning of the Purusha Sukta, Purusha signifies all intelligent and living beings. in brackets are my comments)
1. A thousand-headed is the Purusha
with a.thousand eyes, a thousand feet;
encompassing the Earth all sides,
he exceeded it by ten fingers' breadth.
2. The Purusha, indeed, is this All,
what has been and what is to be
the Lord of the immortal spheres
which he surpasses by consuming food.
3. Such is the measure of his might,
and greater still than this is Purusha.
All (unintelligent) beings are a equivalent to fourth of him,
three fourths are the immortal in divyaloka (space).
4. Three fourths of Purusha ascended high (Moksha),
one fourth took birth again down here (Due to Karma).
From this he spread in all directions
into animate and inanimate things, (depending on ones Karma)
5. From him the Shining one was born; (Beings of shining attributes)
from this Shining one Purusha again took birth.
As soon as born, he extended himself all
over the Earth both behind and before.
6. Using the Purusha as their oblation,
the Intelligent ones performed the Yagna.
Spring served them for the clarified butter,
Summer for the fuel, and Autumn for the offering.
7. This evolved Purusha, then first born,
they be sprinkled on the sacred grass (Purusha along with the Deva).
With him the Intelligent ones performed the Yagna,
as did also the beings and seers or Divyaloka.
8. From this Yagna, fully accomplished,
was gathered curd mixed with butter. (the remnants of this operation known as Yagna)
Thence came the creatures of the air,
beasts of the forest and those of the village.
9. From this sacrifice, fully accomplished,
were born the hymns and the melodies; (the Veda)
from this were born the various meters; (Of the Veda)
from this were born the sacrificial formulas. (of the Veda)
10. From this were horses born, all creatures
such as have teeth in either jaw;
from this were born the breeds of cattle;
from this were born sheep and goats.
11. When they divided up the Purusha,
into how many parts did they divide him?
What did his mouth become? What his arms?
What are his legs called? What his feet?
12. (symbolically speaking) His mouth became the brahmin; his arms
became the warrior-prince, his legs
the common man who plies his trade.
The common serf was born from his feet.
13. The Moon was born from his mind; (as the mind reflects knowledge its linked with the moon)
the Sun came into being from his eye; (vision is only possible with light)
from his mouth came Indra and Agni, (the praise of these Deva from the Mouth through words)
while from his breath the Wind was born.
14. From his navel issued the Air; (prana)
from his head unfurled the Sky, (Knowledge of the sky)
the Earth from his feet, from his ear the four directions. (Earth to stand on associated with feet, ears associated with directions of hearing)
Thus have the worlds been organized. (for Purusha)
15. Seven were the sticks of the enclosure,
thrice seven the fuel sticks were made,
when the Intelligent ones, performing the Yagna,
bound the Purusha as the victim. (metaphorical victim, more like lab rat)
16. With the Yagna the Intelligent ones performed Yagna for the sake of Yagna.
Those were the first established rites.
These powers ascended up to heaven
where dwell the ancient Intelligent one and other beings.
Taking Purush to be as Atman or consciousness only the meaning of this sukta can become a poem about the manifold existence of humans or life. The first mantra where thousands of arms ad heads are told are just a expression of the multiplicity of life on this planet and beyond, Purush if taken as the Individual rather then the supreme become a Mantra of singular life and its spread across the universe.
This is just my own thinking of what could be the meaning of the Purusha Sukta, Purusha signifies all intelligent and living beings. in brackets are my comments)
1. A thousand-headed is the Purusha
with a.thousand eyes, a thousand feet;
encompassing the Earth all sides,
he exceeded it by ten fingers' breadth.
2. The Purusha, indeed, is this All,
what has been and what is to be
the Lord of the immortal spheres
which he surpasses by consuming food.
3. Such is the measure of his might,
and greater still than this is Purusha.
All (unintelligent) beings are a equivalent to fourth of him,
three fourths are the immortal in divyaloka (space).
4. Three fourths of Purusha ascended high (Moksha),
one fourth took birth again down here (Due to Karma).
From this he spread in all directions
into animate and inanimate things, (depending on ones Karma)
5. From him the Shining one was born; (Beings of shining attributes)
from this Shining one Purusha again took birth.
As soon as born, he extended himself all
over the Earth both behind and before.
6. Using the Purusha as their oblation,
the Intelligent ones performed the Yagna.
Spring served them for the clarified butter,
Summer for the fuel, and Autumn for the offering.
7. This evolved Purusha, then first born,
they be sprinkled on the sacred grass (Purusha along with the Deva).
With him the Intelligent ones performed the Yagna,
as did also the beings and seers or Divyaloka.
8. From this Yagna, fully accomplished,
was gathered curd mixed with butter. (the remnants of this operation known as Yagna)
Thence came the creatures of the air,
beasts of the forest and those of the village.
9. From this sacrifice, fully accomplished,
were born the hymns and the melodies; (the Veda)
from this were born the various meters; (Of the Veda)
from this were born the sacrificial formulas. (of the Veda)
10. From this were horses born, all creatures
such as have teeth in either jaw;
from this were born the breeds of cattle;
from this were born sheep and goats.
11. When they divided up the Purusha,
into how many parts did they divide him?
What did his mouth become? What his arms?
What are his legs called? What his feet?
12. (symbolically speaking) His mouth became the brahmin; his arms
became the warrior-prince, his legs
the common man who plies his trade.
The common serf was born from his feet.
13. The Moon was born from his mind; (as the mind reflects knowledge its linked with the moon)
the Sun came into being from his eye; (vision is only possible with light)
from his mouth came Indra and Agni, (the praise of these Deva from the Mouth through words)
while from his breath the Wind was born.
14. From his navel issued the Air; (prana)
from his head unfurled the Sky, (Knowledge of the sky)
the Earth from his feet, from his ear the four directions. (Earth to stand on associated with feet, ears associated with directions of hearing)
Thus have the worlds been organized. (for Purusha)
15. Seven were the sticks of the enclosure,
thrice seven the fuel sticks were made,
when the Intelligent ones, performing the Yagna,
bound the Purusha as the victim. (metaphorical victim, more like lab rat)
16. With the Yagna the Intelligent ones performed Yagna for the sake of Yagna.
Those were the first established rites.
These powers ascended up to heaven
where dwell the ancient Intelligent one and other beings.
