23 verses · 1 of 3
In the beginning the Self alone was, nothing else. It thought: let me create the worlds. It brought forth the four worlds of waters, light, earth and the waters below. From the waters it drew out a Purusha and shaped him. As it brooded on him, mouth, nose, eyes, ears, skin and heart broke open, and from them came speech and fire, breath and air, sight and sun, hearing and the directions, mind and moon. The devas asked for a dwelling; the human form pleased them, and each entered its place. Food, created next, fled, and only apana caught it. The Self then entered the body through the parting of the skull, saw the Purusha as Brahman, and said: I have seen this. So he is called Idandra, Indra.
वाङ् मे मनसि प्रतिष्ठिता मनो मे वाचि प्रतिष्ठितमाविरावीर्म एधि ॥ वेदस्य म आणीस्थः श्रुतं मे मा प्रहासीरनेनाधीतेनाहोरात्रान् सन्दधाम्यृतं वदिष्यामि सत्यं वदिष्यामि ॥ तन्मामवतु तद्वक्तारमवत्ववतु मामवतु वक्तारमवतु वक्तारम् ॥
vāṅ me manasi pratiṣṭhitā mano me vāci pratiṣṭhitamāvirāvīrma edhi || vedasya ma āṇīsthaḥ śrutaṃ me mā prahāsīranenādhītenāhorātrān sandadhāmyṛtaṃ vadiṣyāmi satyaṃ vadiṣyāmi || tanmāmavatu tadvaktāramavatvavatu māmavatu vaktāramavatu vaktāram ||
आत्मा वा इदमेक एवाग्र आसीन्नान्यत्किञ्चचन । स ईक्षत लोकान्नु सृजा इति
ātmā vā idameka evāgra āsīnnānyatkiñcacana | sa īkṣata lokānnu sṛjā iti
In the beginning all this was the Self alone, one only; nothing else blinked. He thought: let me now create the worlds.
स इमाँल्लोकानसृजत । अम्भो मरीचीर्मापोऽदोऽम्भः परेण दिवं द्यौः प्रतिष्ठाऽन्तरिक्षं मरीचयः । पृथिवी मरो या अधस्तात्त आपः
sa imām̐llokānasṛjata | ambho marīcīrmāpo'do'mbhaḥ pareṇa divaṃ dyauḥ pratiṣṭhā'ntarikṣaṃ marīcayaḥ | pṛthivī maro yā adhastātta āpaḥ
He created these worlds: Ambhas, the waters above, beyond heaven, with heaven as their support; Marichi, the rays, which is the middle region; Mara, the mortal world, which is the earth; and Apah, the waters that lie below.
स ईक्षतेमे नु लोका लोकपालान्नु सृजा इति ॥ सोऽद्भ्य एव पुरुषं समुद्धृत्यामूर्छयत्
sa īkṣateme nu lokā lokapālānnu sṛjā iti || so'dbhya eva puruṣaṃ samuddhṛtyāmūrchayat
He thought: here are the worlds; let me now create guardians for the worlds. From the waters themselves he drew forth a Purusha, a person, and gave him shape.
तमभ्यतपत्तस्याभितप्तस्य मुखं निरभिद्यत यथाऽण्डं मुखाद्वाग्वाचोऽग्निर्नासिके निरभिद्येतं नासिकाभ्यां प्राणः । प्राणाद्वायुरक्षिणी निरभिद्येतमक्षिभ्यां चक्षुश्चक्षुष आदित्यः कर्णौ निरभिद्येतां कर्णाभ्यां श्रोत्रं श्रोत्रद्दिशस्त्वङ्निरभिद्यत त्वचो लोमानि लोमभ्य ओषधिवनस्पतयो हृदयं निरभिद्यत हृदयान्मनो मनसश्चन्द्रमा नाभिर्निरभिद्यत नाभ्या अपानोऽपानान्मृत्युः शिश्नं निरभिद्यत शिश्नाद्रेतो रेतस आपः
tamabhyatapattasyābhitaptasya mukhaṃ nirabhidyata yathā'ṇḍaṃ mukhādvāgvāco'gnirnāsike nirabhidyetaṃ nāsikābhyāṃ prāṇaḥ | prāṇādvāyurakṣiṇī nirabhidyetamakṣibhyāṃ cakṣuścakṣuṣa ādityaḥ karṇau nirabhidyetāṃ karṇābhyāṃ śrotraṃ śrotraddiśastvaṅnirabhidyata tvaco lomāni lomabhya oṣadhivanaspatayo hṛdayaṃ nirabhidyata hṛdayānmano manasaścandramā nābhirnirabhidyata nābhyā apāno'pānānmṛtyuḥ śiśnaṃ nirabhidyata śiśnādreto retasa āpaḥ
He brooded over him with tapas. As he brooded, a mouth broke open like an egg: from the mouth came speech, from speech fire. Nostrils broke open: from them breath, from breath air. Eyes opened: from them sight, from sight the sun. Ears opened: from them hearing, from hearing the quarters. Skin appeared: from it hair, from hair plants and trees. The heart opened: from it mind, from mind the moon. The navel opened: from it the down-breath, from that death. The organ of generation opened: from it seed, from seed the waters.
ता एता देवता सृष्टा अस्मिन्महत्यर्णवे प्रापतन् । तमशनापिपासाभ्यामन्ववार्जत् । ता एनमब्रुवन्नायतनं नः प्रजानीहि यस्मिन्प्रतिष्ठिता अन्नमदामेति
tā etā devatā sṛṣṭā asminmahatyarṇave prāpatan | tamaśanāpipāsābhyāmanvavārjat | tā enamabruvannāyatanaṃ naḥ prajānīhi yasminpratiṣṭhitā annamadāmeti
These devatas, once created, fell into this great ocean. He made them subject to hunger and thirst. They said to him: find us a dwelling where we may stay and eat food.
ताभ्यो गामानयत्ता अब्रुवन्न वै नोऽयमलमिति । ताभ्योऽश्वमानयत्ता अब्रुवन्न वै नोऽयमलमिति
tābhyo gāmānayattā abruvanna vai no'yamalamiti | tābhyo'śvamānayattā abruvanna vai no'yamalamiti
He brought them a cow. They said: this is not enough for us. He brought them a horse. They said: this is not enough for us.
ताभ्यः पुरुषमानयत्ता अब्रुवन् सुकृतं बतेति पुरुषो वाव सुकृतम् । ता अब्रवीद्यथायतनं प्रविशतेति
tābhyaḥ puruṣamānayattā abruvan sukṛtaṃ bateti puruṣo vāva sukṛtam | tā abravīdyathāyatanaṃ praviśateti
He brought them a man. They said: ah, this is well made! Man indeed is well made. He said to them: enter, each into your own place.
अग्निर्वाग्भूत्वा मुखं प्राविशद्वायुः प्राणो भूत्वा नासिके प्राविशदादित्यश्चक्षुर्भूत्वाऽक्षिणी प्राविशद्दिशः श्रोत्रं भूत्वा कर्णौ प्राविशन्नोषधिवनस्पतयो लोमानि भूत्वा त्वचं प्राविशंश्चन्द्रमा मनो भूत्वा हृदयं प्राविशन्मृत्युरपानो भूत्वा नाभिं प्राविशदापो रेतो भूत्वा शिश्नं प्राविशन्
agnirvāgbhūtvā mukhaṃ prāviśadvāyuḥ prāṇo bhūtvā nāsike prāviśadādityaścakṣurbhūtvā'kṣiṇī prāviśaddiśaḥ śrotraṃ bhūtvā karṇau prāviśannoṣadhivanaspatayo lomāni bhūtvā tvacaṃ prāviśaṃścandramā mano bhūtvā hṛdayaṃ prāviśanmṛtyurapāno bhūtvā nābhiṃ prāviśadāpo reto bhūtvā śiśnaṃ prāviśan
Fire became speech and entered the mouth. Air became breath and entered the nostrils. The sun became sight and entered the eyes. The quarters became hearing and entered the ears. Plants and trees became hair and entered the skin. The moon became mind and entered the heart. Death became the down-breath and entered the navel. The waters became seed and entered the organ of generation.
तमशनायापिपासे अब्रूतामावाभ्यामभिप्रजानीहीति ते अब्रवीदेतास्वेव वां देवतास्वाभजाम्येतासु भागिन्यौ करोमीति । तस्माद्यस्यै कस्यै च देवतायै हविर्गृह्यते भागिन्यावेवास्यामशनायापिपासे भवतः
tamaśanāyāpipāse abrūtāmāvābhyāmabhiprajānīhīti te abravīdetāsveva vāṃ devatāsvābhajāmyetāsu bhāginyau karomīti | tasmādyasyai kasyai ca devatāyai havirgṛhyate bhāginyāvevāsyāmaśanāyāpipāse bhavataḥ
Hunger and thirst said to him: find a place for us too. He said: I give you a share among these very devatas; I make you partners with them. So whenever an offering is made to any devata, hunger and thirst share in it.
स ईक्षतेमे नु लोकाश्च लोकपालाश्चान्नमेभ्यः सृजा इति
sa īkṣateme nu lokāśca lokapālāścānnamebhyaḥ sṛjā iti
He thought: here are the worlds and the guardians of the worlds. Let me create food for them.
सोऽपोऽभ्यतपत्ताभ्योऽभितप्ताभ्यो मूर्तिरजायत । या वै सा मूर्तिरजायतान्नं वै तत्
so'po'bhyatapattābhyo'bhitaptābhyo mūrtirajāyata | yā vai sā mūrtirajāyatānnaṃ vai tat
He brooded over the waters. From the waters, so brooded over, a form was born. That form which was born is food.
तदेनत्सृष्टं पराङ्त्यजिघांसत्तद्वाचाऽजिघृक्षत् तन्नाशक्नोद्वाचा ग्रहीतुम् । स यद्धैनद्वाचाऽग्रहैष्यदभिव्याहृत्य हैवान्नमत्रप्स्यत्
tadenatsṛṣṭaṃ parāṅtyajighāṃsattadvācā'jighṛkṣat tannāśaknodvācā grahītum | sa yaddhainadvācā'grahaiṣyadabhivyāhṛtya haivānnamatrapsyat
Once created, the food turned away and tried to flee. The person tried to seize it with speech but could not. Had he seized it with speech, one would be satisfied merely by speaking of food.
तत्प्राणेनाजिघृक्षत् तन्नाशक्नोत्प्राणेन ग्रहीतुम् । स यद्धैनत्प्राणेनाग्रहैष्यदभिप्राण्य हैवान्नमत्रप्स्यत्
tatprāṇenājighṛkṣat tannāśaknotprāṇena grahītum | sa yaddhainatprāṇenāgrahaiṣyadabhiprāṇya haivānnamatrapsyat
He tried to seize it with breath but could not. Had he seized it with breath, one would be satisfied merely by smelling food.
तच्चक्षुषाऽजिघृक्षत् तन्नाशक्नोच्चक्षुषा ग्रहीतुम् । स यद्धैनच्चक्षुषाऽग्रहैष्यद्दृष्ट्वा हैवानमत्रप्स्यत्
taccakṣuṣā'jighṛkṣat tannāśaknoccakṣuṣā grahītum | sa yaddhainaccakṣuṣā'grahaiṣyaddṛṣṭvā haivānamatrapsyat
He tried to seize it with the eye but could not. Had he seized it with the eye, one would be satisfied merely by seeing food.
तच्छ्रोत्रेणाजिघृक्षत् तन्नाशक्नोच्छ्रोत्रेण ग्रहीतुम् । स यद्धैनच्छ्रोत्रेणाग्रहैष्यच्छ्रुत्वा हैवान्नमत्रप्स्यत्
tacchrotreṇājighṛkṣat tannāśaknocchrotreṇa grahītum | sa yaddhainacchrotreṇāgrahaiṣyacchrutvā haivānnamatrapsyat
He tried to seize it with the ear but could not. Had he seized it with the ear, one would be satisfied merely by hearing of food.
तत्त्वचाऽजिघृक्षत् तन्नाशक्नोत्त्वचा ग्रहीतुम् । स यद्धैनत्त्वचाऽग्रहैष्यत् स्पृष्ट्वा हैवान्नमत्रप्स्यत्
tattvacā'jighṛkṣat tannāśaknottvacā grahītum | sa yaddhainattvacā'grahaiṣyat spṛṣṭvā haivānnamatrapsyat
He tried to seize it with the skin but could not. Had he seized it with the skin, one would be satisfied merely by touching food.
तन्मनसाऽजिघृक्षत् तन्नाशक्नोन्मनसा ग्रहीतुम् । स यद्धैनन्मनसाऽग्रहैष्यद्ध्यात्वा हैवान्नमत्रप्स्यत्
tanmanasā'jighṛkṣat tannāśaknonmanasā grahītum | sa yaddhainanmanasā'grahaiṣyaddhyātvā haivānnamatrapsyat
He tried to seize it with the mind but could not. Had he seized it with the mind, one would be satisfied merely by thinking of food.
तच्छिश्नेनाजिघृक्षत् तन्नाशक्नोच्छिश्नेन ग्रहीतुम् । स यद्धैनच्छिश्नेनाग्रहैष्यद्वित्सृज्य हैवानमत्रप्स्यत्
tacchiśnenājighṛkṣat tannāśaknocchiśnena grahītum | sa yaddhainacchiśnenāgrahaiṣyadvitsṛjya haivānamatrapsyat
He tried to seize it with the organ of generation but could not. Had he seized it so, one would be satisfied merely by emitting.
तदपानेनाजिघृक्षत् तदावयत् सैषोऽन्नस्य ग्रहो यद्वायुरनायुर्वा एष यद्वायुः
tadapānenājighṛkṣat tadāvayat saiṣo'nnasya graho yadvāyuranāyurvā eṣa yadvāyuḥ
He tried to seize it with apana, the breath that draws in, and he caught it. So the seizer of food is this breath, which lives by food.
स ईक्षत कथं न्विदं मदृते स्यादिति स ईक्षत कतरेण प्रपद्या इति । स ईक्षत यदि वाचाऽभिव्याहृतं यदि प्राणेनाभिप्राणितं यदि चक्षुषा दृष्टं यदि श्रोत्रेण श्रुतं यदि त्वचा स्पृष्टं यदि मनसा ध्यातं यद्यपानेनाभ्यपानितं यदि शिश्नेन विसृष्टमथ कोऽहमिति
sa īkṣata kathaṃ nvidaṃ madṛte syāditi sa īkṣata katareṇa prapadyā iti | sa īkṣata yadi vācā'bhivyāhṛtaṃ yadi prāṇenābhiprāṇitaṃ yadi cakṣuṣā dṛṣṭaṃ yadi śrotreṇa śrutaṃ yadi tvacā spṛṣṭaṃ yadi manasā dhyātaṃ yadyapānenābhyapānitaṃ yadi śiśnena visṛṣṭamatha ko'hamiti
He thought: how could this body exist without me? And he thought: by which way shall I enter it? He reflected: if speaking is done by speech, breathing by breath, seeing by the eye, hearing by the ear, touching by the skin, thinking by the mind, drawing in by apana and emitting by the organ, then who am I?
स एतमेव सीमानं विदर्यैतया द्वारा प्रापद्यत । सैषा विदृतिर्नाम द्वास्तदेतन्नान्दनम् । तस्य त्रय आवसथास्त्रयः स्वप्ना अयमावसथोऽयमावसथोऽयमावसथ इति
sa etameva sīmānaṃ vidaryaitayā dvārā prāpadyata | saiṣā vidṛtirnāma dvāstadetannāndanam | tasya traya āvasathāstrayaḥ svapnā ayamāvasatho'yamāvasatho'yamāvasatha iti
Splitting open the crown of the head, he entered by that door. This door is called vidriti, the cleft; it is the place of delight. He has three dwellings and three states of dream: this is a dwelling, this is a dwelling, this is a dwelling.
स जातो भूतान्यभिव्यैख्यत् किमिहान्यं वावदिषदिति । स एतमेव पुरुषं ब्रह्म ततममपश्यत् । इदमदर्शनमिती ३
sa jāto bhūtānyabhivyaikhyat kimihānyaṃ vāvadiṣaditi | sa etameva puruṣaṃ brahma tatamamapaśyat | idamadarśanamitī 3
Being born, he looked around at the beings and asked: what here could speak of another? He saw this very Purusha as Brahman, all-pervading, and said: I have seen it!
तस्मादिदन्द्रो नामेदन्द्रो ह वै नाम तमिदन्द्रं सन्तमिन्द्र इत्याचक्षते परोक्षेण । परोक्षप्रिया इव हि देवाः परोक्षप्रिया इव हि देवाः
tasmādidandro nāmedandro ha vai nāma tamidandraṃ santamindra ityācakṣate parokṣeṇa | parokṣapriyā iva hi devāḥ parokṣapriyā iva hi devāḥ
So he is called Idandra, the one who sees this. Idandra is his name; but him who is Idandra they call Indra, indirectly. For the devas love the indirect, the devas love the indirect.
Text source: Wikisource · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikisource transcription of a public-domain text)
