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पुरुष सूक्तम्
Vedic Suktas · sukta · 16 verses
Rig Veda 10.90 (with extensions in Yajurveda, Samaveda, Atharvaveda recensions)
The Purusha Suktam (Rig Veda 10.90) is one of the most ancient and cosmologically significant of all Vedic hymns. It describes the Cosmic Person (Purusha) — identified in Vaishnava tradition with Vishnu/Narayana — whose sacrifice by the gods produced the entire cosmos: sun from his eye, moon from his mind, Indra and Agni from his mouth, Vayu from his prana, and the four varnas from his four bodily parts. It is recited as a prelude to virtually every major Vedic ritual and forms part of the Vaishnava worship of Vishnu in south Indian temples.
Key verses shown (4 of 16 total). Full verse text to be added.
सहस्रशीर्षा पुरुषः सहस्राक्षः सहस्रपात्।
स भूमिं विश्वतो वृत्वा अत्यतिष्ठद्दशाङ्गुलम्॥
sahasra-śīrṣā puruṣaḥ sahasrākṣaḥ sahasra-pāt।
sa bhūmiṃ viśvato vṛtvā aty-atiṣṭhad-daśāṅgulam॥
The Purusha has a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, a thousand feet. Pervading the earth on all sides, he stands beyond it by ten finger-widths.
पुरुष एवेदं सर्वं यद्भूतं यच्च भव्यम्।
उतामृतत्वस्येशानो यदन्नेनातिरोहति॥
puruṣa evedaṃ sarvaṃ yad-bhūtaṃ yacca bhavyam।
utāmṛta-tvasyeśāno yad-annenāti-rohati॥
All this is the Purusha — what was, and what shall be. He is the lord of immortality, who through food extends beyond.
ब्राह्मणोऽस्य मुखमासीद् बाहू राजन्यः कृतः।
ऊरू तदस्य यद्वैश्यः पद्भ्यां शूद्रो अजायत॥
brāhmaṇo'sya mukham-āsīd bāhū rājanyaḥ kṛtaḥ।
ūrū tad-asya yad-vaiśyaḥ padbhyāṃ śūdro ajāyata॥
From his mouth came the Brahmin; from his arms the Kshatriya; from his thighs the Vaishya; from his feet the Shudra was born. (Note: Traditional interpreters read this as cosmic emergence from one body, not as hierarchical ranking.)
यज्ञेन यज्ञमयजन्त देवास्तानि धर्माणि प्रथमान्यासन्।
yajñena yajñam-ayajanta devās-tāni dharmāṇi prathamāny-āsan।
Through yajna the gods sacrificed yajna — these were the first dharmas.
Sources: Rig Veda 10.90 (with extensions in Yajurveda, Samaveda, Atharvaveda recensions). Awaiting scholar verification.