The Most Ancient Vedic Hymn, Purusha Suktam

A concise summary of Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 2 Chapter 6

Lord Brahma presents here the epic concept of the Universal Form of the Supreme, which appears originally in Rig Veda as Purusha Suktam. This Suktam appears in the other three Vedas, Buddha’s Dharma Sastras, and Persian Zoroastrian texts.

This description is exactly not a commentary on Purusha Suktam that appears in the Vedas but it is a reiterated elaboration on that. Lord Brahma’s description of the Universal Form to Sage Narada is expansive compared to that of the Sage Suka to Parikshit although both appear in Srimad Bhagavatam.

Purusha Suktam means the hymn that glorifies the Cosmic Being (Purusha). Vedic hymns are chanted during religious rituals. The chanter is expected to have a dominant quality of goodness (Brahmana) for the hymn to be effective.

Sage Suka earlier explained that Supreme Person (Bhagavan) accepted the form of the Cosmic Being to create matter and the Universe. He later confirms that Vasudeva (Krishna) is none other than that Supreme Person. The question arises, who is that Cosmic Being then. The hymn clarifies it by saying “the consort of Lakshmi” who is none other than Lord Narayana.

Vedas have 2 sections:

• Karma Kanda: Rituals described to prepare one’s intelligence to accept spiritual knowledge. The prerequisite is the quality of goodness

• Upanishads: The spiritual knowledge. There are 108 Upanishads. Shankaracharya confirms that Bhagavad Gita is the essence of the Upanishads.

The question is why Purusha Suktam appears in Srimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavad Purana) again:

• The identity of the Cosmic Being is reconfirmed because Srimad Bhagavatam in itself is a comprehensive description of the form, qualities, and activities of the Supreme Lord. It leaves no ambiguity about the identity

• Srila Vysadeva says that Purusha Suktam is the essence of the Vedas. The same Vysadeva reiterating it in Srimad Bhagavatam again with an elaborate description gives this scripture an equal status to the Vedas. This was confirmed by Srila Vysadeva at the beginning itself. The essence of the Vedas is summarized in this Maha Purana, the great scripture

• By having this hymn in Srimad Bhagavatam, it makes Purusha Suktam (which was only available to people in Brahmanas) become available for everyone and elevates the consciousness of anyone who reads, chants, or hears this scripture. It is also said that anyone who is absorbed in this scripture will become free from anything troublesome to the heart and mind

The key points of the hymn are summarized here:

• The Cosmic Being is all spiritual and devoid of matter

• Lord Brahma was born out of the lotus in the navel of this Cosmic Being

• The Supreme Lord is simultaneously formless spiritual energy (Brahman), all-pervading Super Soul (Paramatma), and all spiritual Supreme Person (Bhagavan). This phenomenon can be understood by taking the example of water which is just a collection of atoms, it is present in the human body as well as in the oceans and rivers and it also has qualities such as taste, touchable, drinkable, etc.

• The material creation is 1/3rd the size of the ever-lasting spiritual existence, which is free from birth, death, old age, and disease

• Surrendering to the Supreme Lord delivers one from the miseries of material existence

• The Supreme Lord is incomprehensible and mysterious even to the gods

• The Super Soul is the size of a thumb (not exceeding nine inches) situated in the region of the heart

• The Supreme Lord is the ultimate beneficiary of all offerings (Krishnarpanamastu)

Shankaracharya says that Purusha Suktam has relation to the Gayatri Mantra which is also in Rig Veda. The Savitr word in the mantra is not the Sun God, Surya but the same as Purusha in Purusha Suktam. The Purusha completes the three padas (24 syllables) of Gayatri Mantra. In other words, Gayatri Mantra is addressing the same Cosmic Being, Lord Narayana who is as brilliant as the Sun.

Purusha Suktam can be listened here.