புருஷ ஸூக்தம்

புருஷ ஸூக்தம் is one of the great Vedic hymns for understanding the universe as the manifestation of the Cosmic Person. Its earliest well-known form is Rigveda 10.90, and related recensional forms are also preserved in Yajurveda and Atharvaveda traditions, including the Taittiriya Aranyaka usage familiar in many South Indian recitations.

This Vedic hymn gives a sacred grammar for seeing unity inside diversity. புருஷ here is not an ordinary individual; he is the all-encompassing reality whose being exceeds the universe while also becoming its support. The famous images of a thousand heads, eyes, and feet teach that all beings are expressions of one cosmic life, not isolated fragments.

ஓம் தச்ச²ம்॒ யோராவ்ரு॑ணீமஹே । கா॒³தும் ய॒ஜ்ஞாய॑ । கா॒³தும் ய॒ஜ்ஞப॑தயே । தை³வீ᳚ ஸ்வ॒ஸ்திர॑ஸ்து ந: । ஸ்வ॒ஸ்திர்மானு॑ஷேப்⁴ய: । ஊ॒ர்த்⁴வம் ஜி॑கா³து பே⁴ஷ॒ஜம் । ஶம் நோ॑ அஸ்து த்³வி॒பதே᳚³ । ஶம் சது॑ஷ்பதே³ ।
ஓம் ஶாந்தி:॒ ஶாந்தி:॒ ஶாந்தி:॑ ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
We seek auspicious peace and the right path for sacrifice and its Lord. May divine welfare be ours; may there be welfare for human beings. May healing rise upward. May there be peace for two-footed and four-footed beings. May there be peace, peace, peace.

ஸ॒ஹஸ்ர॑ஶீர்ஷா॒ புரு॑ஷ: । ஸ॒ஹ॒ஸ்ரா॒க்ஷ: ஸ॒ஹஸ்ர॑பாத் ।
ஸ பூ⁴மிம்॑ வி॒ஶ்வதோ॑ வ்ரு॒த்வா । அத்ய॑திஷ்ட²த்³த³ஶாங்கு॒³லம் ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
The Purusha has countless heads, eyes, and feet. Pervading the earth on every side, he still transcends it beyond measure.

புரு॑ஷ ஏ॒வேத³க்³ம் ஸர்வம்᳚ । யத்³பூ॒⁴தம் யச்ச॒ ப⁴வ்யம்᳚ ।
உ॒தாம்ரு॑த॒த்வ ஸ்யேஶா॑ன: । யத³ன்னே॑னாதி॒ரோஹ॑தி ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
All this is indeed the Purusha: whatever has been and whatever will be. He is the Lord of immortality, and also of all that grows through food.

ஏ॒தாவா॑னஸ்ய மஹி॒மா । அதோ॒ ஜ்யாயாக்॑³ஶ்ச॒ பூரு॑ஷ: ।
பாதோ᳚³ஸ்ய॒ விஶ்வா॑ பூ॒⁴தானி॑ । த்ரி॒பாத॑³ஸ்யா॒ம்ருதம்॑ தி॒³வி ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
This manifested universe is only his glory; the Purusha is greater still. All beings are one quarter of him, while three quarters are immortal beyond.

த்ரி॒பாதூ॒³ர்த்⁴வ உதை॒³த்புரு॑ஷ: । பாதோ᳚³ஸ்யே॒ஹாப॑⁴வா॒த்புன:॑ ।
ததோ॒ விஷ்வ॒ங்வ்ய॑க்ராமத் । ஸா॒ஶ॒னா॒ன॒ஶ॒னே அ॒பி⁴ ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
Three quarters of the Purusha rose beyond, while one quarter became manifest here. From that, he spread everywhere into both the animate and the inanimate.

தஸ்மா᳚த்³வி॒ராட॑³ஜாயத । வி॒ராஜோ॒ அதி॒⁴ பூரு॑ஷ: ।
ஸ ஜா॒தோ அத்ய॑ரிச்யத । ப॒ஶ்சாத்³பூ⁴மி॒மதோ॑² பு॒ர: ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
From the Purusha arose Virat, the cosmic form; and in relation to Virat, the Purusha appeared. Having manifested, he expanded beyond the earth, behind and before.

யத்புரு॑ஷேண ஹ॒விஷா᳚ । தே॒³வா ய॒ஜ்ஞமத॑ன்வத ।
வ॒ஸ॒ந்தோ அ॑ஸ்யாஸீ॒தா³ஜ்யம்᳚ । க்³ரீ॒ஷ்ம இ॒த்⁴மஶ்ஶ॒ரத்⁴த॒⁴வி: ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
When the gods performed the sacrifice with the Purusha as the offering, spring became the ghee, summer the fuel, and autumn the oblation.

ஸ॒ப்தாஸ்யா॑ஸன்பரி॒த⁴ய:॑ । த்ரி: ஸ॒ப்த ஸ॒மித:॑⁴ க்ரு॒தா: ।
தே॒³வா யத்³ய॒ஜ்ஞம் த॑ன்வா॒னா: । அப॑³த்⁴ன॒ன்-புரு॑ஷம் ப॒ஶும் ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
Seven were the enclosing sticks and thrice seven the fuel-sticks. As the gods extended the sacrifice, they bound the Purusha as the sacred offering.

தம் ய॒ஜ்ஞம் ப॒³ர்॒ஹிஷி॒ ப்ரௌக்ஷன்॑ । புரு॑ஷம் ஜா॒தம॑க்³ர॒த: ।
தேன॑ தே॒³வா அய॑ஜந்த । ஸா॒த்⁴யா ருஷ॑யஶ்ச॒ யே ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
They consecrated that primordial sacrifice, the Purusha born in the beginning, upon the sacred grass. With him the gods, Sadhyas, and seers performed worship.

தஸ்மா᳚த்³ய॒ஜ்ஞாத்²ஸ॑ர்வ॒ஹுத:॑ । ஸம்ப்⁴ரு॑தம் ப்ருஷதா॒³ஜ்யம் ।
ப॒ஶூக்³க்³-ஸ்தாக்³க்³-ஶ்ச॑க்ரே வாய॒வ்யான்॑ । ஆ॒ர॒ண்யான்-க்³ரா॒ம்யாஶ்ச॒ யே ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
From that all-offering sacrifice arose nourishing essence, and from it were formed animals of the air, the forest, and the village.

தஸ்மா᳚த்³ய॒ஜ்ஞாத்²ஸ॑ர்வ॒ஹுத:॑ । ருச:॒ ஸாமா॑னி ஜஜ்ஞிரே ।
ச²ந்தா³க்³ம்॑ஸி ஜஜ்ஞிரே॒ தஸ்மா᳚த் । யஜு॒ஸ்தஸ்மா॑தஜ³ாயத ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
From that all-offering sacrifice arose the Rig hymns, the Saman chants, the sacred meters, and the Yajur formulas; knowledge, rhythm, and ritual speech all emerge from the same cosmic source.

தஸ்மா॒த³ஶ்வா॑ அஜாயந்த । யே கே சோ॑ப॒⁴யாத॑³த: ।
கா³வோ॑ ஹ ஜஜ்ஞிரே॒ தஸ்மா᳚த் । தஸ்மா᳚ஜ்ஜா॒தா அ॑ஜா॒வய:॑ ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
From that sacrifice arose horses, animals with two rows of teeth, cows, goats, and sheep; even the practical supports of travel, food, livelihood, and agrarian life are traced to the sacred offering.

யத்புரு॑ஷம்॒ வ்ய॑த³து⁴: । க॒தி॒தா² வ்ய॑கல்பயன்ன் ।
முக²ம்॒ கிம॑ஸ்ய॒ கௌ பா॒³ஹூ । காவூ॒ரூ பாதா॑³வுச்யேதே ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
When they arranged the Purusha, in how many ways did they form him? What became his mouth, what his arms, what his thighs, and what are said to be his feet?

ப்³ரா॒ஹ்ம॒ணோ᳚ஸ்ய॒ முக॑²மாஸீத் । பா॒³ஹூ ரா॑ஜ॒ன்ய:॑ க்ரு॒த: ।
ஊ॒ரூ தத॑³ஸ்ய॒ யத்³வைஶ்ய:॑ । ப॒த்³ப்⁴யாக்³ம் ஶூ॒த்³ரோ அ॑ஜாயத ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
The Brahmana was his mouth; the Rajanya became his arms; the Vaishya was his thighs; and the Shudra arose from his feet.

ச॒ந்த்³ரமா॒ மன॑ஸோ ஜா॒த: । சக்ஷோ:॒ ஸூர்யோ॑ அஜாயத ।
முகா॒²தி³ந்த்³ர॑ஶ்சா॒க்³னிஶ்ச॑ । ப்ரா॒ணாத்³வா॒யுர॑ஜாயத ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
The moon arose from his mind, the sun from his eye, Indra and Agni from his mouth, and Vayu from his breath.

நாப்⁴யா॑ ஆஸீத॒³ந்தரி॑க்ஷம் । ஶீ॒ர்ஷ்ணோ த்³யௌ: ஸம॑வர்தத ।
ப॒த்³ப்⁴யாம் பூ⁴மி॒ர்தி³ஶ:॒ ஶ்ரோத்ரா᳚த் । ததா॑² லோ॒காக்³ம் அ॑கல்பயன்ன் ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
From his navel arose the midspace; from his head, heaven; from his feet, earth; from his hearing, the directions. Thus the worlds were formed.

வேதா॒³ஹமே॒தம் புரு॑ஷம் ம॒ஹாந்தம்᳚ । ஆ॒தி॒³த்யவ॑ர்ணம்॒ தம॑ஸ॒ஸ்து பா॒ரே ।
ஸர்வா॑ணி ரூ॒பாணி॑ வி॒சித்ய॒ தீ⁴ர:॑ । நாமா॑னி க்ரு॒த்வாபி॒⁴வத॒³ன்॒, யதா³ஸ்தே᳚ ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
I know this great Purusha, radiant like the sun and beyond darkness. The wise one, having fashioned all forms and names, remains as their underlying reality.

தா॒⁴தா பு॒ரஸ்தா॒த்³யமு॑தா³ஜ॒ஹார॑ । ஶ॒க்ர: ப்ரவி॒த்³வா-ன்ப்ர॒தி³ஶ॒ஶ்சத॑ஸ்ர: ।
தமே॒வம் வி॒த்³வான॒ம்ருத॑ இ॒ஹ ப॑⁴வதி । நான்ய: பந்தா॒² அய॑னாய வித்³யதே ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
The Creator proclaimed this in the beginning, and Indra, knowing it, spread it through the four directions. One who knows the Purusha in this way becomes immortal here; there is no other path to the final goal.

ய॒ஜ்ஞேன॑ ய॒ஜ்ஞம॑யஜந்த தே॒³வா: । தானி॒ த⁴ர்மா॑ணி ப்ரத॒²மான்யா॑ஸன்ன் ।
தே ஹ॒ நாகம்॑ மஹி॒மான:॑ ஸசந்தே । யத்ர॒ பூர்வே॑ ஸா॒த்⁴யா: ஸந்தி॑ தே॒³வா: ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
By sacrifice the gods worshipped the sacrifice. Those were the first dharmas. Through those greatnesses they reached the heavenly realm where the ancient Sadhya deities dwell.

அ॒த்³ப்⁴ய: ஸம்பூ॑⁴த: ப்ருதி॒²வ்யை ரஸா᳚ச்ச । வி॒ஶ்வக॑ர்மண:॒ ஸம॑வர்த॒தாதி॑⁴ ।
தஸ்ய॒ த்வஷ்டா॑ வி॒த³த॑⁴த்³ரூ॒பமே॑தி । தத்புரு॑ஷஸ்ய॒ விஶ்வ॒மாஜா॑ன॒மக்³ரே᳚ ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
Born from the waters and the essence of earth, arising from the universal maker, his form was shaped by Tvashta. In the beginning this was the universal emergence of the Purusha.

வேதா॒³ஹமே॒தம் புரு॑ஷம் ம॒ஹாந்தம்᳚ । ஆ॒தி॒³த்யவ॑ர்ணம்॒ தம॑ஸ:॒ பர॑ஸ்தாத் ।
தமே॒வம் வி॒த்³வான॒ம்ருத॑ இ॒ஹ ப॑⁴வதி । நான்ய: பந்தா॑² வித்³ய॒தேய॑னாய ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
I know this great Purusha, radiant like the sun and beyond darkness. One who knows him in this way becomes immortal here; no other path exists for the final goal.

ப்ர॒ஜாப॑திஶ்சரதி॒ க³ர்பே॑⁴ அ॒ந்த: । அ॒ஜாய॑மானோ ப³ஹு॒தா⁴ விஜா॑யதே ।
தஸ்ய॒ தீ⁴ரா:॒ பரி॑ஜானந்தி॒ யோனிம்᳚ । மரீ॑சீனாம் ப॒த³மி॑ச்ச²ந்தி வே॒த⁴ஸ:॑ ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
Prajapati moves within the womb; though unborn, he is born in many forms. The wise know his source, and the creators seek the radiant station.

யோ தே॒³வேப்⁴ய॒ ஆத॑பதி । யோ தே॒³வானாம்᳚ பு॒ரோஹி॑த: ।
பூர்வோ॒ யோ தே॒³வேப்⁴யோ॑ ஜா॒த: । நமோ॑ ரு॒சாய॒ ப்³ராஹ்ம॑யே ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
Salutations to the Brahmic radiance, to him who shines for the gods, who is their priest, and who arose before the gods.

ருசம்॑ ப்³ரா॒ஹ்மம் ஜ॒னய॑ந்த: । தே॒³வா அக்³ரே॒ தத॑³ப்³ருவன்ன் ।
யஸ்த்வை॒வம் ப்³ரா᳚ஹ்ம॒ணோ வி॒த்³யாத் । தஸ்ய॑ தே॒³வா அஸ॒ன் வஶே᳚ ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
Generating the Brahmic radiance, the gods declared in the beginning: the knower who understands this has the gods in his favor.

ஹ்ரீஶ்ச॑ தே ல॒க்ஷ்மீஶ்ச॒ பத்ன்யௌ᳚ । அ॒ஹோ॒ரா॒த்ரே பா॒ர்ஶ்வே ।
நக்ஷ॑த்ராணி ரூ॒பம் । அ॒ஶ்வினௌ॒ வ்யாத்தம்᳚ ।
இ॒ஷ்டம் ம॑னிஷாண । அ॒மும் ம॑னிஷாண । ஸர்வம்॑ மனிஷாண ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
Modesty and Lakshmi are your consorts; day and night stand by your sides; the stars are your form; the Ashvins are your open power. Grant the desired good, grant the higher goal, grant all that is truly worth seeking.

தச்ச²ம்॒ யோராவ்ரு॑ணீமஹே । கா॒³தும் ய॒ஜ்ஞாய॑ । கா॒³தும் ய॒ஜ்ஞப॑தயே । தை³வீ᳚ ஸ்வ॒ஸ்திர॑ஸ்து ந: । ஸ்வ॒ஸ்திர்மானு॑ஷேப்⁴ய: । ஊ॒ர்த்⁴வம் ஜி॑கா³து பே⁴ஷ॒ஜம் । ஶம் நோ॑ அஸ்து த்³வி॒பதே᳚³ । ஶம் சது॑ஷ்பதே³ ।
ஓம் ஶாந்தி:॒ ஶாந்தி:॒ ஶாந்தி:॑ ॥

Translation (பா⁴வார்த²):
We again seek auspicious welfare, the path of sacrifice, and the Lord of sacrifice. May there be divine welfare, human welfare, rising healing, and peace for two-footed and four-footed beings. May there be peace, peace, peace.

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