Sukta 90

सहस्रशीर्षा पुरुषः सहस्राक्षः सहस्रपात्। स भूमिं विश्वतो वृत्वात्यतिष्ठद्दशाङ्गुलम्॥

sahasraśīrṣā puruṣaḥ sahasrākṣaḥ sahasrapāt | sa bhūmiṁ viśvato vṛtvātyatiṣṭhaddaśāṅgulam ||

A THOUSAND heads hath Purusa, a thousand eyes, a thousand feet. On every side pervading earth he fills a space ten fingers wide.

पुरुष एवेदं सर्वं यद्भूतं यच्च भव्यम्। उतामृतत्वस्येशानो यदन्नेनातिरोहति॥

puruṣa evedaṁ sarvaṁ yadbhūtaṁ yacca bhavyam | utāmṛtatvasyeśāno yadannenātirohati ||

This Purusa is all that yet hath been and all that is to be; The Lord of Immortality which waxes greater still by food.

एतावानस्य महिमातो ज्यायाँश्च पूरुषः। पादोऽस्य विश्वा भूतानि त्रिपादस्यामृतं दिवि॥

etāvānasya mahimāto jyāyāśca pūruṣaḥ | pādo'sya viśvā bhūtāni tripādasyāmṛtaṁ divi ||

So mighty is his greatness; yea, greater than this is Purusa. All creatures are one-fourth of him, three-fourths eternal life in heaven.

त्रिपादूर्ध्व उदैत्पुरुषः पादोऽस्येहाभवत्पुनः। ततो विष्वङ्व्यक्रामत्साशनानशने अभि॥

tripādūrdhva udaitpuruṣaḥ pādo'syehābhavatpunaḥ | tato viṣvaṅvyakrāmatsāśanānaśane abhi ||

With three-fourths Purusa went up: onefourth of him again was here. Thence he strode out to every side over what cats not and what cats.

तस्माद्विराळजायत विराजो अधि पूरुषः। स जातो अत्यरिच्यत पश्चाद्भूमिमथो पुरः॥

tasmādvirāḻajāyata virājo adhi pūruṣaḥ | sa jāto atyaricyata paścādbhūmimatho puraḥ ||

From him Viraj was born; again Purusa from Viraj was born. As soon as he was born he spread eastward and westward o'er the earth.

यत्पुरुषेण हविषा देवा यज्ञमतन्वत। वसन्तो अस्यासीदाज्यं ग्रीष्म इध्मः शरद्धविः॥

yatpuruṣeṇa haviṣā devā yajñamatanvata | vasanto asyāsīdājyaṁ grīṣma idhmaḥ śaraddhaviḥ ||

When Gods prepared the sacrifice with Purusa as their offering, Its oil was spring, the holy gift was autumn; summer was the wood.

तं यज्ञं बर्हिषि प्रौक्षन्पुरुषं जातमग्रतः। तेन देवा अयजन्त साध्या ऋषयश्च ये॥

taṁ yajñaṁ barhiṣi praukṣanpuruṣaṁ jātamagrataḥ | tena devā ayajanta sādhyā ṛṣayaśca ye ||

They balmed as victim on the grass Purusa born in earliest time. With him the Deities and all Sadhyas and Rsis sacrificed.

तस्माद्यज्ञात्सर्वहुतः सम्भृतं पृषदाज्यम्। पशून्ताँश्चक्रे वायव्यानारण्यान्ग्राम्याश्च ये॥

tasmādyajñātsarvahutaḥ sambhṛtaṁ pṛṣadājyam | paśūntāścakre vāyavyānāraṇyāngrāmyāśca ye ||

From that great general sacrifice the dripping fat was gathered up. He formed the creatures of-the air, and animals both wild and tame.

तस्माद्यज्ञात्सर्वहुत ऋचः सामानि जज्ञिरे। छन्दांसि जज्ञिरे तस्माद्यजुस्तस्मादजायत॥

tasmādyajñātsarvahuta ṛcaḥ sāmāni jajñire | chandāṁsi jajñire tasmādyajustasmādajāyata ||

From that great general sacrifice Rcas and Sama-hymns were born: Therefrom were spells and charms produced; the Yajus had its birth from it.

तस्मादश्वा अजायन्त ये के चोभयादतः। गावो ह जज्ञिरे तस्मात्तस्माज्जाता अजावयः॥

tasmādaśvā ajāyanta ye ke cobhayādataḥ | gāvo ha jajñire tasmāttasmājjātā ajāvayaḥ ||

From it were horses born, from it all cattle with two rows of teeth: From it were generated kine, from it the goats and sheep were born.

यत्पुरुषं व्यदधुः कतिधा व्यकल्पयन्। मुखं किमस्य कौ बाहू का ऊरू पादा उच्येते॥

yatpuruṣaṁ vyadadhuḥ katidhā vyakalpayan | mukhaṁ kimasya kau bāhū kā ūrū pādā ucyete ||

When they divided Purusa how many portions did they make? What do they call his mouth, his arms? What do they call his thighs and feet?

ब्राह्मणोऽस्य मुखमासीद्बाहू राजन्यः कृतः। ऊरू तदस्य यद्वैश्यः पद्भ्यां शूद्रो अजायत॥

brāhmaṇo'sya mukhamāsīdbāhū rājanyaḥ kṛtaḥ | ūrū tadasya yadvaiśyaḥ padbhyāṁ śūdro ajāyata ||

The Brahman was his mouth, of both his arms was the Rajanya made. His thighs became the Vaisya, from his feet the Sudra was produced.

चन्द्रमा मनसो जातश्चक्षोः सूर्यो अजायत। मुखादिन्द्रश्चाग्निश्च प्राणाद्वायुरजायत॥

candramā manaso jātaścakṣoḥ sūryo ajāyata | mukhādindraścāgniśca prāṇādvāyurajāyata ||

The Moon was gendered from his mind, and from his eye the Sun had birth; Indra and Agni from his mouth were born, and Vayu from his breath.

नाभ्या आसीदन्तरिक्षं शीर्ष्णो द्यौः समवर्तत। पद्भ्यां भूमिर्दिशः श्रोत्रात्तथा लोकाँ अकल्पयन्॥

nābhyā āsīdantarikṣaṁ śīrṣṇo dyauḥ samavartata | padbhyāṁ bhūmirdiśaḥ śrotrāttathā lokā akalpayan ||

Forth from his navel came mid-air the sky was fashioned from his head Earth from his feet, and from his car the regions. Thus they formed the worlds.

सप्तास्यासन्परिधयस्त्रिः सप्त समिधः कृताः। देवा यद्यज्ञं तन्वाना अबध्नन्पुरुषं पशुम्॥

saptāsyāsanparidhayastriḥ sapta samidhaḥ kṛtāḥ | devā yadyajñaṁ tanvānā abadhnanpuruṣaṁ paśum ||

Seven fencing-sticks had he, thrice seven layers of fuel were prepared, When the Gods, offering sacrifice, bound, as their victim, Purusa.

यज्ञेन यज्ञमयजन्त देवास्तानि धर्माणि प्रथमान्यासन्। ते ह नाकं महिमानः सचन्त यत्र पूर्वे साध्याः सन्ति देवाः॥

yajñena yajñamayajanta devāstāni dharmāṇi prathamānyāsan | te ha nākaṁ mahimānaḥ sacanta yatra pūrve sādhyāḥ santi devāḥ ||

Gods, sacrificing, sacrificed the victim these were the carliest holy ordinances. The Mighty Ones attained the height of heaven, there where the Sidhyas, Gods of old, are dwelling.