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What was his mouth? what were his arms? what are the names of thighs and feet?

11 The Brahman was his mouth, of both his arms was the Râjanya made.

His thighs became the Vaisya, from his feet the Sûdra was produced.

12 The Moon was gendered from his mind, and from his eye the Sun had birth;

Vâyu and Prâna from his ear, and from his mouth was Agni born.

13 Forth from his navel came mid-air; the sky was fashioned from his head;

Earth from his feet, and from his ear the Quarters. Thus they formed the worlds.

14 When Gods performed the sacrifice with Purusha as offering Spring was the butter, Autumn the oblation, Summer was the wood.

15 Then seven were his enclosing-sticks, his kindling-brands were three times seven,

When Gods, performing sacrifice, bound as their victim
Purusha.

16 Gods, sacrificing, sacrificed the victim: these were the earliest holy ordinances.

The Mighty Ones attained the height of heaven, there where the Sathyas, Gods of old, are dwelling.

11 The Brahman is called the mouth of Purusha as having the special privilege as a priest of addressing the Gods in prayer. The arms of Purusha became the Rajanya, the prince and soldier who wields the sword and spear. His thighs, the strongest part of his body, became the agriculturist and tradesman, the chief supporters of society; and his feet, the emblems of vigour and activity, became the Sûdra or labouring man on whose toil and industry all prosperity ultimately rests. This is the only passage in the Rigveda which enumerates the four castes.

13 Cf. the creation-myth of the world-giant Ymir in Old Northern poetry. The hills are his bones, the sky his skull, the sea his blood, and the clouds his brains. See Corpus Poeticum Boreale, II. 468.

15 Enclosing-sticks: See II. 3. Kindling-brands: See II. 4. Sâyana explains paridhayaḥ here as the seven sacred metres, or as six shallow trenches dug round the fire and an imaginary one round the Sun. According to Mabi ihara, the twenty-one kindling-brands are the twelve months, five seasons, the three worlds of earth, air, and heaven, and the Sun.

This pantheistic hymn. which is generally called the Purushasûkta, is of comparatively recent origin, and appears to be an attempt to harmonize the two ideas of sacrifice and creation. For further information regarding it, see Muir, O. S. Texts, I. pp. 6-11, and V. 368-377, Prof. Max Müller, Ancient Sanskrit Literature, pp. 570f, and Dr. Scherman, Philosophische Hymnen

17 In the beginning he was formed, collected from waters, earth, and Visvakarman's essence.

Fixing the form thereof Tvashtar proceedeth. This was at first the mortal's birth and godhead.

18 I know this mighty Purusha whose colour is like the Sun, beyond the reach of darkness.

He only who knows him leaves Death behind him. There is no path save this alone to travel.

19 In the womb moves Prajâpati: he, never becoming boru, is born iu sundry figures.

The wise discern the womb from which he springeth. In him alone stand all existing creatures.

20 He who gives light and heat to Gods, first, foremost Agent of the Gods,

Born ere the Gods-to him the bright, the holy One, be

reverence!

21 Thus spake the Gods at first, as they begat the bright and holy One:

The Brahman who may know thee thus shall have the Gods in his control.

22 Beauty and Fortune are thy wives: each side of thee are Day and Night.

The constellations are thy form: the Asvins are thine opeu jaws.

Wishing, wish yonder world for me, wish that the Universe

be mine.

aus der Rig-und Atharva-veda-Sanhitâ, pp. 11-23. The hymnn has also been translated by Colebrooke, Miscellaneous Essays, pp. 167, 168; by Wallis, Cosmology of the Rigveda, pp. 87, 88; and by Peterson, Hymns from the Rigveda, pp. 289, 290; also by Burnouf, Bhagavata Purâņa, Preface to Vol. I., and by Weber, Indische Studien, IX. p. 5. Grassmanu's Translation in his Appendix to Vol. II., and Ludwig's Translation and Commentary should be consulted. See also The Hymns of the Atharva-veda, XIX. 6, which is a reproduction of this hymn with transpositions and variations.

17 The earliest performer of the Purushamedha, who gained thereby the form of the Sun, is glorified. He: there is no noun in the text Mahidhara supplies yo rasuh, the essence which. Tvashtar: the Sun. Proccedeth: on his daily course, Godhead: gained by Sacrifice.

19 The first line is taken, with a variation, from A. V. X. 8. 13. Sundry places: every birth that occurs being in reality a re-birth of the Creative Power Prajapati.

20 He: Prajapati in the form of the Sun. Foremost Agent: purohitaḥ. 22 Beauty and Fortune: Și and Lakshmi. Thy: the Sun is addressed. Constellations: or stars in general. The Asvins: here according to Mahidhara, meaning Heaven and Earth. The Universe: he wishes for liberation from the bonds of this world and absorption into Brahma, the All.

BOOK THE THIRTY-SECOND.

AGNI is That; the Sun is That; Vâyu and Chandramâs are

That.

The Bright is That; Brahma is That, those Waters, that Prajapati.

2 All twinklings of the eyelid sprang from Purusha, resplendent One.

No one hath comprehended him above, across, or in the midst.

3 There is no counterpart of him whose glory verily is great. In the beginning rose Hiranyagarbha, etc. Let not him harm me, etc. Than whom there is no other born, etc. 4 This very God pervadeth all the regions; yea, born aforetime, in the womb he dwelleth.

He verily boru and to be born hereafter meeteth his offspring, facing all directions.

5 Before whom naught whatever sprang to being; who with his presence aids all living creatures,

Prajapati, rejoicing in his offspring, he, Shoḍasî, maintains the Three great Lustres.

6 By whom the heavens are strong and earth stands firmly, by whom light's realm and sky-vault are supported;

By whom the regions in mid-air were measured. What
God shall we adore with our oblation?

This and the two following Books contain texts and formulas to be used at the performance of a Sarvamedha or Sacrifice for Universal Success and Prosperity, a ten-day ceremony that ranks higher and is considered to be more important than even the Purushamedha. After performing this ceremony the Sacrificer has to leave his home and retire to the wilderness for the rest of his life. This Book is considered to be an Upanishad, entitled Tadeva from the first two words.

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1 That: tad; the Supreme Self. Chandramis: the Moon. Those the celebrated.

Twinklings: moments and measures of time. Comprehended: as an object of perception.

3 In the beginning, etc.: three passages are referred to, which have occurred, respectively, in XXV. 10-13; XII. 103; VIII. 36, all celebrating the greatness of Prajapati or Purusha.

4 Aforetime: or, the first. Cf. XXXI. 19.

5 The second line is repeated from VIII. 36. Three

Vâyu, Surya, or the Sun, the Moon, and Agni.

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Lustres: Agni,

6 Taken from R. V. X. 121. 5. What God, etc.: or, Worship we Ka the God. See XIII. 4.

7 To whom, supported by his help, two armies embattled look while trembling in their spirit,

Where over them the risen Sun is shining. What God shall we adore with our oblation?

What time the mighty waters, etc.

veyed, etc.

He in his might sur

8 The Sage beholdeth That mysterious Being wherein this All hath found one only dwelling.

Therein unites the Whole, and thence it issues: far-spread it is the warp and woof in creatures.

9 Knowing Eternity, may the Gandharva declare that station, parted, kept in secret.

Three steps thereof in mystery are hidden: he who knows these shall be the father's father.

10 He is our kin, our Father and Begetter: he knows all beings and all Ordinances,

In whom the Gods obtaining life eternal have risen upward to the third high station.

11 Having encompassed round existing creatures, the worlds and all the Quarters and Mid-quarters,

Having aproached the first-born Child of Order he with his
Self into The Self hath entered.

7 Two armies embattled look: or perhaps better: To whom, supported by his favour, Heaven and Earth look up. See M. Müller, Vedic Hymns, Part I. pp. 2, 9. What time, etc. repeated from XXVII. 25. He in his might repeated from XXVII. 26.

8 Mysterious Being: Brahma, the Absolute. Unites: is absorbed, at the periodical destruction of the universe at the end of a Kalpa or day of Brahma, an eon of four hundred and thirty-two million years of mortals. Isssues at the time of a new creation.

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9 Taken, with a variation, from A. V. II. 1. 2. The Gandharva: meaning here, according to Mahîdhara, Colebrooke, and Weber, the sage, the learn ed theologian; or, it may be, the Sun. Parted: in the absorption and the re creation of the universe. The A. V. reading is paramam, highest. Three steps: according to Mahîdhara, the three padini, steps, or conditions, are creation, continuance, and disappearance, or the Absolute (Brahma), the Demiurgus or Creator, and the individual Self. Prof. Weber suggests that the reference is to the Purusha Sûkta, 3, 4, of Book XXXI, Futher's father: wiser than. and able to teach, his elders.

10 He the Almighty Creator. Obtaining life immortal: Agni alone who is here identified with the Creator was originally immortal and the other Gods obtained immortality through him. Third high station: highest heaven. The first line is taken from A. V. II. 1. 3. Cf. R. V. X. 82. 3.

11 The performer of the Universal Sacrifice is liberated from the bonds of human life. Encompassed round: with the glance of his enlightened mind which shows the universe to be Brahma. Order: the eternal Law of the universe, whose first-born Child is apparently Prajapati; or, according to Mabidhara, Vak the Sacred Word connoting religious ceremonies performed therewith. He: the performer of the Universal Sacrifice.

12 Having gone swiftly round the earth and heaven, around the worlds, around the sky, the Quarters,

Having spread out the lengthened thread of Order, he views, and he becomes and is That Being.

13 To the Assembly's wondrous Lord, to Indra's lovely Friend who gives

Wisdom, have I drawn near in prayer.

14 That wisdom which the Companies of Gods, and Fathers, recognize.

Even with that intelligence, O Agni, make me wise to-day. All-hail!

15 Varuna grant me wisdom! grant it Agni and Prajâpati! Wisdom may Indra, Vâyu grant. May the Creator grant it me. All-hail!

16 Let these the Priests and Nobles both enjoy the splendour that is mine.

Best splendour may the Gods bestow on me. To thee, that splendour, hail!

12 Thread of Order: sacrifice, which is a line reaching down from ancient times and uniting men and Gods.

13 The Assembly's wondrous Lord: Agni, called Sadasaspati, Lord or Guardian of the congregation of priests and worshippers. The verse is taken from R. V. I. 18. 6.

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