Chapter 6 – Description of the Virāṭ Puruṣa : Exposition of the Puruṣa Sūkta
1.) The mouth of the Cosmic Being (Virāṭ Puruṣa) is the place, i. e. the source of the speech organs and its presiding deity the Fire. The seven essential ingredients (dhātu) such as saliva, blood, flesh, fat, bones and others of his body are the bases of the seven Vedic metres, (viz., Gāyatrī, Uṣṇik, Anuṣṭubh, Bṛhatī, Paṅkti, Triṣṭubh and Jagatī). His tongue is the source of food, viz., Havya (the food oblated to gods), Kavya (the food given to the manes—Pitṛs), Amṛta (the food remaining after having offered to gods and manes), and all flavours (viz. sweet, sour, pungent, bitter, saline and astringent)—and Varuṇa, their presiding deity.
Special Note : The seven principal Vedic metres are:
1. Gāyatrī : This is one of the most important and frequently occurring metres. It typically consists of three pāda (lines) of eight syllables each, for a total of 24 syllables.
2. Uṣṇik : This metre usually has three pāda (lines), with two pāda (lines) of eight syllables and one pāda (line) of twelve syllables, totaling 28 syllables.
3. Anuṣṭubh : A very common metre in later Vedic and classical Sanskrit literature, the Anuṣṭubh typically consists of four pāda (lines) of eight syllables each, for a total of 32 syllables.
4. Bṛhatī : The Bṛhatī metre generally has four pāda (lines), with two pāda (lines) of eight syllables and two pāda (lines) of twelve syllables, totaling 36 syllables. Another common structure is 8+8+12+8.
5. Paṅkti : This metre traditionally has five pāda (lines) of eight syllables each, making a total of 40 syllables.
6. Triṣṭubh : Another highly significant Vedic metre, the Triṣṭubh typically has four pāda (lines) of eleven syllables each, for a total of 44 syllables.
7. Jagatī : This metre usually consists of four pāda (lines) of twelve syllables each, for a total of 48 syllables.
These metres are fundamental to the structure and recitation of the Vedic hymns, particularly those found in the Ṛgveda. The precise number of syllables and the arrangement of pāda (lines) can sometimes vary, but these are the standard forms.
2.) His nostrils are the best places or abodes of all vital airs (viz.. Prāṇa, Apāna, Vyāna, Udāna and Samāna) and of (their presiding deity) Vāyu. His organ of smell is the abode of the two Aśvini-kumāras (the physicians of gods), medicinal herbs and plants, general and special smells (odours).
Special Note :
Prāṇa is the universal life force or vital energy that pervades all existence. Within the human body, this overall Prāṇa is further categorized into five primary manifestations, often referred to as the Pañca Prāṇas or Pañca Vāyus, each governing specific physiological and energetic functions. Understanding and balancing these vāyus is considered crucial for physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.
1. Prāṇa Vāyu :
Location: Head, lungs, heart, residing primarily in the chest and heart region.
Direction of Flow: Inward and upward.
Functions: Governs all processes of intake, such as inhalation, eating, drinking, and receiving sensory information. It is the fundamental life-giving force, responsible for respiration, the supply of oxygen, and maintaining vitality. A balanced Prāṇa Vāyu leads to a calm and balanced mind and emotions.
2. Apāna Vāyu :
Location: Lower abdomen, from the navel down to the soles of the feet.
Direction of Flow: Outward and downward.
Functions: Responsible for elimination and release. This includes excretion of waste (feces, urine), exhalation, menstruation, childbirth, and the release of toxins and stagnant emotions. It provides grounding and stability.
3. Samāna Vāyu :
Location: Navel region, between the navel and the heart (solar plexus).
Direction of Flow: Spiral or churning motion, inward from the periphery to the center.
Functions: Governs digestion, assimilation, and metabolism at all levels (food, thoughts, emotions). It is associated with the digestive fire (agni) and helps in separating nutrients from waste, distributing energy, and maintaining internal balance.
4. Udāna Vāyu :
Location: Diaphragm, throat, and head.
Direction of Flow: Upward.
Functions: Associated with upward movements like speech, vocalization, expression, swallowing, mental clarity, memory, and the functioning of the brain. It also plays a role in subtle energetic movements, guiding consciousness during sleep and after death.
5. Vyāna Vāyu :
Location: Originating from the heart, it is distributed throughout the entire body.
Direction of Flow: Outward and pervasive, circulating from the center to the periphery.
Functions: Governs circulation and movement throughout the body, coordinating and integrating the functions of the other four vāyus. It influences the circulatory system, nervous system, voluntary and involuntary movements (like blinking, yawning, muscle contraction and relaxation), and the flow of energy to every cell.
These five vital airs are not separate entities but different manifestations and movements of the singular life force, Prāṇa. Balancing them through practices like prāṇāyāma (breathing exercises), āsana (yoga postures), meditation, and mindful living is a core principle in many yogic and Ayurvedic paths to optimize health and well-being.
3.) His sense of sight is the source of all forms, colours, as well as of the lights that reveal them; while His eyes are the source of sky and the birth-place of the sun. Even so His ears are the source of the four cardinal points (directions) as well as of all sacred places; His sense of hearing is of ether and its element sound (śabda) which it carries with it, while His limbs are the source of the essence of all things, and the receptacle of all loveliness.
4.) His sense of touch, is the source of touch (Sparśa) as well as of the element of air (Vāyu) and even so, of all kinds of sacrificial performances. Similarly the hair on His body are the source of all kinds of trees and plants, or (according to another view) of such of them as contribute to the performance of sacrifices.
5.) His hair are the source of clouds and His beard and moustaches, of lightning; while the nails of His fingers and toes are the source of rocks and iron. Similarly His arms are the birth-place of the guardians of spheres, who are mostly engaged in the work of protecting the universe.
Special Note : The Dasha Dikpālas, also known as the Guardians of the Ten Directions, are deities in Vedic cosmology who are assigned to protect and govern the ten cardinal directions. These directions include the four cardinal (East, West, North, South), the four intercardinal (NE, SE, SW, NW), and the zenith (upward) and nadir (downward) directions.
These deities are often invoked in Vāstu Śāstra, temple architecture, and rituals, where directions hold deep spiritual and energetic significance. The concept of Dikpālas emphasizes that Divine protection surrounds the cosmos in every direction, reflecting an ordered and sacred universe.
- Indra: East (Pūrva)
- Agni: Southeast (Āgneya)
- Yama: South (Dakṣiṇa)
- Nirṛti (or sometimes Rakṣasa): Southwest (Nairṛtya)
- Varuṇa: West (Paścima)
- Vayu: Northwest (Vāyavya)
- Kubera: North (Uttara)
- Īśāna (a form of Shiva): Northeast (Īśānya)
- Brahma: Upward (Ūrdhva)
- Viṣṇu (or sometimes Ananta Shesha/Nāga): Downward (Adho / Pātāla)
6.) His stride (footsteps) is the support of the three worlds—the earth (Bhūrloka), the region of the air (Bhuvaḥloka / the atmosphere) and heaven (Svargaloka); while Śrī Hari’s feet are the source of security and protection, as also the place where all one’s desired objects can be obtained.
7.) The penis of the Cosmic Being is the source of water, the seminal fluid, creation, and the birth-place of the god of rain, as well as of Prajāpati (the god presiding over creation); while His organ of generation is the source of delight resulting from copulation for the sake of offspring.
8.) Even so His organ of excretion (anus) is the birth-place of Yama (the god of retribution), as well as of the god Mitra (the Sun), and the origin of the function of evacuating the bowels; while His rectum (internal passage where waste collects before being expelled) has been spoken of as the source of all destruction of life, the origin of hell and the birth-place of Mṛtyu (the god of death) as well as of Nirṛti (the goddess of misfortune), O Nārada.
9.) His back is the source of defeat and unrighteousness, as well as of Tamas (the principle of darkness or opacity). His arteries and veins are the source of big and small rivers, while the system of His bones is the source of mountains.
10.) The abdomen of the Cosmic Being is known to be the source of the Unmanifest Primordial Matter (avyakta), the chyle, the oceans, and the origin of all beings as well as of their dissolution; while His heart is reputed to be the source of the mind.
11.) Even so the Citta (Reason) of the Supreme is the excellent source of Dharma (righteousness and the gods presiding over it), myself (Brahmā), yourself (Nārada), Sanaka and his three brothers (Sanātana, Sanandana and Sanatkumāra), Lord Śiva, as also of Vijñāna (understanding) and the faculty of reason.
12-17.) Myself, yourself, Rudra (Lord Śaṅkara), those elder brothers of yours (Sanaka, Sanandana, etc.), sages (e.g. Marīci and others), Gods, demons, humans, Nāgas, birds, deer and reptiles, (celestial gods like) Gandharvas, Yakṣas, Apsaras (celestial damsels), Rākṣasas, Bhūtas (ghosts), serpents, beasts, manes (Pitṛs), Siddhas, Vidyādharas, Cāraṇas (celestial bards), trees and other various kinds of beings living in water, on land, in the air, planets, stars, comets, lightning and thundering, clouds—all are nothing but the manifestation of this Supreme Person. All this universe, past, present and future, is no other than the Supreme Person. It is by Him that all this stands pervaded and it covers only a span (a small portion) of the Cosmic Being. Just as Āditya, the Sun-god, illuminates his own sphere as well as outside (the world beyond it), so the Supreme Person enlightens the inside and outside of the universe which is his own Cosmic Body (Virāṭ Śarīra). He transcends all that is subject to death as well as the fruit of action, and is the lord of that immortal and fearless state (of Mokṣa). That is why, O divine sage, no one can fathom the glory of the Supreme Person.
18.) All the worlds represent only a fraction of the Supreme Person and it is in these worlds, forming part of the Lord, that all created beings are known to reside. And it is in the three highest heavens (viz., Janaloka, Tapoloka and Satyaloka) standing above Maharloka, which itself exists above the three worlds, that immortality, security and fearlessness have been established.
19.) The three Āśramas or stages of life, viz., those of the Brahmacārīs (lifelong celibates), Vānaprasthas (forest-dwellers or anchorites), and the Saṁnyāsīs (recluses), none of whom begets children, constitute His three feet, which have their abode outside the three worlds (viz., the earth {Bhūḥ}, the region of the air {Bhuvaḥ}, and heaven {Svar}); while the fourth foot, viz., the stage of the householder, who does not observe a vow of long celibacy, dwells inside the three worlds (Bhūḥ, etc.).
20.) The scriptures speak of two paths, the Path of Action, which has been characterized as Avidyā or ignorance (because of it being conducive to rebirth due to attachment to its fruit, such as heavens, etc.), and the Path of Upāsanā (meditation on God), which has been designated as Vidyā (because it leads to Knowledge or the Realization of Truth). The Jīva (embodied soul) follows either of these two paths, the first of which leads to enjoyment, and the other to final beatitude; while the Supreme Puruṣa is the foundation of both.
21.) Even as the sun, though illumining and warming all with its rays, is yet distinct from all, the Lord, from whom was evolved this universe in the form of an egg as well as His Cosmic Body, consisting of the five gross elements (earth, water, fire, air and ether), the ten Indriyas (the five senses of perception and the five organs of action) and the three Guṇas (modes of Prakṛti), (though indwelling all these and manifest in their form) is entirely beyond the universe as well as His Cosmic Body.
22.) When I sprang up from the lotus in the navel of this Cosmic Being, I found no materials for sacrifice beyond the limbs of the Supreme Person.
23-26.) Of these requisites, O noblest sage, I collected from the limbs of the Cosmic Being Himself materials for sacrifice such as the animals to be sacrificed, trees required for sacrificial posts, blades of kuśa grass, the sacrificial ground (the right place), and a most advantageous time (spring etc.), the equipments used for the performance of a sacrifice such as vessels and other necessary things, cereals (like rice, barley and so on), clarified butter (ghee) and other substances, saps of Soma and other plants, gold and other metals, earths of various kinds, water, the sacred texts of the Ṛgveda, the Yajurveda and the Sāmaveda and the duties of the four chief priests officiating at a sacrifice (viz., Hotā, Adhvaryu, Udgātā and Brahmā), the names of sacrifices (such as Jyotiṣṭoma, Agniṣṭoma, Atyagniṣṭoma, etc.), and Mantras (followed by Swāhā etc.), as also the sacrificial fees and the sacred vows to be observed during the performance of a sacrifice, the mention of the gods, the texts laying down the process of conducting sacrifices, the formal undertaking of a vow (to perform a sacrifice) and the process of performing it, the movements at the close of a sacrifice and contemplation on the deities, expiatory ceremonies for errors and omissions, and offering the whole performance to the Lord as his own.
Special Note : In ancient Vedic sacrifices (Yajña or Yāga), an elaborate ritual, four chief priests (Ṛtviks) were essential, each responsible for specific aspects and drawing from a particular Veda. Their collective effort ensured the proper execution and efficacy of the sacrifice for the benefit of the Yajamāna (the patron of the sacrifice).
Here are the duties of the four chief priests:
1. Hotā :
Veda: Primarily associated with the Ṛgveda.
Duties: The Hotā’s main role is the recitation of invocations (āhvānas), litanies, and hymns (mantras and śastras) from the Ṛgveda. They invite the deities to the sacrifice, praising them and making their presence known through their powerful and precise recitations. The Hotā’s vocalizations are considered crucial for establishing the connection between the human realm and the divine. They also declare the offerings and their purpose.
2. Adhvaryu :
Veda: Primarily associated with the Yajurveda.
Duties: The Adhvaryu is the master of the physical ritual. They are responsible for all the practical and manual aspects of the sacrifice. This includes:
– Measuring and preparing the sacrificial ground.
– Building the altar.
– Preparing the sacrificial vessels and implements.
– Fetching wood and water.
– Lighting and maintaining the sacred fires (agnis).
– Offering the oblations into the fire.
– Leading the processions and movements within the sacrificial arena.
– They recite the prose formulas (yajus) that accompany each ritual action.
The Adhvaryu ensures that every physical detail is carried out with precision and in accordance with the prescribed rules.
3. Udgātā :
Veda: Primarily associated with the Sāmaveda.
Duties: The Udgātā’s primary function is to chant hymns and melodies (sāmans) from the Sāmaveda. Their melodic recitations are meant to invoke the gods, fill the atmosphere with sacred vibrations, and elevate the consciousness of the participants. The chanting of the Udgātā is particularly prominent in the Soma sacrifices, where the invigorating properties of the Soma juice are praised through elaborate musical compositions. Their role is to create a harmonious and spiritually charged ambiance.
4. Brahmā :
Veda: Associated with all three Vedas, particularly acting as an overseer, and sometimes drawing from the Atharvaveda (अथर्ववेद) for expiatory rites.
Duties: The Brahmā is the superintendent and overall supervisor of the entire sacrifice. They are the “physician” of the sacrifice, responsible for detecting and rectifying any errors or omissions that might occur during the complex ritual. The Brahmā is expected to be knowledgeable in all the Vedas and their auxiliary sciences, ensuring that the ritual proceeds without flaws. If a mistake happens, they perform corrective rituals (prāyaścittas) to negate any negative consequences and ensure the successful completion of the sacrifice. They often maintain silence during much of the ritual, observing and being ready to intervene when necessary.
In essence:
– The Hotā invokes (recites).
– The Adhvaryu performs (executes).
– The Udgātā chants (sings).
– The Brahmā supervises and corrects.
These four priests, often supported by assistant priests for more elaborate sacrifices, worked in concert to create a sacred event believed to sustain cosmic order and bring benefits to the Yajamāna.
27.) Having thus collected all the materials from the limbs of the Cosmic Being, I worshipped with those very materials the same Supreme Person, Śrī Viṣṇu.
28.) Then these your (elder) brothers (The 4 kumāras), the nine lords of creation (Prajāpatis such as Marīci and others), with perfect concentration of mind, adored the Supreme Person, who is manifest (in the form of the Cosmic Being) and unmanifest (as the inner controller of all beings).
29.) Thereafter, when the time came, the Manus and the other Ṛṣis (seers), the manes (pitṛs), the gods, the demons, humans, all worshiped the Lord through sacrifices.
30.) This universe. O Nārada, rests on the support of the same Lord Nārāyaṇa, who, though essentially devoid of all attributes, assumes innumerable attributes at the dawn of creation by His Māyā.
31.) I create the universe as commissioned by Him; Lord Hara (Śiva), under His control, dissolves it; while He Himself as the Puruṣa (Śrī Viṣṇu) preserves it. In fact, it is He who has assumed the three powers of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas (severally for the purpose of creation, protection and dissolution).
32.) Thus dear child, in this way I have told you whatever you have asked me. There is nothing in this creation, whether existing as a cause or an effect, which is other than the Supreme Lord (Nārāyaṇa).
33.) As I have meditated upon the lord with intensely devoted heart, my speech is never observed to be untrue, nor my mind goes to paths other than the truth, nor my sense organs leave the proper path (go to the path of untruth).
34.) I am Veda personified (full of Vedic knowledge), my life is full of austere penance and I am the lord of Prajāpatis (the progenitors of races) and adored by them all; nay, I practised Yoga in all thoroughness with a concentrated mind. Yet I failed to realize Him to whom I owe my existence.
35.) I bow down to the feet of that Supreme Person, who is the destroyer of saṁsāra (material bondage, birth and death), the shelter of auspiciousness, and the highest blessing for those who approach Him. Who else besides Him can fully comprehend His own unlimited opulences and potencies, which He manifests by His own divine energy (māyā), just as the sky alone comprehends its own vastness, then how could any other being possibly understand Him?
36.) Neither myself, nor you (my sons), nor even Vāmadeva (Lord Śiva), knows His true nature; how then could the other celestial beings (or humans) know Him? Our mind is so confounded that we fail to comprehend the reality even of this universe, which is a creation of His Māyā, but merely speculate about it according to our own understanding and knowledge.
37.) Hail to that Lord whose descent in the world of matter and deeds (in the course of such descent) myself and others constantly sing (glorifying and praying to Him), but whom none of us knows in reality.
38.) That unborn Primal Person (Puruṣa) Himself creates, protects and dissolves Himself (in the form of this universe) within Himself and by Himself, cycle after cycle (In each kalpa).
39.) He is pure, absolute consciousness uniformly abiding as the inner Self of all. He is ever true and perfect, has no beginning or end, and is attributeless, eternal and one without a second.
40.) Nārada, those who are given to contemplation realize Him only when they have perfectly subdued their body, senses and mind. He, however, disappears from our view when He is assailed by the sophistical reasoning of the wicked.
41.) The first manifestation of the Supreme (Formless Nārāyaṇa / Śrī Kṛṣṇa) is the Puruṣa (Mahā Viṣṇu / Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu). Besides Him, Time (kālaḥ), swabhāva (innate disposition), Prakṛti in the form of cause and effect, mind, the five gross elements, Ego, the modes of Prakṛti (viz., Sattva etc.), the senses, the Cosmic Body (Virāṭ Puruṣa / Universal Form), the Cosmic Being (Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu), and the bodies of all animate and inanimate beings, are all manifestations of the all-pervading Lord (Formless Nārāyaṇa / Śrī Kṛṣṇa).
Special Note :
The Three Forms of Śrī Viṣṇu (Three Puruṣa-Avatāras), these are successive expansions of the Supreme (Formless Nārāyaṇa / Śrī Kṛṣṇa) for the purpose of cosmic creation and maintenance.
1. Mahā Viṣṇu (Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu):
The first avatāra of the Supreme (Formless Nārāyaṇa / Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
– Lies in the Causal Ocean (Kāraṇa-jala), which is beyond the material cosmos (outside the universe).
– From His breathing, innumerable universes are produced as golden seeds (or bubbles).
– With His glance, He activates Prakṛti, injecting Time (kāla), karma, and jīvas.
– He is the cosmic seed-giver.
2. Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu:
– He enters each universe created by Mahā-Viṣṇu and lies on Ananta Śeṣa in the Garbhodaka Ocean.
– From Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, the Virāṭ Puruṣa manifests — as the visible universal body, also called Hiraṇyagarbha (the Golden Embryo).
– From His navel springs the lotus on which Lord Brahmā is born.
– The jīvas sent by Mahā-Viṣṇu are now given the suitable environments based on their guṇas & samskaras under the overall supervision of Lord Brahmā who manifested from the navel of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu.
– He is the origin of the Virāṭ Puruṣa form within each universe.
3. Virāṭ Puruṣa – The Universal Form:
– This is the first stage of visible creation.
– The Virāṭ Puruṣa is the cosmic body in which all aspects of creation are visualized as limbs of the divine person. The cosmic body is made up of the material elements: Mahābhūtas (elements) like earth, water, fire, etc. Cosmic senses, organs, deities, etc.
– Mountains as His bones, Rivers as veins, Sun as His eye, Time as His movement, Vedas as His breath, Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas, etc. as parts of His body (as in the Puruṣa Sūkta).
42-44.) Nay, myself, Bhava (Lord Śiva), Lord Viṣṇu, the lords of created beings Dakṣa and others, nay, yourself and other devotees like you, the protectors of heaven (Indra and others), the guardians of the feathered kingdom (Garuḍa and so on), the rulers of the mortal world and the protectors of the subterranean regions (Śeṣa and others); the lords of the Gandharvas (the celestial musicians), Vidyādharas, Cāraṇas (the celestial bards); the leaders of the Yakṣas, the Rākṣasas, the serpents and the Nāgas; the foremost among the Ṛṣis (sages), and the manes (pitṛs); the lords of the Daityas, the Siddhas and the Dānavas; other than these, such as the rulers of the Pretas, Piśācas, Bhūtas, Kūṣmāṇḍas, aquatic creatures, beasts and birds; nay, whatever in this world is endowed with supernatural powers, glory, vigour, resolution, physical strength and forbearance, or whatever is possessed of splendour, decorum, good fortune and intellectual acumen, that which has a wonderful color and whatever is with or without form is the same as the ultimate Truth (all are nothing but God, the ultimate reality).
Special Note :
1. Vidyādharas
Nature: Celestial beings endowed with magical powers and knowledge (vidyā).
Role: They are considered semi-divine beings who inhabit the higher realms and are often seen flying through the skies. They are skilled in mystical arts and sometimes associated with the attendants of the gods.
2. Cāraṇas
Nature: Celestial bards and sages.
Role: They are known for their devotion, poetic abilities, and singing the glories of the gods. They reside in the higher lokas and accompany divine beings, praising them with hymns and songs.
3. Yakṣas
Nature: Semi-divine beings often associated with wealth and nature.
Role: They are attendants of Kubera, the god of wealth. While generally benevolent, some Yakṣas can also be fierce. They dwell in forests, mountains, and hidden treasures.
4. Rākṣasas
Nature: Powerful, often malevolent beings.
Role: Typically portrayed as demonic or antagonistic to the devas, though not all are evil. They have immense strength and can shape-shift. Famous Rākṣasas include Rāvaṇa and Kumbhakarṇa.
5. Serpents and Nāgas
Nature: Semi-divine serpent beings.
Role: Nāgas are a race of intelligent, powerful serpents. They dwell in Pātāla-loka (the netherworld) and guard treasures. They are both feared and revered. Ananta Śeṣa, the serpent-bed of Viṣṇu, is their king.
6. Ṛṣis (Sages)
Nature: Enlightened beings, seers of truth.
Role: The foremost Ṛṣis like Nārada, Vasiṣṭha, and Atri possess deep spiritual knowledge and guide the world through dharma and tapas (austerity). They are often directly inspired by divine revelation.
7. Pitṛs (Manes)
Nature: Ancestral spirits.
Role: Residing in the Pitṛ-loka, they are the departed souls of ancestors. Hindus offer śrāddha and other rites to satisfy them. They bless their descendants when honored properly.
8. Daityas
Nature: Offspring of Diti and sage Kaśyapa—cousins to the Devas.
Role: Often portrayed as enemies of the gods, though not inherently evil. Some Daityas like Prahlāda are revered as great devotees.
9. Siddhas
Nature: Perfected or accomplished beings.
Role: Possess supernatural powers (siddhis) due to deep yogic practice. They roam freely across realms and are revered for their spiritual mastery.
10. Dānavas
Nature: Descendants of Danu and Kaśyapa.
Role: Like Daityas, they are often in conflict with Devas. Many are powerful and ambitious. Though often seen as demonic, they also have wise and dharmic individuals among them.
11. Pretas
Nature: Ghostly spirits.
Role: Beings caught in a state between death and rebirth due to unsatisfied desires or improper funeral rites. They are often tormented by hunger and thirst.
12. Piśācas
Nature: Malign, flesh-eating spirits.
Role: Associated with darkness and decay, they haunt cremation grounds and are known for causing diseases or possession.
13. Bhūtas
Nature: Ghosts or spirits of the dead.
Role: Often earth-bound due to unfulfilled karma. They can be mischievous or malevolent if not appeased.
14. Kūṣmāṇḍas
Nature: Lower-order supernatural beings.
Role: Believed to dwell in the inner regions of the cosmos and feed on subtle energies. Sometimes said to be responsible for creating the universe in a cosmic sense in some Purāṇic narratives.
45.) Oh sage! Give ear unto my narration of the blessed incarnations of the Great Puruṣa (especially of) those which are regarded as his chief incarnation-sports (līlāvatāras). As I narrate to you these in a series, let these fascinating accounts which are like nectar and which remove the defects of (sins committed) by merely listening through the ears. Please drink this nectar to your heart’s content.
Thus ends the sixth discourse entitled “Description of the Virāṭ Puruṣa”, in Book Two of the great and glorious Bhāgavata Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahaṁsa-Saṁhitā (the book of the God-realized Souls).
Summarization Of The Entire Chapter :
In response to Nārada’s inquiry into the source of creation and the means of realizing the Supreme, Brahmā reveals a majestic and contemplative vision: the entire cosmos is but a partial manifestation of the Virāṭ Puruṣa, the Cosmic Being who embodies the Supreme Lord in a form perceivable to the subtle eye of divine knowledge. The Supreme Being, the all-pervading Virāṭ Puruṣa, is not merely the origin of creation but is Himself the very embodiment of the universe in its totality—transcendent yet immanent, beyond all yet within all. His divine body is not material in the limited sense but is the sacred field in which the cosmos unfolds. From His luminous mouth arises speech itself, infused with the fire of Agni, and from His bodily constituents—blood, marrow, skin, and bone—emerge the seven sacred Vedic metres, which serve as the metrical skeleton of the Vedas themselves. His tongue, the portal of taste and the seat of sacred offerings, becomes the ground for havya (offerings to the gods), kavya (offerings to ancestors), and amṛta (divine nectar). Through this divine organ flow all flavors—sweetness, bitterness, pungency—each a reflection of His own inner rasa, the taste of the Divine. And He, as Varuṇa, presides over these waters of flavor and sacrament, governing taste not just as a sensory experience, but as a means of sanctification and inner refinement.
His nostrils exhale the five vital airs that sustain life—prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, udāna, and samāna—streams of energy that animate the cosmos itself. Governed by the deity Vāyu, these breaths are sacred winds that carry the fragrance of existence. Within these channels of inhalation reside the twin celestial healers, the Aśvinī Kumāras, and from them manifest all medicinal herbs and the essence of healing. His eyes illumine not only sight but the very realm of form and color, and from their light emerges the brilliance of the sun and the vault of the sky. His ears generate the directions and all holy pilgrimage places, and sound—śabda—flows through space (ākāśa), establishing the cosmic rhythm and transmitting the Veda. His bodily limbs are the source of all splendor, beauty, and strength manifest in creation, and His sense of touch, born of the element of air, becomes the subtle vehicle of the sacrificial spirit.
Even the grasses and herbs used in sacrifice are but manifestations of the hair on His skin, while the lightning emerges from His beard and clouds from the hairs upon His head. Rocks and ores lie embedded in His fingernails, and His vast arms uphold the universe through the guardians of the directions, the Lokapālas. As He walks, His divine feet press upon the three worlds—Bhūr, Bhuvaḥ, and Svaḥ—sustaining and protecting them, and becoming the very refuge of beings seeking liberation. His feet, like sacred altars, are the final shelter for all souls, and those who surrender to them attain the fulfillment of all desires and freedom from fear. His generative organ is the source of progeny and the principle of creative energy. From it flow the waters of life, the essence of creation itself, presided over by Prajāpati and the deity of rain. Yet this same force, when misused or distorted, becomes entangled in binding desire, whereas, when sanctified, it becomes a path of divine service.
His organ of excretion becomes the source of dissolution, death, and misfortune—Yama, Nirṛti, and Mṛtyu abide there—reminding us that the cosmic body contains both the origin and end of all things. His back, representing tamas and adharma, is the region of defeat and darkness, showing how even ignorance has a place within the Divine for the sake of the soul’s journey and eventual transcendence. His veins and arteries flow into rivers that nourish life, and His skeletal structure becomes the great mountains—firm, unmoving symbols of steadfastness and strength. His belly, as the repository of food and digestion, becomes the ocean and the womb of the unmanifest—Avyakta. It is from here that the cosmos is born and into which it will finally return. His heart is the seat of the mind, which is the subtle instrument through which the soul experiences the world, and from His intellect arise dharma, Brahmā, Nārada, the four eternal Kumāras, Śiva, and the various faculties of higher knowledge and realization.
Even I, Brahmā, the creator of beings, am born of this intelligence. From His body emanate all forms of life—gods, demons, humans, sages, animals, serpents, birds, spirits, celestial musicians, and dancers. Even the very elements—earth, water, fire, air, and ether—and celestial phenomena like comets, lightning, thunder, stars, and planets spring from His divine limbs. In truth, the past, present, and future all lie contained within Him. Just as the sun illuminates the world without diminishing its own light, so too does the Lord pervade creation without ever being diminished by it.
The world is but a portion of His infinite glory. Beyond the realm of this threefold world—Bhūr, Bhuvaḥ, and Svaḥ—exist the higher worlds: Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka, and Satyaloka, realms untouched by death, impermanence, and sorrow. They are sanctuaries for those who have transcended karma and realized the Supreme. The three higher āśramas—brahmacarya, vānaprastha, and saṁnyāsa—represent the upward journey of the soul, turning away from the path of reproduction and sense gratification.
These stages of life lie beyond the pull of the material world and correspond to the three steps of the Lord which transcend the cosmos. But the householder’s path, tied to procreation and preservation, abides within the domain of the three worlds. The scriptures describe two distinct paths: the path of karma (ritual action, bound by desires) and the path of upāsanā (devotional meditation). The path of karma, though sanctioned by the Vedas, is still enmeshed in the dualities of action and result and is termed avidyā (ignorance), for it binds the soul to saṁsāra. The path of devotion and contemplative worship is vidyā (true knowledge), which illumines the soul and leads it to liberation. The individual soul (jīva), entangled in these two paths, wanders amidst repeated births, while the Supreme Lord remains untouched—ever-present, ever-free, the source of both paths, yet beyond them.
Like the sun that reflects in countless waters yet remains singular and unaffected, the Supreme Being dwells within all beings, all things, and all realms, yet is untouched by them. Though composed of limbs, elements, senses, and guṇas for the sake of the universe, He is ever beyond guṇas, beyond form, beyond change. When I was first born upon the lotus that sprouted from His navel, I searched in all directions but found no material separate from Him with which to create. Everything needed for creation—animals, plants, ritual implements, sacred spaces, the Vedas themselves—existed within Him, and I drew them forth from His cosmic body. With these elements—sacrificial posts, sacred grass, Vedic hymns, mantras, priests, and oblations—I performed yajña (sacrifice) to Him alone.
The entire process of worship—from invocation to completion—was directed to Nārāyaṇa, the eternal Lord. My sons and other sages too performed sacrifice, knowing Him to be the only true recipient. All the Manus, Ṛṣis, and Devas, in due course, followed the same path of worship and devotion, establishing dharma through sacrifice, meditation, and praise of that eternal Being who transcends the play of Māyā. He is the sole actor in creation, maintenance, and dissolution. I create under His guidance; Śiva destroys according to His will; and He sustains in His own form as the indwelling Puruṣa. Though He assumes the guṇas for cosmic functions, He is eternally beyond their influence—like an actor who plays a role without being bound by it. O Nārada, this is the highest truth: there is nothing in existence—no cause, no effect, no being, no object—that is separate from the Supreme Lord, Nārāyaṇa. All things rest upon Him, and He alone is the refuge of all.
Because my (Brahmā’s) mind has been steadfastly fixed on His lotus feet, my speech does not err, my thoughts are aligned with truth, and my senses are at peace. I am endowed with Vedic knowledge, austerity, and yogic discipline, yet even I cannot fully comprehend Him. I offer my obeisance to that Infinite Lord whose very remembrance dispels the bondage of saṁsāra and who is the source of all auspiciousness and the ultimate shelter for the surrendered soul. Who can know His true extent? Even Vāmadeva (Lord Śiva’s lower manifestations), even myself, cannot grasp the fullness of His being. The gods and sages may glorify Him, but their vision is limited by the veil of Māyā. His creation bewilders even the most learned, and we speak of Him only as far as our intellect permits. Let us then glorify that Supreme Being, whose avatars descend in every age for the protection of dharma and the deliverance of souls. Though He is unborn, He assumes forms to play amidst the world of karma, always acting for the highest good.
He alone is pure consciousness—nirguṇa, eternal, formless, infinite. He dwells within the heart of every being as the witness and guide, and only through meditation, renunciation, and unwavering devotion can He be known. To those with uncontrolled minds, He remains elusive, for He cannot be grasped through logic or argument. But to the humble, the surrendered, the pure in heart—He reveals Himself as the eternal refuge and the highest truth.
Short Questions & Answers :
Q1: Who is the Virāṭ Puruṣa, and how is He both transcendent and immanent?
A: The Virāṭ Puruṣa is the cosmic manifestation of the Supreme Being, who simultaneously pervades and transcends the universe. He is not only the origin of creation but is also its very substance—every element, every living being, and every function in nature arises from and resides in His divine form. Though His body constitutes the universe, He Himself remains untouched, infinite, and beyond the reach of material limitations.
Q2: What is the significance of the various organs and elements of the Virāṭ Puruṣa’s body?
A: Each aspect of His cosmic form symbolizes a fundamental principle of the universe. For instance, His mouth is the source of speech and the Vedic metres, His tongue is the seat of taste and sacrifice, His eyes are the sun and the sky, and His breath is the life force that animates all beings. His limbs generate deities, senses, directions, and elements of ritual, illustrating that both the physical and the metaphysical realms are rooted in His being.
Q3: How does the Virāṭ Puruṣa relate to sacrifice (Yajña) and Vedic rituals?
A: The entire Vedic sacrificial system—its ingredients, priests, mantras, and offerings—are manifested from His own body. In fact, Yajña itself is a form of worship directed towards Him. Even Brahmā, the first-born creator, performs sacrifices using elements derived from the Lord’s body, acknowledging Nārāyaṇa as the sole recipient and sustainer of all ritualistic acts.
Q4: What role does Māyā play in the perception of the Virāṭ Puruṣa?
A: Māyā is the divine illusion that veils the true nature of the Supreme, causing beings to perceive duality and separateness. Although the Virāṭ Puruṣa pervades everything, beings deluded by Māyā cannot see His presence in all. Only through the dispelling of Māyā via knowledge, devotion, and surrender can one perceive His unity and all-encompassing nature.
Q5: What is the distinction between the path of karma (action with desire) and upāsanā (devotion)?
A: Karma, or action motivated by desire, even when prescribed by the Vedas, leads to further bondage in saṁsāra and is considered a form of ignorance (avidyā). Upāsanā, or meditative devotion to the Lord, is born of knowledge (vidyā) and leads one to liberation. While karma binds, devotion liberates, aligning the Soul with the eternal will of the Supreme.
Q6: How does Brahmā describe his own experience of creation and realization of the Lord?
A: Brahmā recounts how, in the beginning, he found nothing separate from the Lord to create with. Realizing that all elements and beings emerge from the Lord’s own body, he engaged in creation under His guidance. Because his mind is fixed on the Lord’s lotus feet, Brahmā’s knowledge remains pure, and his speech faultless, yet even he admits he cannot fully comprehend the Supreme.
Q7: What is the philosophical import of saying the Lord remains untouched despite manifesting creation?
A: This emphasizes the Lord’s transcendence. Just as the sun reflects in many waters without becoming divided or altered, the Supreme Being manifests the universe without undergoing change. He remains nirguṇa (beyond qualities) and nirākāra (formless), despite appearing to possess limbs, senses, and functions for the sake of creation and the upliftment of beings.
Q8: Why do even great celestial gods fail to fully understand the Supreme?
A: Because the Supreme Lord is infinite, beyond the grasp of the mind and speech. Even the greatest of beings are limited by their faculties and conditioned experiences. Their knowledge, though vast, is insufficient to encompass the limitless glories of the Supreme, who reveals Himself only to the pure-hearted and the surrendered.
Q9: What is the ultimate means of knowing the Supreme Lord according to this teaching?
A: The Supreme can be known not through logic, scholarly debate, or ritual action alone, but through unwavering devotion (bhakti), mental purity, surrender, and meditative absorption. Those who fix their minds and hearts upon Him with humility and sincerity are blessed with the vision of His true form.
Q10: What is the final teaching of Brahmā to Nārada in this discourse?
A: Brahmā declares that everything—be it cause or effect, sentient or insentient—is rooted in Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Lord. He affirms that the Lord alone is the eternal refuge, the source of all creation, and the goal of all knowledge and worship. Even the act of speaking about the Lord is sanctifying and liberating, when it arises from devotion and realization.
