*Verse 12*
yat puruSHam vyadadhu: | katidhA vyakalpayan |
mukham kimasya kau bAhoo | kavooroo pAdA ucyete || 11 ||
(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 ?
------------------------------
*Verse 13*
brAhmaNo asya mukhamAseet | bAhoo rAjanya: krta: |
ooru tadasya yad vaishya | padbhyAm shoodro ajAyata || 12 ||
(asya) His (mukham) mouth (Aseet) became (brAhmaNa:)
the Brahmin, (bAhoo) his arms (krta:) were made (rAjanya:)
Kings. (yad) what were(asya ooru) his thighs, (tad) they were
made into (vaishya:) the merchants, (padbhyAm) and from his feet
(shoodro) were the servants (ajAyata) born.
Any commentary on this has, to say the least, significant possibilities of
spinning out of control as a discussion on the role and system of the
varNa-jAti system. I think it best to let the verse speak for itself, as a
record of the world-view of its time, and let thinkers draw their own
conclusions.
From his mouth came forth
The men of learning
And of his arms
Were warriors made
From his thighs came
The trading people
And his feet gave
Birth to servants..
------------------------------
*Verse 14*
candramA manaso jAta: | caksho sooryo ajAyata |
mukhaadeendrascAgnischa | prANAdvAyurajAyata || 13 ||
(manasa:) From his mind (candramA) was the moon (jAta:)
born. (caksho) from his eyes (soorya:) the sun was (ajAyata)
born. (mukhAd) From his mouth (indra-sca) Indra and (agni-sca)
Agni and (prANAt) from his breath (vAyu:) the wind (ajAyata:)
were born.
The natural phenomena mentioned in this verse are synonymous with their
deities, who govern them. This sort of 'double' reference is common
throughout the Rg-veda, especially in hymns addressed to various dieties
that also contain some breathtaking images of nature and are beautiful
poetry. The puruSHa is the source of these dieties too. sAyaNAcarya says
"yathA dadhi-Ajya-Adi-dravyAni gAvadaya: .... candra-Adayo deva: api tasmAt
iva utpanna ityAha: "Just as essences like yogurt and ghee come forth from
undifferentiated, but essential milk, different in nature, yet identical in
source, even thus did the Gods, like candra, come forth fom the puruSHa. He
is indeed the basis of all things. prANa is just one of the breaths
recognized by the vedic people. apAna, vyAna, samAna, udAna are some of the
others.
Of his mind , the Moon is born
Of his gaze, the shining Sun
from his mouth, Thunder and Fire,
And of his life's breath,
The whistling wind..
------------------------------
*Verse 15*
nAbhyA Aseedantariksham | sheerSHNau dhyau: samavartata |
padbhyAm bhoomir disha: shrotrAt | tathA lokAm akalpayan || 14 ||
(nAbhyA) from his navel (Aseed) did appear (antarisham)
space. (sheerSHNa:) From his head was (dhyau:) the sky
(sam-avartat) well established. (padbhyAm) From his feet
(bhoomi) the earth (shrotrAt) from his ears (disha:) the directions
(tathA) This did they (akalpayan) by mere intent, that is sankalpa,
cause (lokAn) the worlds.
This verse is the conclusion of the details of the establishment of the
worlds by the devas, and the sAdhyas.
Some texts mention the verse "saptasyAn paridhaya:" after this, this is
common in most Rg-sangraha-s. The last verse of the PS redaction in these
texts ( eg. Le Mee, Chanana) is "yagnyena yagnyam.." which curiously, is
found elsewhere in the Rgveda. This place is the "asya vAmasya palitasya
hotu:" hymn, RV -214, by the rSHi deerghatamas (literally, profound
darkness).The asya vAmasya hymn is notable for its intense and complex
imagery, and I have yet to find a satisfactory interpretation for its
riddles.
However, the next three verse of the southern redaction are pregnant with
meaning, and relevant to our enquiry.
Space unfolds
From his navel
The sky well formed
From his head
His feet, the earth
His ears the Quarters
Thus they thought up
All the worlds.
KR In depth study shows the manifestations of the brahmam;
what gave the varna the nature; if the 4th varna is inferior
then the earth
where the varnas other three live is inferior? NO. 42 nayanmars and 2
alwaars were low varnas and yet being worshipped. Yesterday
there was a
function in TN , where Golden fish were placed in the sea,
because azhwar ,
a fisherman, did so. But for a fisher woman, there is no mahabharata
Purusha suktam as written by Ramanuja is perfect. K Rajaram
IRS 13 9 23
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