Lord Shiva in Vedas and Upanishads - Part 3

How can we interpret Lord Shiva as Purusha in Purusha Suktam ?

Note :- This answer of mine is fully written in glorification of the holy lotus and divine feets of Lord Shiva, the supreme purusha and the wonderful philosophies of Shaivism and Shaktism. People in nowadays are rejecting Lord Shiva’s supremacy. They should understand that Hari and Hara are one only. Both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu are the supreme Purusha. But many people in today's world are giving long lists of differences they think between Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu and hence rejects the supremacy of Lord Shiva. Here many of my friends have given awesome references and answers for proving Lord Shriman Narayana as the supreme purusha of the purusha suktam and now I will make you realise that even Lord Shriman Mahadeva is too the supreme Purusha of Purusha Suktam.

Lord Shiva is the supreme Purusha of the Purusha Suktam !!!!!

Now the question comes how Lord Shiva is Supreme Purusha ?

The answer written by me here is in such a way that a person who will read it carefully can realize that Shiva is supreme Purusha !!!!!!

I have already written 2 posts on the basis of Lord Shiva’s supremacy declared in Vedas and Upanishads whose links are present at the end of my post.

See Svetashvatar Upanishad in its chapter 3 explains the highest reality which is highest of all and that's this :-

Eko hi rudro na dvitīyāya tasthur
ya imāṃl lokān īśata īśanībhiḥ
pratyaṅ janāṃs tiṣṭhati sañcukocānta-kāle
saṃsṛjya viśvā bhuvanāni gopāḥ

"Rudra is truly one; for the knowers of Brahman do not admit the existence of a second, He alone rules all the worlds by His powers. He dwells as the inner Self of every living being. After having created all the worlds, He, their Protector, takes them back into Himself at the end of time."

:- Svetashvatar Upanishad

So by taking this as main source of my inspiration, I will try to prove that Supreme Purusha of Purusha Suktam of Rig Veda.

So let us start with 1st verse :-

सहस्त्रशीर्षा पुरुष:सहस्राक्ष:सहस्रपात् |

स भूमि सर्वत: स्पृत्वाSत्यतिष्ठद्द्शाङ्गुलम् ||१|

sahasraśīrṣā puruṣaḥ sahasrākṣaḥ sahasrapāt

sabhūmiṃ viśvato vṛtvātyatiṣṭhad daśāṅghulam

The Purusha has thousand heads,
He has thousand eyes,
He has thousand feet,
He is spread all over the universe,
And is beyond the count with ten fingers.

Veda Purusha is said to have 'Thousand' heads, 'Thousand' eyes etc. Here Thousand doesn't mean just 1000. Thousand(Sahasra) implies almost infinite. The Rishis used the words 'Sata'(100) and 'Sahasra'(1000) not only for the respective figures but also to denote "uncountable" in number. Scriptures say that God has uncountable names and all names are his names. But still we use 'Satanama' and 'sahasranamas' while worshiping God. The words 'Sata and 'Sahasra' are not meant for restricting it to 100 or 1000 but to convey the 'Wholeness'. This verse explains the unity of all living beings.

Now let us see what Skambha (Linga) sukta of Atharva Veda says on it :-

yád éjati pátati yác ca tíṣṭhati prāṇád áprāṇan nimiṣác ca yád bhúvat

tád dādhāra pr̥thivī́ṃ viśvárūpaṃ tát saṃbhū́ya bhavaty ékam evá

That which hath power of motion, that which flies, or stands,which breathes or breathes not, which, existing, shuts the eye. Wearing all forms that entity upholds the earth, and in its close consistence, Sambhu still is only one.

:- ( Atharvana Veda 10-8-11)

Even Taittirya Aranyaka (10-24-1) of Yajur Veda clearly says Lord Rudra is the Purusha in Vedas by telling “purusho vai rudrah” and even Kaushitaki Brahmana (6-1-13) of Rig Veda calls Lord Rudra as "sahasrakha sahasrapat".

The same thing is confirmed in Svetasvatara Upanishad :-

viśvataś cakṣur uta viśvato-mukho

viśvato-bāhur uta viśvatas-pāt

saṃ6 bāhubhyāṃ dhamati sampatatrair

dyāv-ābhūmī janayan deva ekaḥ

"His eyes are everywhere, His faces everywhere, His arms everywhere, everywhere His feet. He it is who endows men with arms, birds with feet and wings and men likewise with feet. Having produced heaven and earth, this God (deva ekaḥ) remains as their non—dual manifester".

:- Svetasvatara Upanishad (3–3)

Hence here it proves it’s Lord Shiva who is the Purusha of Purusha Sukatm.

Now the 4th and 5th verse of Purusha Suktam says :-

त्रिपादूर्ध्व उदैत्पुरुष:पादोSस्येहाभवत्पुनः |

ततो विष्वङ् व्यक्रामत्साशनानशनेSअभि ||४||

tripādūrdhva udait puruṣaḥ pādo.asyehābhavat punaḥ |

tato viṣvaṃ vyakrāmat sāśanānaśane abhi ||

Above this world is three quarters of Purusha,
But the quarter, which is in this world,
Appears again and again,
And from that is born the beings that take food,
And those inanimate ones that don’t take food.
And all these appeared for every one of us to see.

ततो विराडजायत विराजोSअधि पूरुषः |

स जातोSअत्यरिच्यत पश्चाद्भूमिमथो पुर:

tasmād virāḷ ajāyata virājo adhi pūruṣaḥ |

sa jātoatyaricyata paścād bhūmimatho puraḥ ||

From him Virāj was born;

again Puruṣa from Virāj was born.

As soon as he was born,

he spread eastward and westward over the earth

Now in the 4th verse also we see Lord Shiva as Brahman. The word "Brahman" has its root in the word 'Brihat' which means Large or massive.

Regarding this, Sri Rudram of Yajurveda it says to Lord Shiva namo brihate cha which means Salutations to Lord Rudra who is 'Brihat' ie., Brahman.

Yajurveda (v. 5. 9. i ) says "The Rudra in the fire, in the waters, in the plants, the Rudra who has entered all beings, to that Rudra be homage"

Even we can see in Puranas like Shiva Purana, Kurma Purana, Linga Purana, Vaayu Purana and Skanda Purana that Lord Vishnu after understanding that there is no limit of this Anantha Linga said that to Lord Shiva as Lingam :-

“Ohh Lord, you have no end and no starting. You are Anantha. In your Linga, all the three worlds and universe is there. You are starting and you are end and you yourself as Anantha”

This can be even seen in Atharva Veda’s Skambha Suktam :-

"Great, verily, are those Gods who sprang from non-existence into life. Further, men say that that one part of Skambha (linga) is nonentity"

"Where Skambha (Linga) generating gave the Ancient World its shape and form, They recognized that single part of Skambha(pillar or Linga) as the Ancient World,"

Now coming to the 5th verse, it basically says :-

This verse says that Virat was born from Purusha. Virat is the Shining world. It is also called Hiranyagarbha by the Upanishads. The Vedas call it by name Prajapati (Bramha). The Prajapati is responsible for creation. He is the first being to be born. From Prajapati the Purusha himself took his birth. As soon as he was born he spread out over the earth in all the directions, i.e. he multiplied and new species evolved.

Purusha ---------> Prajapati (Bramha) --------> Purusha.

Now each and every Shaivite or Shiva devotee might have got what I am trying here to hint. Remember the story of “Manifestation of Rudra” which is told in Mahabharata and all the Puranas. All Puranas mention the Manifestation of Lord Shiva through Lord Bramha because of the Bramha’s boon.

Hence by here I prove that Lord Rudra as SadaShiva actually manifested himself or appeared himself from Lord Bramha but in reality he is unborn and I am not saying this, Rig Veda is saying this and same thing is said in Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda is saying this. Here Lord Shiva is called as Vratya or Ascetic form i.e. the form we all see him as a great Yogi :-

vrā́tya āsīd ī́yamāna evá sá prajā́patiṃ sám airayat ||

sá prajā́patiḥ suvárṇam ātmánn apaśyat tát prā́janayat ||

tád ékam abhavat tál lalā́mam abhavat tán mahád abhavat táj jyeṣṭhám abhavat tád bráhmābhavat tát tápo 'bhavat tát satyám abhavat téna prā́jāyata ||

"There was Vratya( Ascetic form of Lord Shiva). He roused Prajapati to action. Prajapati beheld gold in himself and engendered it. That became unique, that became distinguished, that became great, that became excellent, that became Brahman, that became Tapas, that became Truth: through that he was born."

:- Atharva Veda 15:1:1–3

sò 'vardhata sá mahā́n abhavat sá mahādevò 'bhavat ||

sá devā́nām īśā́ṃ páry ait sá ī́śāno 'bhavat ||

sá ekavrātyò 'bhavat sá dhánur ā́datta tád evéndradhanúḥ ||

nī́lam asyodáraṃ lóhitaṃ pr̥ṣṭhám ||

nī́lenaivā́priyaṃ bhrā́tr̥vyaṃ prórṇoti lóhitena dviṣántaṃ vidhyatī́ti brahmavādíno vadanti ||

"He grew, he became great, he became Mahadeva.He gained the lordship of the Gods. He became Ishana. He became Eka Vratya. He held a bow, even that Bow of Indra. His belly is dark-blue, his back is red( Nila Lohitam) . With dark-blue he envelops a detested rival, with red he pierces the man who hates him: so the theologians say."

:- Atharva Veda 15:1:4-8

Hence from 4th and 5th verse also, I proved that it’s Lord Shiva who is the Purusha of Purusha Sukatm.

Now seeing the 13th verse of Purusha Suktam :-

चन्द्रमा मनसो जातश्चक्षो: सूर्यो अजायत |

श्रोत्राद्वायुश्च प्राणश्च मुखादग्निरजायत

candramā manaso jātaścakṣoḥ sūryo ajāyata |
mukhādindraścāghniśca prāṇād vāyurajāyata ||

The Moon was gendered from his mind, and from his eye the Sun had birth;
Indra and Agni from his mouth were born, and Vāyu from his breath.

Now again, here we are able too see that all Devas are said to be created from Veda Purusha Rudra. He was the origin of all gods. At the same time he himself manifests as gods. We all know that Lord Shiva is called as “Surya Chandra Agni lochana” in every Puranas and Itihaasas which means “whose Eyes are Surya (Sun) Chandra (Moon) and Agni (Fire)”.

Now let’s see some more references.

tásya vrā́tyasya || yád asya dákṣiṇam ákṣy asáu sá ādityó yád asya savyám ákṣy asáu sá candrámāḥ ||

yò 'sya dákṣiṇaḥ kárṇo 'yáṃ só agnír yò 'sya savyáḥ kárṇo 'yáṃ sá pávamānaḥ || ahorātré nā́sike dítiś cā́ditiś ca śīrṣakapālé saṃvatsaráḥ śíraḥ ||

"Of that Vratya (ascetic form of Lord Shiva), The right eye is the Sun and the left eye is the Moon. His right ear is Agni and his left ear is Pavamana. Day and Night are his nostrils. Diti and Aditi are his head and skull."

( Atharvana Veda 15:18:1-4)

Even Shri Rudram in Yajur Veda says :-

“Salutation to God Rudra who is Soma

who is the redness of the rising Sun, and to the rosy hue of the Sun which has risen.

Salutation to the God (Rudra) who is the giver of weal, and to the lord of knowledge.

Salutation to the God (Rudra) who is dread, and to the terrible.

Salutation to God (Rudra) who is him who slays in front, and to him who slays at a distance.

Salutation to the God (Rudra) who is slayer, and to the special slayer {at the time of deluge).

Salutation to the God (Rudra) who is trees with green tresses.

Salutation to the God (Rudra) who is deliverer. Salutation to the source of peace and who is originated by himself (Sambhave)

Salutation to the God (Rudra) who being Shankar and creates peace and is the creator of delight

Salutation to the God (Rudra) who is also called as Shiva and being it is the most auspicious and more then auspiciousness, he is absolute”

Hence 13th verse of Purusha Suktam again proclaims Lord Shiva as the supreme Purusha of Purusha Suktam.

Hence Lord Shiva is declared as the supreme Purusha of the Purusha Suktam.

The posts of mine in which I gave references that Lord Shiva’s supremacy declared in Vedas and Upanishads are :-

1. https://shrisanatanamadwaitam.blogspot.com/2020/12/lord-shiva-in-vedas-and-upanishads-part.html

2. https://shrisanatanamadwaitam.blogspot.com/2020/12/lord-shiva-in-vedas-and-upanishads-part_21.html

Hope it helps !!!!!!

Dhanyawaadam !!!!!

Jay Uma Maheshwara !!!!!!