Purusha Sooktham

Sahasra Sheershaa Purushah: Sahasraakshas Sahasrapaath |
Sabhoomim Visvatho Vruthvaa Athyathishta Dhasaangulam ||

Meaning: Sahasra means a thousand. Here ,Purusha has a thousand head i s the Universal man, ; and he has also a thousand eyes and a thousand feet . He spreads over the earth on all sides and beyond it as far as ten fingers can count. [Infinite numbers, without a beginning or end.]

Purusha Ye've'dhagum Sarvam Yath Bhootham Yascha Bowyam |
Uthamru Thathvath Esaanah: Yadhannenaathi Rohathi ||

Meaning: Purusha means THE MAN; The man lives and grows with food. Purusha, the Man, is all that has been in the past,all that is coming and all that exists now. He is the ruler of immortality, as He comes out beyond everything and grows through food.

Ethaa Vaanasya Mahimaa Athojyaa Yaaguscha Poorushah: |
Paadhosya Visvaa Bhoothaani Thripaadhasyaa Mruthandhivi ||

Meaning: Purusha is the GOD here.What we see here is all the greatness of this Purusha, the Man, and is yet more than this. All creatures of this universe is only a quarter of Him and the other three quarters are what is remaining immortal in Heaven.

My Opinion: In the Purusha shooktham while we chant the Sanskrit Manthras we praise the God by comparing Him as one of the Man living in this universe. But, at the same time we compare him with all men and other living people here. The praised God make us understand that the living creatures and the men living here are only 25% of his control.

Thripdoorthva Udhaith Purushah: Paathos -e'haabhavaath Punah: |
Thatho Vishvang Vyakraamath Saasanaana Sane Abhi ||

Meaning: This three fourths of Purusha arise beyond the universe. One fourth of him only
arose again and again here on earth. Thence, as He spread in all directions,
appeared all those creations that eats food and that which eats not on this earth.

My Opinion: Those who do not follow descipline and those who do not concentrate on God,cannot attain Mukthi. And such people will have rebirths again and again. And such people living in this are 25% of the created by the God. The remaining of the created attain Mukthi. Mukthi-means no rebirth. And the other people,who, have not attained Mukthi, and such people will have rebirths and such people will live in this world by eating and grow by eating. Still, if they fail to understand the meaning for living, God gives them another chance to understand the meaning for living and thus again they have a rebirth.

Thasmaadh viraadajaayatha Viraajo Adhipoorushah: |
Sajaatho Athyarikshatha Pascaadhbhoomim -athopuraha: ||

Meaning:From him the brilliant Viraaj was born, from Viraj came the primal Purusha.
When he was born, he spread beyond the earth, on all the sides to create all
beings.
[Viraj is the Female principle, which with the primal Purusha produces the concrete
universe. In the Atharvaveda She is an independent creative principle identified
with Brahma, with speech and with Prajapathi.]

My Opinion: Every religion has got its own thinking about the Universe. In christanity also,in Bible it is stated that the Adam and Eve were produced by God and they developed the mankind. Similarly, In Hindu Dharma also it is stated that God Produced Viraj and he is the first man created by God. And Viraj is the prime Purusha to create all living things. And Viraj is named as the female to produce this universe. In Purushshooktha it is all narrated in Sanskrit slogas.

Yath purushena Havishaa Dhevaayakyamath anvatha |
Vasanthoasya Aseethaajyam Greeshma Idhmas Saradhdhavihi ||

Meaning: When the Devas (Celestial Angels) spread on the sacrificial offerings with
Purusha as oblation, spring was its ghee [melted butter] summer the fuel, autumn
the oblation.

My Opinion:

God found two types of followers before creating mankind. One is Devas and the other is Asuras. The Devas are the staunch followers of God. They obey blidly. They are good to create or to maintain the living things as per the wish of the God.

The Asuras are very hard working people. They also believe in God and they also worship. They gain power through God for their pure devotion towards God. But, the misuse their power for evil things.

These two are created by God to make us understand that the mankind also will have such two types. One is Good and the other is bad. We see lots of murder,looting,robberry,decoityand so on by the men born similar to the man born, who is good to others, devoted to meditation,helpful to others. God want us to understand to find out the meaning for the good and the bad and take to right action and live a right living.

Sapthaasyaasan Pari dhayah: Thrissabtha Samidhah Krithaah: |
Dhevaayath Yagnyamthan Vaanaah: Abhathnan Purusham Pasum ||

Meaning: Seven Devas were the sticks that enclose the place of Yajña (Sacrificial Fire
rituals), thrice seven [21] philosophical principles were made the fuel sticks; the
Devas performed the Yajña and they bound the Purusha as the cow at the Yajña.

My opinion: This sloga reminds me of a story; Once a saint wants to leave all pleasures and wants to concentrate only on God and wants to attain Mukthi. So, he startede meditating. A little kitten came near him and started mewing.On hearing the sound of it the Saint that the poor kitten should be reared. So he started to feed the kitten. But, to feed the kitten he did not have milk. He thought a cow should be better to get milk , to make the kitten grow. He arranged a cow. But, now to feed the cow he needed fodder. To bring fodder he did not have time. So he thought a lady to him willhelp him and thus he can feed both the cow and the kitten. Thus he married a woman. To take care of that woman he needed to work and earn money. So he started working in the farm and started cultivating. And to please that lady he caressed her and thus love started between them and due to that she gave birth to a son. Now, the resposibility to him grow bigger.

Same way,God wanted to make human beings live in the world. So he created us. To feed us well he created all other living things. To maintain that he created Devas and Asuras. The policitcs among the human being is the distraction towards God-the concentration.The more people are deviated from devoting their time for prayers with meditation the more they are deviated from God and the proximity to rebirth becomes more.

Tham Yagnyam Bharhishi Prowkshan Purusham Jaathamagrathah: |
Thena Devaa Ayajantha Saadhyaa Rushayaschaye ||

Meaning. As the sacrifice on the Yajña they besprinkled the Purusha, born in the
beginning. With him the Devas performed the Yajña along with Saadhyas (other
Devas) and the Sages.

Thasmaath Yagnyaath Sarvahuthah: Sambrutham Brushadhaajyam |
Pasoogusthaagus Chakre Vaayavyaan Aaranyan graamya -aschaye ||

Meaning:. From that sacrifice completely offered, formed the cream and ghee [melted
butter]. He made it the beasts and birds of the air, of the forest and those of the
villages.

My Opinion: Here God creates everything. We use to think I have built this house. I have bought this car. I am the owner of this shop and so on. But, truthfully, none is yours. It is all created by God. Please remeber, that at the end of your life you cannot carry even a pin with you from this EARTH. Everything is belonging to this Bhoomi. Bhoomi is maintained by the Bhoopalan. I used to think, when a driver of a car used to say that,"Where is my car?" when he is only the driver of the car and not the owner of it. Similarly, The Bhoomi is created by God. Adn we are allowed to dwell here as long as we are alive. And the mere assumption of owning everything by ourselves, we think that we own them. And till we lose them we feel that we are the owner of it. Once, we come to know that such materials are not ours and are provided to us as accessories by God, for our dwelling, we will not have attachment towards them.

Here we can learn that the God had created birds and beasts and had created villages and towns. We just obey his orders to livein there. That is all.

Thasmaath Yagnyath sarvahuthah: Ruchassaamaani Jaggire |
Chandaagumsi Jaggire Thasmaath Yajusthasmaath ajaayatha ||

Meaning: From that sacrifice completely offered were born the verses (Rg Veda) and
the Saaman Melodies (Saamaveda). The Chhandhas metres were born from it.
From it was born the Sacrificial formula (Yajurveda).

To reduce our Ego God had created Vedas. Vedas give us knowledge. It give us meaning for this living. It make to understand how important this life is. How beautiful this life is. God make us to feel that we should lead this life with good meaning.

Thasmaadhasvaa Ajayantha Yekecho Bhayaadhathah: |
Ghavoha Jaggire Thasmaath Thasmaath jaathaa ajaavayah:||

Meaning: . From this [Yajña] the horses were born and those that have one row and
two rows of teeth. Cattle were born from it. From it were born goats and sheep.

Yath Prusham Vyadhadhuhu Kathidhaavya kalpayan |
Mukamkimasya Kowbhahoo Kaa Vooroo Paadhaa uchyethe ||

Meaning:

When they created this Universal Purusha, into how many forms did they make
him? What was the form of his mouth? What was his two arms? What are his thighs
and feet called?

Brhaahmanosya Mukmaaseeth Bhaahoo Raajanyakruthah: |
Uruthathasya Yadhvaisyah: Pathbyaagum Soodhro Ajaayatha ||

Meaning: His mouth formed the Brahmin (teacher or Priest), his two arms were made the
Rajaanya (Kshathriya or warrior), his two thighs the Vaisyaa (traders or
Agriculturist) and from his feet the Soodhra (worker or servant) was born.

Chandramaa Manso Jaathah: Chakchos Sooryo Ajaayatha |
Muka -adinthrascha -agnischa Praanaath Vaayurajaayatha ||

 

Meaning: His mind (manas) formed the moon, from his eye became the sun, from his
mouth came Indra and Agni, from his breath Vaayu (wind) was born.

Naabhyaa Aaseetha -anthariksham Seershnodhyows Samavarthatha |
Pathbhyaam Bhoomir Dhisasrothraath - Thathaa Loghagum Akalpayan || 

Menaing: From his navel arose the open sky, from his head the heaven originated, from
his feet the earth was formed, the directions came from his ears. Thus did they
create all the worlds.

Vedhaahametham Purusham Mahaantham - Aadhithyavarnam
Thamasasthu Paare |
Sarvaani Roopaani Vichithya dheerah: Naamaanikruthvaa - Abhivadhan
Yathaasthe ||

Meaning: The Purusha, is the creator of all forms and is given all the names. As we know
his great qualities, He is all powerfull, beyond darkness, bright like the Sun
performing all actions.

Dhaathaa Purasthaath Yamuthaajahaara - Sakrapravidhvaan
Prathisaschathasrah: |
Thamevam Vidhvaanamrutha Iha Bhavathi - Naanyapanthaa
Ayanaayavidhyathe ||

Meaning:He who understands this Purusha, whom Brahma called Paramathma,
whom Indira saw in all four directions, attains Moksha [liberation] in this birth.

Yaggnena Yaguamayajantha dhevaah: - Thaani Dharmaani
Prathamaanyasan |
Thehanakam Mahimaanassajanthe - Yathra Poorve Saadhyassanthi
Devaah: ||

Meaning: The Devas who worshipped this Purusha, by this Yajña and by all the Dharma,
attained high levels in Svarga. All persons performing this Yajña shall reach similar
status.
The Purusha Suktam is one of the Pancha Suktams of
the Sri Vaishnava sampradaya or tradition. The other
four are the Narayana Suktam, Sri Suktam, Bhu Suktam,
and the Nila Suktam.