Purusha Suktam
Purusha Suktam
Purusha Suktam
puruSha sUktam
o-ntachChaM_-yo.NrAvRRi'NImahe | gA_tuM-ya.N_jnAya' | gA_tuM-ya.N_jnapa'taye | daivI᳚ sva_stira'stu naH | sva_stirmAnu'ShebhyaH | U_rdhva-nji'gAtu bheSha_jam | sha-nno' astu dvi_pade᳚ | sha-nchatu'Shpade |
OM shAnti_-shshAnti_-shshAntiH' ||
sa_hasra'shIrShA_ puru'ShaH | sa_ha_srA_kSha-ssa_hasra'pAt |
sa bhUmiM'-vi.N_shvato' vRRi_tvA | atya'tiShThaddashA~Ngu_lam ||
puru'Sha e_vedagM sarvam᳚ | yadbhU_taM-ya.Nchcha_ bhavyam᳚ |
u_tAmRRi'ta_tva syeshA'naH | yadanne'nAti_roha'ti ||
e_tAvA'nasya mahi_mA | ato_ jyAyAg'shcha_ pUru'ShaH |
pAdo᳚-.asya_ vishvA' bhU_tAni' | tri_pAda'syA_mRRita'-ndi_vi ||
tri_pAdU_rdhva udai_tpuru'ShaH | pAdo᳚-.asye_hA-.a.abha'vA_tpunaH' |
tato_ viShva_~Nvya'krAmat | sA_sha_nA_na_sha_ne a_bhi ||
tasmA᳚dvi_rADa'jAyata | vi_rAjo_ adhi_ pUru'ShaH |
sa jA_to atya'richyata | pa_shchAdbhUmi_matho' pu_raH ||
yatpuru'SheNa ha_viShA᳚ | de_vA ya_j~namata'nvata |
va_sa_nto a'syAsI_dAjyam᳚ | grI_Shma i_dhmashsha_radhdha_viH ||
sa_ptAsyA'sanpari_dhayaH' | tri-ssa_pta sa_midhaH' kRRi_tAH |
de_vA yadya_j~na-nta'nvA_nAH | aba'dhna_n-puru'Sha-mpa_shum ||
taM-ya.N_jna-mba_r_hiShi_ praukShan' | puru'Sha-njA_tama'gra_taH |
tena' de_vA aya'janta | sA_dhyA RRiSha'yashcha_ ye ||
tasmA᳚dya_j~nAthsa'rva_hutaH' | sambhRRi'ta-mpRRiShadA_jyam |
pa_shUg-stAg-shcha'kre vAya_vyAn' | A_ra_NyAn-grA_myAshcha_ ye ||
tasmA᳚dya_jnAthsa'rva_hutaH' | RRicha_-ssAmA'ni jajnire |
ChandAgM'si jaj~nire_ tasmA᳚t | yaju_stasmA'dajAyata ||
tasmA_dashvA' ajAyanta | ye ke cho'bha_yAda'taH |
gAvo' ha jaj~nire_ tasmA᳚t | tasmA᳚jjA_tA a'jA_vayaH' ||
yatpuru'ShaM_-vya.N'dadhuH | ka_ti_thA vya'kalpayann |
mukha_-~Nkima'sya_ kau bA_hU | kAvU_rU pAdA'vuchyete ||
brA_hma_No᳚-.asya_ mukha'mAsIt | bA_hU rA'ja_nyaH' kRRi_taH |
U_rU tada'sya_ yadvaishyaH' | pa_dbhyAgM shU_dro a'jAyata ||
cha_ndramA_ mana'so jA_taH | chakSho_-ssUryo' ajAyata |
mukhA_dindra'shchA_gnishcha' | prA_NAdvA_yura'jAyata ||
nAbhyA' AsIda_ntari'kSham | shI_rShNo dyau-ssama'vartata |
pa_dbhyA-mbhUmi_rdisha_-shshrotrA᳚t | tathA' lo_kAgM a'kalpayann ||
vedA_hame_ta-mpuru'Sha-mma_hAntam᳚ | A_di_tyava'rNa_-ntama'sa_stu pA_re |
sarvA'Ni rU_pANi' vi_chitya_ dhIraH' | nAmA'ni kRRi_tvA-.abhi_vada_n_, yadA-.a.aste᳚ ||
dhA_tA pu_rastA_dyamu'dAja_hAra' | sha_kraH pravi_dvA-npra_disha_shchata'sraH |
tame_vaM-vi.N_dvAna_mRRita' i_ha bha'vati | nAnyaH panthA_ aya'nAya vidyate ||
ya_jnena' ya_jnama'yajanta de_vAH | tAni_ dharmA'Ni pratha_mAnyA'sann |
te ha_ nAka'-mmahi_mAnaH' sachante | yatra_ pUrve' sA_dhyA-ssanti' de_vAH ||
a_dbhya-ssambhU'taH pRRithi_vyai rasA᳚chcha | vi_shvaka'rmaNa_-ssama'varta_tAdhi' |
tasya_ tvaShTA' vi_dadha'drU_pame'ti | tatpuru'Shasya_ vishva_mAjA'na_magre᳚ ||
vedA_hame_ta-mpuru'Sha-mma_hAntam᳚ | A_di_tyava'rNa_-ntama'saH_ para'stAt |
tame_vaM-vi.N_dvAna_mRRita' i_ha bha'vati | nAnyaH panthA' vidya_te-.aya'nAya ||
pra_jApa'tishcharati_ garbhe' a_ntaH | a_jAya'mAno bahu_dhA vijA'yate |
tasya_ dhIrAH_ pari'jAnanti_ yonim᳚ | marI'chInA-mpa_dami'chChanti ve_dhasaH' ||
yo de_vebhya_ Ata'pati | yo de_vAnA᳚-mpu_rohi'taH |
pUrvo_ yo de_vebhyo' jA_taH | namo' ru_chAya_ brAhma'ye ||
rucha'-mbrA_hma-~nja_naya'ntaH | de_vA agre_ tada'bruvann |
yastvai_va-mbrA᳚hma_No vi_dyAt | tasya' de_vA asa_n vashe᳚ ||
hrIshcha' te la_kShmIshcha_ patnyau᳚ | a_ho_rA_tre pA_rshve |
nakSha'trANi rU_pam | a_shvinau_ vyAttam᳚ |
i_ShTa-mma'niShANa | a_mu-mma'niShANa | sarva'-mmaniShANa ||
tachChaM_-yo.NrAvRRi'NImahe | gA_tuM-ya.N_jnAya' | gA_tuM-ya.N_jnapa'taye | daivI᳚ sva_stira'stu naH | sva_stirmAnu'ShebhyaH | U_rdhva-nji'gAtu bheSha_jam | sha-nno' astu dvi_pade᳚ | sha-nchatu'Shpade |
OM shAnti_-shshAnti_-shshAntiH' ||
About This Stotram
Overview
Purusha Suktam is a foundational hymn from the tenth Mandala of the Rigveda (10.90), describing the cosmic sacrifice of the Primordial Person (Purusha) from whose body the universe — including the gods, humans, animals, and the varnas — came into being. Composed of 16 verses, it is among the most frequently recited Vedic texts and belongs to the Shruti category. It is central to Vaishnava ritual practice, where Purusha is identified with Narayana/Vishnu.
What are the benefits of chanting Purusha Suktam?
- Invokes an understanding of the unity of existence and the divine origin of the cosmos
- Purifies the environment and the practitioner during Vedic ritual contexts
- Fulfills prescribed liturgical requirements in pujas and homams dedicated to Vishnu
- Establishes connection with one of the oldest layers of the Vedic textual tradition
When is the best time to recite this?
Purusha Suktam is recited during Vedic yajnas, Vishnu pujas, and major festivals such as Vaikuntha Ekadashi. It is also included in morning and evening Vedic prayer recitations and in temple abhishekam ceremonies.
What is the historical and traditional background?
Rigveda 10.90 is recognized as one of the most cosmologically significant hymns in the Vedic corpus, dated to approximately 1500–1200 BCE and possibly later in its final form based on internal evidence debated by scholars. Its attribution is traditionally given to the Rishi Narayana. The hymn's description of the cosmic Purusha as the source of the Vedas, the gods, and the social order became foundational for later Hindu cosmology and theology, influencing the Upanishads, the Bhagavata Purana, and Vaishnava philosophical traditions. It is an integral part of the Vedic canon preserved across multiple shakhas.
Available scripts
This text is available in 14 scripts: devanagari, tamil, telugu, kannada, malayalam, gujarati, bengali, iast, gurmukhi, oriya, assamese, sinhala, itrans, hk. Use the script selector above to switch between them.
Related Texts
- Pavamana Suktam — another Rigvedic suktam used in ritual contexts alongside the Purusha Suktam, drawn from Mandala 9
- Patanjali Yoga Sutras — a Sanskrit philosophical text that shares the Purusha concept (as the individual self distinct from prakriti) that underpins the cosmology of the Purusha Suktam