PURUSHA SUKTA
Page 4
Verse 12
yat puruSHam vyadadhu: | katidhA vyakalpayan | mukham kimasya kau bAhoo | kavooroo pAdA ucyete || 11 ||
(yat) The (puruSHam) purusha (vyadadhu:) that they divided,
(katidhA) into what forms , how, (vyakalpayan) did they shape
him ? (kim) What (Aseet) became (asya mukham) of his mouth ?
(kau) What are (ucyete) now called (asya bAhoo) his arms ?
(asya ooroo) His thighs, (asya pAdau) his feet, (kau ucyete)
what do they call them now ?
This verse begins a series of questions and answers as to how the purusha was divided up, and what each of the parts of his body (kosha roopa - the form that contained all) became, in the sarvahut rite of creation. Aniruddha Narayana had advised Bramha that to make his body the havis, Aniruddha the havirbhokta, and meditating on Narayana, merge himself, offer himself up to Narayana's form of fire. (mAm ca havirbhbhujam dhyAtvA manmanAbhootva mayyagnau nivaacaye) And by just feeling the touch (madanga sparsha maatreNa) of his, Bramha's body, in which all of the worlds are contained (jagat-kosha bhootas-tvat-kAyo) would become huge (brmhishyate) and become the bramhanda, the great all. The different classes of animals that came forth from this (tasmAt udbhootAni prANi jAtAni), Bramha would be able to establish for them different and appropriate forms (yaTHA puram nirmAya) and assume the role of creator (sraSHTHA bhavishyasi) that he had in previous eons.
Those samskrt quotes are from the P.S. samhita of the sAkalya brAmhaNam, referred to before. Like most brAMhaNa verses, this ends with " evam srSHTHiyagnyam yo jAnAti sa janmaneeha mukto bhavati " - Who knows the rite of creation thus, will be liberated in this very birth.
So now the details of this 'ritual dismemberment' of the purusha's body, the bramhAnda, are given in the next few verses as an account of this creation rite.
Verse 13
brAhmaNo asya mukhamAseet | bAhoo rAjanya: krta: | ooru tadasya yad vaishya | padbhyAm shoodro ajAyata || 12 ||
(asya) His (mukham) mouth (Aseet) became (brAhmaNa:)
the Brahmin, (bAhoo) his arms (krta:) were made (rAjanya:)
Kings. (yad) what were(asya ooru) his thighs, (tad) they were
made into (vaishya:) the merchants, (padbhyAm) and from his feet
(shoodro) were the servants (ajAyata) born.
Any commentary on this has, to say the least, significant possibilities of spinning out of control as a discussion on the role and system of the varNa-jAti system. I think it best to let the verse speak for itself, as a record of the world-view of its time, and let thinkers draw their own conclusions.
Verse 14
candramA manaso jAta: | caksho sooryo ajAyata | mukhaadeendrascAgnischa | prANAdvAyurajAyata || 13 ||
(manasa:) From his mind (candramA) was the moon (jAta:)
born. (caksho) from his eyes (soorya:) the sun was (ajAyata)
born. (mukhAd) From his mouth (indra-sca) Indra and (agni-sca)
Agni and (prANAt) from his breath (vAyu:) the wind (ajAyata:)
were born.
The natural phenomena mentioned in this verse are synonymous with their deities, who govern them. This sort of 'double' reference is common throughout the Rg-veda, especially in hymns addressed to various dieties that also contain some breathtaking images of nature and are beautiful poetry. The puruSHa is the source of these dieties too. sAyaNAcarya says "yathA dadhi-Ajya-Adi-dravyAni gAvadaya: .... candra-Adayo deva: api tasmAt iva utpanna ityAha: "Just as essences like yogurt and ghee come forth from undifferentiated, but essential milk, different in nature, yet identical in source, even thus did the Gods, like candra, come forth fom the puruSHa. He is indeed the basis of all things. prANa is just one of the breaths recognized by the vedic people. apAna, vyAna, samAna, udAna are some of the others.
Verse 15
nAbhyA Aseedantariksham | sheerSHNau dhyau: samavartata | padbhyAm bhoomir disha: shrotrAt | tathA lokAm akalpayan || 14 ||
(nAbhyA) from his navel (Aseed) did appear (antarisham)
space. (sheerSHNa:) From his head was (dhyau:) the sky
(sam-avartat) well established. (padbhyAm) From his feet
(bhoomi) the earth (shrotrAt) from his ears (disha:) the directions
(tathA) This did they (akalpayan) by mere intent, that is sankalpa,
cause (lokAn) the worlds.
This verse is the conclusion of the details of the establishment of the worlds by the devas, and the sAdhyas.
Some texts mention the verse "saptasyAn paridhaya:" after this, this is common in most Rg-sangraha-s. The last verse of the PS redaction in these texts ( eg. Le Mee, Chanana) is "yagnyena yagnyam.." which curiously, is found elsewhere in the Rgveda. This place is the "asya vAmasya palitasya hotu:" hymn, RV -214, by the rSHi deerghatamas (literally, profound darkness).The asya vAmasya hymn is notable for its intense and complex imagery, and I have yet to find a satisfactory interpretation for its riddles.
However, the next three verse of the southern redaction are pregnant with meaning, and relevant to our enquiry.
Purusha Sukta:
