Purusha sukta (puruṣasūkta, पुरुष सूक्त) is hymn 10.90 of the Rigveda, dedicated to the Purusha, the “Cosmic Being”
Purusha means ‘Male’ in Sanskrit.
Here in the Purusha Sukta the term is applied to mean a Principle,which is virile containing the seeds of Immanence.
(Feminists need not take offence for this term contains, in this context, Female Principle Prakriti is immanent.
As the explanation is about things before creation some term is to be used ”He’; is used and She is not used because the import of the Female term is different.This will be clear as the explanation will reveal later)
The Purusha ukta describe the process of manifestation as Indian Philosophy does not use the term Creation, but only manifestation.
Creation involves bringing forth some thing new which has not been in Existence before.
As everything is Eternal there is no question of Creating something.
Contrary to what many belive the Pursh Sukta is not about Vishnu or Narayana.
Separate Suktam on these Deities appeat later as Narayan Suktam and Sri Vishnu Suktam.
While Narayana is an Amsa of Purusha, Visnu is an Amsa of Narayana.
As Lakshmi and Durga are.
Therefore to complete the Chanting one has to recite all the Five Suktas .
This is the actual Panchamrutha. not the dish we prepare and offer to God as an item to bathe Him with.
When some one says in the Pooja, whether in the Temples or Homes, Panchamrutha Snanam Samarppayami, the Five Suktas are to be chanted.
The Vedas have Four Parts,
Samhitas, which contain Prayers to Gods,
Brahmanas about the Oblations/Yagnas,
Aranyakas, the efforts to realize Reality from the forest, and
The Upanishads, where Reality is described.
The Purusha Sukta is unique in that it contains all the four parts in one Sukta,
Purusha Sukta appears in the Rig Veda 10.90 verses.
सहस्रशीर्षा पुरुषः सहस्राक्षः सहस्रपात् ।
स भूमिं विश्वतो वृत्वात्यतिष्ठद्दशाङुलम् ॥१॥
Sahasra-Shiirssaa Purussah Sahasra-Akssah Sahasra-Paat |
Sa Bhuumim Vishvato Vrtva-Atya[i]-Tisstthad-Dasha-Angulam ||1||
Meaning:
1.1: The Purusha (The Universal Being) has Thousand Heads, Thousand Eyes and Thousand Feet (Thousand signifies innumerable which points to the omnipresence of the Universal Being),
1.2: He envelops the World from all sides (i.e. He pervades each part of the Creation), and extends beyond in the TenDirections ( represented by Ten Fingers ).
Purusha-Reality,
Sahsra Seersha-has over 1000 heads-In Sanskrit , innumerable is often called as ‘Sahasra’ or Thousand.
Aksha-has 100 eyes(Aksha-eyes)
Sahasrabath-has over 1000 feet.
Bommim-The Earth,
Viswatha-everywhere,
Vruthvaa-Spread and immanent,
Dasa Angulam-Stands at 10 Inches.
Athyathishtath-Stands, remains.
Angulam means ‘by a measurement of two fingers’
“The fact that the unit of angulam of 1.763 cm could match very well the dimensions of historical monuments establishes the continuity of India’s engineering tradition through the ages for as long as 3,900 years’
In Hindu Theology the personal God Iswara who resides in the heart measures one inch .
In Hinduism, the Psychological heart is said to be on the Right side of the Chest as against the left side for the Physical heart.
In this verse, the external manifestation of the Universal Principle , as can be grasped by the Human mind, is expressed,just as camera film records the size, not in real-time.
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