Purusha Sukta
A hymn of the Rigveda depicts the cosmic being Purusha’s sacrifice and the emergence of the universe, including the four varnas from his body.
Purusha: A cosmic being in Vedic tradition whose sacrifice is presented as the source of the universe. The hymn’s creation account centers on Purusha’s dismemberment and transformation.
Rigveda: The oldest of the four Vedas, a collection of Sanskrit hymns composed in ancient India. Purusha Sukta is a hymn within this collection.
Rigvedic hymn: A metrical composition in the Rigveda, usually addressed to a deity or expressing a ritual or cosmological theme. Purusha Sukta is classified among the Rigvedic hymns.
Jati: A birth-based, localized social group that shapes marriage, occupation, and community identity in South Asia. Jati is distinct from the four-part varna scheme named in the hymn.
Shodasha Samskara: A customary set of sixteen Hindu life-cycle rites marking stages from conception through death. Purusha Sukta recitation is incorporated into some later Hindu ritual settings.
Varna: A traditional social classification distinguishing Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras. The hymn associates each of the four varnas with a part of Purusha’s body.
Vedas: A collection of ancient Sanskrit texts regarded as foundational scripture in Hindu traditions. The Rigveda belongs to this larger body of texts.
Rigveda 10.90: The ninetieth hymn of the Rigveda’s tenth book, commonly known as Purusha Sukta. This is the hymn’s specific textual location.
Caste system in India: A historically changing system of social hierarchy and group identity in South Asia, associated with varna and jati. The hymn is often invoked in debates that conflate its varnas with later caste realities.
Hindu liturgy: The prescribed prayers, chants, and ritual texts used in Hindu worship. The hymn continues to be recited in liturgical contexts.