PURUSHA. SANSK. Man, mind; the male deity, a title of Narayana, the Supreme 'king and soul of the universe ; every male said to have sprung from him. Purusha-ined'ha, sacrifice of a man, human sacrifice.
Purusha-sakta is a hymn in the Rig Veda in which the four castes are first mentioned, but i3 regarded by Sanskrit scholars as of hate in troduction. In it occurs the passage descriptive of the origin of Brahmans from Brahma : the Brahman was his mouth ; the Rajanya was made his arms ; the being. (called) the Vaisya, he was his thighs ; the Sudra sprang from his feet. Ver. 7 says, This victim Purusha, born pritnevally, they bumolated on the sacrificial grass; with him as their oblation, the gods, Sadhyas and Rishis, sacrificed. 8. From that universal oblation were produced curds and clarified butter. He pro dueed the animals, of which Vayu is the deity, both wild and tame. 9. From that universal sacri fice were produced the hymns called Rich aud Saman, the Metres, and the Yajus. JO. Front that were produced horses, and all animals having two rows of teeth, cows, goats, and sheep. 11. When (or offered up) Purusha, into how many parts did they divide Lim? 1Vhat was his inouth? What were his arms ? What were mlled his e,yes and feet? 12. The Brahman was his mouth, the
Rajanya WILS made his arms, that which was the Vaisya was his thighs, the Sudra sprang from his feet. 13. The moon wa.s produced from his mind (Manas), the sun from Ins eye, Sudra and Agni from his mouth, and Vaya from his breath. 14. From his name came the atmosphere, from his head the sky, from his feet the earth, from Isis ear the four quarters, so they formed the world& The comparatively late date of this hymn is evident from the mention of the Samna and Yajus Veda (ver. 9), but it is older than other accounts which aro given us in Menu and the Maltabliarata, when the mystical Significance of the story disappears. and the castes are represented at literally proceeding from Braluna's body. I...ven when this origin of the castes had been received, and the supremacy of the Brahmsuis established, it was still considered possible to rise by mesna of mortification front the Ksluttriya t,o the Bralt =aka' caste ; and there have been. also many instances of masses of the people being created Bralimans.—As. Res. iii. 358, toll 214.