Purusha Sukta from Rigveda, with lecture by Maharishi

The Purusha Sukta is a poetic and profound insight into the ancient Vedic understanding of the unbounded transcendental reality and its relative expressions. It describes the ultimate reality towards which we all strive, as expressed in the AyurVedic shloka: “Yatha pinde, tatha brahmande”; “As is the atom, so is the universe; as is the individual body, so is the cosmic body, as is the human mind, so is the cosmic mind, as is the microcosm, so is the macrocosm.” 

Within the nature of our individual human physiology is the entire capacity and knowledge necessary to rise to our cosmic Self. The understanding of this relationship comes from Maharishi, who made available the techniques on how to make it a reality.

The Purusha Sukta elegantly describes the vastness of infinite consciousness, how relative existence is but a portion of this, and how the nature of individuality is mirrored in cosmic universality.

Below is the Purusha Sukta in full, followed by a lecture by Maharishi where he talks on 'Purusha administration', in which he gives the insights on how individuals in groups practising his advanced technologies of consciousness (or individuals who rise to unity consciousness) gain the capability to have cosmic influence, to direct the trends of time for the world in an evolutionary direction.

Purusha Sukta

Sahasra shirsha purushaha sahasrakshas sahasrapatsa bhumim vishvato vritva atyatishthad dhashangulam

Purusha, who has a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, a thousand feet, investing the earth in all direction, exceeds (it by a space) measuring ten fingers.

purusha evedagam sarvam yadbhutam yaccha bhavyam
utamritatva syeshanaha yadanne natirohati

Purusha is verily this (visible world), all that is, and all that is to be, he is the lord of immortality; for he mounts beyond (his own condition) for the food (of living beings).

etavanasya mahima ato jyayagamshcha purushaha
padosya vishva bhutani tripadasya mritam divi

Such is his greatness; and Purusha is greater than this; all beings are one quarter (part of) Him; his other three-quarters, being immortal (abide) in heaven.

tripadurdhva udaitpurushaha padosyeha bhavatpunaha
tato vishvajya kramat sashana ashane abhi

Three-quarters of Purusha ascended; the other quarter that remained in this world proceeds repeatedly, and, diversified in various forms, went to all animate and inanimate creation.

tasmad viradajayata virajo adhi purushah
sa jato atyarichyata pashchad bhumimatho puraha

From him was born Viraj, and from Viraj Purusha; he, as soon as born, became manifested, and afterwards (created) the Earth (and) then corporeal forms. 

yatpurushena havisha deva yajnam atanvata
vasanto asyasidajyam grishma idhmash sharaddhavihi

When the gods performed the sacrifice with Purusha as the offering, then Spring was its ghee, Summer the fuel, and Autumn the oblation.

tam yajnam barhishipraukshan purusham jatamagrataha
tena deva ayajantaha sadhya rishayashchaye

They immolated as the victim upon the sacrificial grass Purusha, born before (creation), with him the Devatas who were Sadhyas and those who were Rishis sacrificed.

tasmad yajnat sarvahutaha sambhritam vrishadajyam
pashugamstya gashchakre vayavyan aranyan gramashcaye

From that victim, in whom the universal oblation was offered, the mixture of curds and butter were produced, (then) he made the animals over whom Vayu presides, those that are wild, and those that are tame.

tasmad yajnat sarvahutaha richassamani jijignire
chandhagamsi jijignire tasmat yajus tasmad ajayata

From that victim in whom the universal oblation was offered, the Richa and Samans were produced, from him the metres were born, from him the Yajus was born.

tasmadashva ajayata ye ke cobhaya dataha
gavo ha jijignire tasmat tasmad jnata ajavayaha

From him were born horses and whatsoever animals have two rows of teeth; yea, cows were born form him; from him were born goats and sheep.

yatpurusham vyadadhuhu kadhita vyakalpayan
mukham kimasya kau bahu kavuru padavuchayate

When they immolated Purusha, into how many portions did they divide him? What was his mouth called, what were his arms called, what his thighs, what were his feet called?

brahmanosya mukhamasit bahu rajanyah kritaha
uru tadasya yadvaishyaha padhyagam shudro ajayata

From His mouth came the Brahmanas, his arms became the Rajanya; from his thighs the Vaishya; the Shudra was born from his feet.

chandrama manaso jataha chakshoh suryo ajayata
mukhad indrash chagnishcha pranadvayur ajayata

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

nabhya asidanta riksham shirshno dyauh samavartata
padbhyam bhumirdishash shrotrat tada lokagamm akalpayan

From his navel came the firmament, from his head the heaven was produced, the Earth from his feet, the quarters of spaced from his ear, so they constituted the world. 

saptasyasam paridhayas trih sapta samidhah kritah

Deva yad yagyam tanvana abadhan Purusham pashum

Seven were the enclosures of the sacrifice, thrice seven logs of fuel were prepared, when the gods, celebrating the rite, bound Purusha as the victim.

yajnena yajnam ayajanta devaha tani dharmani pradhamanyasan
te ha nakam mahimanas sacante yatra purve sadhyah santi devaha

By sacrifice the gods worth sipped him who is also the sacrifice; those were the first duties. Those great ones became the partakers of the Heaven where the ancient Devatas, the Sadhyas, abide.

-Purusha Suktam, Rk Veda, 10.90

Maharishi lecture on Purusha after a puja to Guru Dev in 2007 (excerpt)

‘With today’s puja to Guru Dev, we feel your treasury of Kuber is now open to us. Your treasury, inexhaustible treasury, is open to us. We feel today the door of the inexhaustible treasury of Kuber is open to us.

‘Really this first month has proved to be the month of successfully digging the foundation of eternal Raam Raj. In that administration of Raja Raam, suffering belonged to no one. The world will bask in the sunshine of bliss. The Constitution of the Universe of the ever-expanding universe has quietly taken over and that we see practically. Purusha has taken over—eternal silence. Purusha has enlivened the eternal silence, and the door of affluence, positivity, invincibility is open. . . .

'Day after day, month after month, year after year, the clarion call of bliss and self-sufficiency—no conflict, no negativity, no suffering to anyone—will be more loudly heard. Long will live the descent of Heaven on Earth. Global Raam Raj is ringing the bell of Eureka as far as administration of society and the ever-increasing population of the world is concerned.

'All the Rajas and all the Ministers of the Rajas are silently vibrating with energy and intelligence and radiating the light of life, which is the light of Being, which is the light of bliss.

'Purusha administration has taken over the administration that was being guided so far by the eight Prakritis. So far the divided eight Prakritis have been administering life on earth, and now the unified state of the eight Prakritis, Para-Prakriti, which is the nature of Purusha, is taking over. This is the first month that Raam Raj descending on earth is being witnessed.

'The omnipresence of Raam Raj comes out to be our experience today. The door of Kuber is open. All the gods have opened their doors. And during this month—yesterday or the day before yesterday—I heard that the Raja of India, Raja Harris, has organized and achieved in India the target of 20,000 Purusha. Purusha will reign society. Purushottama is “Ram Brahm Paramarath Rupa”.

'The reign of Raam, Brahm, has been switched on. Just the thought of 20,000 Purusha in India is the life of India, the state of enlightenment. India is the land of the Veda, the land of the Constitution of the Universe. And where is the Constitution of the Universe? In the status of silent, self-referral Para-Shakti, one with Purusha, the very nature of Purusha.

'It was heartening to hear two days ago that 192 Purusha have taken charge—one Purusha for one country. That was the day I thought, ''Raam Raj is established.” With one Purusha for one country, the administration of the country is going to be on the self-referral Brahm level, the level of Totality. Immediately I found fulfilment rolling in front of me, fulfilment on the supreme level of civilization—the supreme level of civilization unfolding."

[** Purusha are men devoted to a programme designed by Maharishi for those who wish to dedicate themselves fully to the most rapid pace of evolution possible and creating world peace.]