Purusha Suktam

Purush Suktam (पुरुष सूक्तम): The Purush Suktam is a most commonly used Vedic Sanskrit hymn. It is recited in almost all Vedic rituals and ceremonies. It is often used during the worship of the Deity of Vishnu or Narayan in the temple, installation and fire ceremonies, or during the daily recitation of Sanskrit literature or for one’s meditation Slightly different versions of the Suktas appear in different Vedas. One version of the Sukta has 16 verses, 15 in the anustubh meter, and the final one in the tristubh meter. Another version of the Suktas consists of 24 verses with the first 18 mantras designated as the Purva-narayana and the later portion termed as the Uttara-narayana probably in honour of Rishi Narayan. Some scholars state that certain verses of Purusha Suktas are later interpolations to the Rig-Veda. One of the reasons given is that it is the only hymn in all the Vedas that mentions the four varnas by name – although the word “Varna” itself is not mentioned in the hymn. The word ‘Purusha’ means God Almighty. Purush Suktam is in praise of the glory of God. It is chanted in houses, places of worship during rituals and ceremonies. Reciting this confers blessings on one’s life. This mantra is chanted by Rishis before performing Yagna so that there are no obstacles or intermissions during the Yagna The Purush Suktam gives a description of the spiritual unity of the universe. It presents the nature of Purusha, or the cosmic being, as both immanent in the manifested world and yet transcendent to it. From this being, the Sukta holds, the original creative will proceeds which causes the projection of the universe in space and time. The Purush Suktam, in the seventh verse, hints at the organic connectedness of the various classes of society. The Purush Suktam is a rather difficult text to explain in a modern way. This is primarily because of the archaic language that cannot always lend itself to interpretations based on the classical Sanskrit, and that many of the words can be taken in several different ways, both literal and symbolic. We worship and pray to the Supreme Lord for the welfare of all beings. May all miseries and shortcomings leave us forever so that we may always sing for the Lord during the holy fire ceremonies. May all medicinal herbs grow in potency so that all diseases may be cured. May the gods rain peace on us. May all the two-legged creatures be happy, and may all the four-legged creatures also be happy. May there be peace in the hearts of all beings in all realms. Purush Suktam Benefits: Who has to Recite this Purush Suktam: सहस्त्रशीर्षा पुरुष:सहस्राक्ष:सहस्रपात् । स भूमि सर्वत: स्पृत्वाSत्यतिष्ठद्द्शाङ्गुलम् ॥1॥

पुरुषSएवेदं सर्व यद्भूतं यच्च भाव्यम् । उतामृतत्यस्येशानो यदन्नेनातिरोहति ॥2॥

एतावानस्य महिमातो ज्यायाँश्च पूरुषः । पादोSस्य विश्वा भूतानि त्रिपादस्यामृतं दिवि ॥3॥

त्रिपादूर्ध्व उदैत्पुरुष:पादोSस्येहाभवत्पुनः । ततो विष्वङ् व्यक्रामत्साशनानशनेSअभि ॥4॥

ततो विराडजायत विराजोSअधि पूरुषः । स जातोSअत्यरिच्यत पश्चाद्भूमिमथो पुर: ॥5॥

तस्माद्यज्ञात्सर्वहुत: सम्भृतं पृषदाज्यम् । पशूंस्न्ताँश्चक्रे वायव्यानारण्या ग्राम्याश्च ये ॥6॥

तस्माद्यज्ञात् सर्वहुतSऋचः सामानि जज्ञिरे । छन्दाँसि जज्ञिरे तस्माद्यजुस्तस्मादजायत ॥7॥

तस्मादश्वाSअजायन्त ये के चोभयादतः । गावो ह जज्ञिरे तस्मात्तस्माज्जाताSअजावयः ॥8॥

तं यज्ञं बर्हिषि प्रौक्षन् पूरुषं जातमग्रत: । तेन देवाSअयजन्त साध्याSऋषयश्च ये ॥9॥

यत्पुरुषं व्यदधु: कतिधा व्यकल्पयन् । मुखं किमस्यासीत् किं बाहू किमूरू पादाSउच्येते ॥10॥

ब्राह्मणोSस्य मुखमासीद् बाहू राजन्य: कृत: । ऊरू तदस्य यद्वैश्य: पद्भ्या शूद्रोSअजायत ॥11॥

चन्द्रमा मनसो जातश्चक्षो: सूर्यो अजायत । श्रोत्राद्वायुश्च प्राणश्च मुखादग्निरजायत ॥12॥

नाभ्याSआसीदन्तरिक्ष शीर्ष्णो द्यौः समवर्त्तत । पद्भ्यां भूमिर्दिश: श्रोत्रात्तथा लोकांर्Sअकल्पयन् ॥13॥

यत्पुरुषेण हविषा देवा यज्ञमतन्वत । वसन्तोSस्यासीदाज्यं ग्रीष्मSइध्म: शरद्धवि: ॥14॥

सप्तास्यासन् परिधयस्त्रि: सप्त: समिध: कृता: । देवा यद्यज्ञं तन्वानाSअबध्नन् पुरुषं पशुम् ॥15॥

यज्ञेन यज्ञमयजन्त देवास्तानि धर्माणि प्रथमान्यासन् । ते ह नाकं महिमान: सचन्त यत्र पूर्वे साध्या: सन्ति देवा: ॥16॥

॥ इति पुरुष सूक्तम संपूर्ण ॥