The Creation of the Universe: The Sacrifice of Purusha.
An ancient Vedic myth from the Rigveda.

The Primordial Being

In the beginning, before time existed, there was only Purusha - the Cosmic Man. He was vast beyond imagination, with a thousand heads, a thousand eyes and a thousand feet. His presence filled all existence and extended beyond the boundaries of the known universe. He was both the Creator and the creation, the source from which all life would emerge.

Purusha was not just a god or a being - he was everything. He was the past, the present and the future. The gods themselves were but fragments of his infinite form. Yet the universe remained unformed, a silent void waiting to be formed.

The Divine Sacrifice

The Gods - Agni (Fire), Indra (King of the Gods), Vayu (Wind) and the other celestial beings - gathered in the cosmic expanse. They knew that a great sacrifice had to be made for the world to be born. And so they decided to offer Purusha himself as the sacred sacrifice.

With solemn hymns and divine fire, they performed the first yajna (ritual sacrifice). Purusha, willingly accepting his role, allowed himself to be divided. His body was the offering and from it the universe took shape.

"With Purusha as the sacrifice, the gods performed the sacred rite. Spring was the butter, summer the fuel, autumn poured the sacrifice".
- Rigveda 10.90.6

The Birth of the Cosmos

As Purusha's body was offered to the sacred fire, the beginning of existence unfolded:

• From his mind emerged the moon, softly glowing in the night sky.
• From his eyes shone the sun, bringing light to the world.
• From his breath came Vayu, the wind, whose whisper carried life.
• From his navel stretched the atmosphere, the space between heaven and earth.
• From his head stretched the sky (Dyaus), an endless canopy of stars.
• From his feet the earth (Prithvi) formed, solid and nourishing.

But creation did not stop there. Even the gods themselves were born of Purusha: Indra, the king of the gods, and Agni, the fire of sacrifice, arose from his power. The Vedas, the sacred hymns of wisdom, flowed from his essence.

The Social Orders

From Purusha's body came not only the cosmos but also mankind, divided into the first social orders:

• His mouth became the Brahmans - the priests and scholars who guarded the sacred knowledge.
• His arms became the Kshatriyas - the warriors and kings who protect the world.
• His thighs became the Vaishyas - the farmers and merchants who sustain life.
• His feet became the Shudras - the labourers who support all others.

This was not merely a division of labour, but a sacred harmony in which each part of society played a role in maintaining the cosmic balance.

The Eternal Truth

Purusha's sacrifice was not an end but a transformation. His body became the world, his spirit infused all life, and his essence remained as Brahman - the eternal, unchanging truth behind reality.

The gods, the earth, the stars and every living being - all were once part of Purusha, and all remain connected through his sacrifice.