yajvan
14 May 2007, 04:11 PM
Hari Om
~~~~~
Namaste,
I thought to extend the conversation in Virat Purusha if it's ok with sm78.
We have mentioned a few things on Virat Purusa from sm78's most excellent post and the various replies:
http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=12361&postcount=1 (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=12361&postcount=1)
and from the post that defined Purusa:
http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=12339&postcount=1 (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=12339&postcount=1)
The conversation is on the Rig Veda mantra (10.90.1)
A thousand heads hath Purusa, a thousand eyes, a thousand feet,
On every side , pervading earth he fills a space ten fingers wide.
We intuitively know sahasrasirsha - a thousand heads, means the Purusa is everywhere, all pervading , ubiquitous. This is supported by saying sarvatah pani-padam - His hands and feet (too) are everywhere.
Now when we come to 'He fills the space 10 fingers wide' , this is just as profound as all pervading too. How so? We know purusha is from He who resides in the city ( puri). We ,our bodies, are considered the city or puri.
He resides there as this SELF. But 'He fills 10 fingers wide (dasangulam) ' what of that? Lets put a few things together. This puri , this city of ours is said to have 9 gates [ see below for the 9]. And He is known as the SELF, the atman. The Upanishads also call Him Hamsa, or a swan. If we take the 9 gates + the Atman = 10. This is another dimension ,10, that is described in this sukta and points to Him with the indication of 10, as Purusa. Dasamas tvam asi .
We know this 10, or 100, or 1000 or 10,000 all point to the fullness of this Being based upon 1 + 0 , and this was reviewed on this post: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=12385&postcount=3 (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=12385&postcount=3)
Another beautiful reason to use 10, is the Atman is suggested to reside in the heart area (hridaye). This heart area is considered 10 fingers above the navel… another indicator of Hamsa, Self, Atman , Purusha that resides inside in each of us. Not independently, but as a whole, in all of us.
So why is the navel of any import? Why not 12 fingers down from one's eyes or the like? Think of the navel and the role it played for your birth. The answer to this question lies here.
And why a swan? As the swan swims in the water, and is majestic, He/She never gets wet. As they say , like water rolling-off the back of swan. Purusa as the SELF, swims in this relative field of life, He/She too never gets bound/corrupted to the actions that reside here, the water (actions) do not stick to this Purusa as being beyond it.
And what of these 9 gates? Think of your body with 2+2+2+1+1+1 openings: eyes, ears, mouth, nostrils, naval, anus.
Who can say " I know this undecaying, ancient , soul of all' ? The rishi Svetasvatara, from sveta = pure + asva= senses. For one interested in knowing this Purusha, it takes refined perception, pureness of consciousness. This rishi brings us this knowledge of Purusha in the Svetasvatara Upanishad, if one wishes to read more on this subject. It's part of the Krsna Yajurveda.
Pranams,
~~~~~
Namaste,
I thought to extend the conversation in Virat Purusha if it's ok with sm78.
We have mentioned a few things on Virat Purusa from sm78's most excellent post and the various replies:
http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=12361&postcount=1 (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=12361&postcount=1)
and from the post that defined Purusa:
http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=12339&postcount=1 (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=12339&postcount=1)
The conversation is on the Rig Veda mantra (10.90.1)
A thousand heads hath Purusa, a thousand eyes, a thousand feet,
On every side , pervading earth he fills a space ten fingers wide.
We intuitively know sahasrasirsha - a thousand heads, means the Purusa is everywhere, all pervading , ubiquitous. This is supported by saying sarvatah pani-padam - His hands and feet (too) are everywhere.
Now when we come to 'He fills the space 10 fingers wide' , this is just as profound as all pervading too. How so? We know purusha is from He who resides in the city ( puri). We ,our bodies, are considered the city or puri.
He resides there as this SELF. But 'He fills 10 fingers wide (dasangulam) ' what of that? Lets put a few things together. This puri , this city of ours is said to have 9 gates [ see below for the 9]. And He is known as the SELF, the atman. The Upanishads also call Him Hamsa, or a swan. If we take the 9 gates + the Atman = 10. This is another dimension ,10, that is described in this sukta and points to Him with the indication of 10, as Purusa. Dasamas tvam asi .
We know this 10, or 100, or 1000 or 10,000 all point to the fullness of this Being based upon 1 + 0 , and this was reviewed on this post: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=12385&postcount=3 (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=12385&postcount=3)
Another beautiful reason to use 10, is the Atman is suggested to reside in the heart area (hridaye). This heart area is considered 10 fingers above the navel… another indicator of Hamsa, Self, Atman , Purusha that resides inside in each of us. Not independently, but as a whole, in all of us.
So why is the navel of any import? Why not 12 fingers down from one's eyes or the like? Think of the navel and the role it played for your birth. The answer to this question lies here.
And why a swan? As the swan swims in the water, and is majestic, He/She never gets wet. As they say , like water rolling-off the back of swan. Purusa as the SELF, swims in this relative field of life, He/She too never gets bound/corrupted to the actions that reside here, the water (actions) do not stick to this Purusa as being beyond it.
And what of these 9 gates? Think of your body with 2+2+2+1+1+1 openings: eyes, ears, mouth, nostrils, naval, anus.
Who can say " I know this undecaying, ancient , soul of all' ? The rishi Svetasvatara, from sveta = pure + asva= senses. For one interested in knowing this Purusha, it takes refined perception, pureness of consciousness. This rishi brings us this knowledge of Purusha in the Svetasvatara Upanishad, if one wishes to read more on this subject. It's part of the Krsna Yajurveda.
Pranams,