Purusha Suktham - the Hymn to the Supreme Being

Purusha sukta is hymn of the Rigveda, dedicated to the Purusha, the "Cosmic Being". 

The Parama Purusha - as explained by the Vedam is a primeval all pervading person, from whom the world and the people are built. He is described as having a thousand heads and a thousand feet. He is the Virat Purusha. 

And today because of the conventional practice without any question this is attributed to Sriman Narayana... But I always hold a view that this Parama Purusha is Sastha only - beyond any second thought. 


Today during the maala dhaaranam, I was doing the puja - while chanting Purusha Suktam.  I was totally immersed in this meaning and I got lost in the divine majesty of "my beloved" (who else? - Bhakta Paripala)

Though I cannot express the enjoyment I had - I thought its my duty to share the enjoyment with the Hymn to the Supreme Being

(Later some other time I shall take individual slokas of the Suktam and show how this perfectly matches with Sastha)

I know this may be heavy subject for those who doesnt have much acquaintance with the Vedic chanting... But please read this and ponder into the esoteric meaning of the hymn and enjoy the glory of the Master of the Universe. 

Literally Iam crying out on the top of the world ecstatically :   Na Anyo Devatarashcha Sasthur Para : - there is no other God who is greater than Sastha

Bhaktaparipaala Paada Renu

V.Aravind Subramanyam

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First Anuvaakam

Sahsra seerhaa purusha; Sahasraksha saharpath.

Sa bhoomir viswatho vruthwa.Athyathishta ddhasangulam

The Purusha (the Supreme Being), who has thousands of heads, thousands of eyes and thousands of feet (with countless number of heads, eyes, and feet) pervaded the earth on all sides and stood beyond it in the ten directions of space.  

Purusha eeveda sarvam.Yad bhootam yad bhavyam.

Utha amruthathwasya eesana. Yad annena adhirohathi

All this is the Purusha only; all that has been and all that will be. And He is the Lord of Immortality, which (also) grows by food.

Ethaa vaanasya mahimaa.Atho jyaaya scha purusha.

Padhosya viswa bhoothanee.Tripaadasyamrutham divi

All that is (seen) is His glory, (actually), but the Purusha surpasses all this. All beings(living and the non-living) make up only one-quarter of Him. Three-quarters of Him which are eternally are in Heaven. 

Tri paddurdhwa udaith prurusha. Padhosye habha vaath puna.

Thatho vishvangvyakramath.Sasanana sane abhi

Three quarters of Him remain high (un manifest). One quarter of Him has manifested here. With that diversified in form He pervades all the living and the non-living. 

Tasmath virad jayatha. Virajo adhi purusha.

Sa jatho athya richyatha. Paschad bhoomi madho pura. 

Variety came forth from Him Virat -  Virat the totality of beings and thus from within he became Virat Purusha. He spread over immensely and became the cosmos.

Yat purushena havishaa. Devaa yagna mathanvath.

Vasantho asyaasee dhajyam. Greeshma idhma saraddhavi. 

When the devas (gods) performed a sacrifice with the Purusha as the offering, the season of spring was the ghee, summer the samith and autumn the oblation

Sapthaasyasan paridhaya. Thri saptha samidha Krutha.

Devaa yad yagnam thanvaana. Abhadhnan purusham pasum

When the devas performed the sacrifice, in which they bound the Purusha as the sacrificial animal, there were seven poles in the sacrificial enclosure and three times seven logs of sacred firewood.

[The seven poles refer to the 5 elements (earth, water, fire, wind, and sky), plus day and night. (Three times Seven) Twenty-one logs refer to the 5 sense organs (eye, nose, mouth, ear and skin), plus 5 vital breaths (prANa, a-pA-na, vyA-na, u-dA-na, and sa-mA-na), plus 5 organs of work (hands, legs, genitals, two excretory organs), plus 4 feelings of the mind (a-ntaH-ka-ra-Nam), plus dha-rma and a-dha-rma.  ] 

Tham yagnam barhisi prokshan. Purusham Jaatham agradha.

Thena deva ayajantha. Saadhya rushayasch ye. 

They placed Him, the Sacrifice, Purusha, the firstborn, on the sacrificial grass and besprinkled Him with the sacred water. Then the devas, the sadhyas and the rishis performed the sacrifice with Him as the offering.

Tasmad yagnath sarva hutha. Sam brutham prushad ajyam.

Pasus tha aschakre vayavyaan. Aaranyaan graamyascha ye. 

From that sacrifice, in which everything was offered as an oblation, was collected fresh butter. Creatures living in air (birds) and those living in forests and villages came in to being.

Tasmad yagnath sarva hutha.Rucha saamanee jagniree.

Chanadaa si jagnire tasmath.Yajus tasmad jaayatha. 

From that sacrifice, in which everything was offered as oblation, came the Riks (Vedic Hymns) and the Samans (Hymns which are sung - the Saama Gaana). TheChandases (Vedic Metres) came from it; and from it the Yajus (mantra for the ritual) was born.

Tasmad aswaa ajaayantha. Ye ke chobhaya tha tha.

Gavooha janjire tasmath. Tasmad gnatha ajavaya. 

Horses were born of it, and animals with two rows of teeth. Cows were born of it, and so were goats and sheep.

Yad purusha vyadhadhu.Kathidhaa vyakalpayan.

Mukham kimsya koo bahu. Kaavuruu pada a uchyathe.

When they cut up the Purusha, into how many parts did they divide Him? What did they call His mouth, His two arms, His two thighs and His two feet?

Brahmanasya Mukham aseed.Bahu rajanya krutha.

Ooru tadasys yad vaisya.Padbhyo sudro aajayatha. 

The Brahmana was His mouth, the two arms became the Kshatriya, and His two thighs became the Vaisya. Of his two feet was the Sudra born. (This verse talks of the Varnaashrama Dharma and explains beyond doubt that all the classes of people were born out of the Supreme Being and that all are integral part of that Supreme Atman).

Chandrama manaso Jatha.Chaksho surya Ajayatha.

Mukhad Indras cha Agnis cha.Pranad Vayua aajayatha. 

The moon was born of His mind. The Sun was born of His two eyes. Indra Agni were born of His mouth. Vayu was born of His Praana (life-breath).

Nabhya aseed anthareeksham.seershno dhou samavarthatha.

Padbyam Bhoomi disaa srothrath.Tadha lokaa akampayan. 

The antariksha (middle region) came from His navel. The sky appeared out of the head, the earth from the two feet and the quarters from the two ears. Thus they created the worlds.

Vedahametham purusham mahantham.Adhitya varna thamasathu pare,

Sarvani roopani vichinthya dheera. Namaani kruthwa abhivadan yadasthe. 

I know that great Purusha, lustrous as the Sun beyond darkness. The Wise One, having made all the forms appear, gave them names, and uttered these as they were.

Dhaatha purasthad yamudhajahara.sacra pravidhaan pradhisascha thathra.

Thamevam vidwaan anu mrutha iha bavathi. Naanya pandha ayanaaya vidhyathe. 

One who knows Him whom Dhata (Creator) first revealed, and so did Sakra (Indra) who fully knew the four quarters, becomes immortal here. There is no other way.

Yagnena yagnam aya jantha devaa. Thaani dharmani pradhamanyasan.

Theha naakam mahimaana sachanthe.yatra poorvo saadhyaa santhi devaa.

The devas performed sacrifice with the Sacrifice. These were the first dharmas. They, the mighty ones, attained the height of Heaven where the ancient sadhyas and devas abide.

Second Anuvaakam

Adhbhyaa sambhootha pruthvyai rasascha.Viswakarmanas samavarthadhi.

Tasyas twashtaa vidhadh drupamethi.tad purushasya viswa maajanam agre. 

The viratpurusha through (the interaction with) water, Earth  and other elements became the master of all creations - Vishwakarma. As master carpenter, He assumed numerous forms and is more than all this. I have realized the primordial great deeds of that purusha. 

Vedaham etham purusham mahantham.Aadithyavarna thamasa parasthath.

Thamevam vidwan amrutha iha bhavathi.nanya pandhaa vidhyathe ayanaaya. 

I have realized the supreme purusha, brilliant as the Solar hue and beyond the veil of darkness. Knowing him thus, one will be liberated in this very life. There is no other way (for liberation) indeed.

Prajapathis charathi garbhe antha. Aajayamano bahudha vijaayathe.

Tasya dheera parijananthi yonim. Mareechinaam padamicchanthi vedhasa. 

The Lord abides in every womb. Unborn, yet giving birth to all. The aspirers of the exhalted state of ancient seers and creators, realize Him as The SOURCE.

Yo devebhya aathapathi. Yo devaanaam purohitha.

Poorvo yo devebhyo jatha.Namo ruchaaya brahmaye. 

All salutations to that essence (radiance) of para bra-hman, who shines bright upon the gods. He is their preeminent master.

Rucha brahmam janayantha.Devaa agne tadha bruvan.

Yasthaiva barahmano vidhyat. Tasya deva asaan vase. 

This essence of brahman, the gods realized early on and said: Whoever realizes the brahman, they will have mastery over gods.

Hreescha the lakshmischa patnyou.Ahorathre paarswe.
Nakshatrani roopam.Aswinou vyatham. 
Ishtam manishaana.Amum manishana.Sarve manishana. 

Wealth (Sree) and dignity (Hree) are Your consorts, night and Day are Your two sides, stars Your beauty spots (body), Sky and Earth are the upper and lower jaws of Your wide open mouth. Grant my desires, grant me happiness, fulfill all there is (the purpose of life).  

Thachamyo ravrunimahe.gathum yagnaya.

Gathum Yagna pathaye.Daivee swasthi –rasthu na.

Swasthir Manushebhya. Urdhwa Jigathu beshajam.

Sam no asthu dwipadhe.Sam chatush pade

Om Shanthi, shanthi, Shanthi.

We seek that assemblage. May the yagna (spirit of sacrifice) flourish; May the performer of the yagna (one with spirit of sacrifice) flourish; The divine grace be upon us. 

The divine grace be upon mankind; May plants flourish (grow up wards) 

Auspiciousness be to the two footed (animals); Auspiciousness be to the four footed (animals) 

May peace prevail in all three spheres of existence

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I repeat blissfully - Na Anyo Devatarashcha Sasthur Para : - there is no God who is greater than Sastha

Sarvam Shri Sastha Padarpanam Asthu