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The Religion of the Veda

definable quality, Prajāpati cuts a sorry figure, and marks a backward movement. There are, as we have said, many other monotheistic conceptions, symbolic, ritualistic, and philosophic, which make a short spurt and fall by the way. The supreme being is conceived as Viçvakarman, "fabricator of the universe"; as Parameshthin, "he who occupies the highest summit"; as Svayambhū, "the self-existing being"; as Skambha, "Support"; as Dhātar, "Maker"; as Vidhātar, "Arranger"; and others. These are mere symbolism.

In another way a move in the direction of monotheistic pantheism is made through the personification of all nature as a giant "man," called Purusha. His head is heaven, his eye is the sun, his breath is the wind, and so on. Purusha reminds us of the cosmic giant, Ymir in the Edda. The notion that man is a microcosm, or small world, and that, conversely, the world is a huge man (macranthropos) is widely diffused. Here are some stanzas of Rig-Veda 10. 90:


1. "The Purusha with thousand heads, With thousand eyes and thousand feet, Surrounds the earth on every side, And goes ten digits yet beyond.

2. "Purusha, aye, is all this world, The world that was and that will be.

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