Purusha sooktam

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tasmAdashvA ajAyanta | ye ke cobhayAdata: |

gAvoham jagnyire tasmAt | tasmajjatA ajAvaya: ||

 

(tasmAd) From that (ajAyanta) were born (asvA:) horses,

and beings with (eke ca) only one and (ubhayAdata:) two

rows of teeth. (gAva:) Cattle (jagnyire) were made (tasmAt)

from that. (tasmAt) From that (jAta) were born (ajA:) goats

and (Avaya:) sheep.

 

The most common interpretation I have seen for 'ye ke

cobhayAdata' is all animals with two rows of teeth. The one

here, I have seen only in "aNNa" 's thamizh translation.

However, it appeals to me as innately right. As for animals with

one row of teeth, I cannot think of any except whales with their

baleen. Someone with a better knowledge of zoological

orthodonty may be able to help me here =). All the animals

specifically mentioned here, presumably had been tamed, and

were counted as wealth in Rgvedic society.

>From that were born stately horses

Beasts with one and two rows of teeth

Cattle too, were born thereof

And goats and sheep with them created.

 

***

 

yat puruSHam vyadadhu: | katidhA vyakalpayan |

mukham kimasya kau bAhoo | kavooroo pAdA ucyete ||

 

(yat) The (puruSHam) purusha (vyadadhu:) that they divided,

(katidhA) into what forms , how, (vyakalpayan) did they shape

him ? (kim) What (Aseet) became (asya mukham) of his mouth ?

(kau) What are (ucyete) now called (asya bAhoo) his arms ?

(asya ooroo) His thighs, (asya pAdau) his feet, (kau ucyete)

what do they call them now ?

 

This verse begins a series of questions and answers as to how

the purusha was divided up, and what each of the parts of his

body (kosha roopa - the form that contained all) became, in the

sarvahut rite of creation. Aniruddha Narayana had advised

Bramha that to make his body the havis, Aniruddha the

havirbhokta, and meditating on Narayana, merge himself, offer

himself up to Narayana's form of fire. (mAm ca havirbhbhujam

dhyAtvA manmanAbhootva mayyagnau nivaacaye) And by just

feeling the touch (madanga sparsha maatreNa) of his, Bramha's

body, in which all of the worlds are contained (jagat-kosha

bhootas-tvat-kAyo) would become huge (brmhishyate) and

become the bramhanda, the great all. The different classes of

animals that came forth from this (tasmAt udbhootAni prANi

jAtAni), Bramha would be able to establish for them different

and appropriate forms (yaTHA puram nirmAya) and assume the

role of creator (sraSHTHA bhavishyasi) that he had in previous

eons.

 

Those samskrt quotes are from the P.S. samhita of the sAkalya

brAmhaNam, referred to before. Like most brAMhaNa verses,

this ends with " evam srSHTHiyagnyam yo jAnAti sa

janmaneeha mukto bhavati " - Who knows the rite of creation

thus, will be liberated in this very birth.

 

So now the details of this 'ritual dismemberment' of the

purusha's body, the bramhAnda, are given in the next few

verses as an account of this creation rite.

 

When they had

Divided him up,

Into what forms

Dis they cast Him ?

And what of his mouth,

His arms, his thighs, His feet ?

What did they make them ?