||    The Three Sookthams on Sriman Narayana    ||

First of all ,the Sookthams  sacredness and importance can be realized form the fact that it is only Purusha Sooktham that  is included in all of the Veda Samhitas ( Rg 10.90; Sukla Yajur Vedam, Vajasaneya Samhita 31-1-16; Krishna Yajur Vedam, Taittiriya Aaranyakam 3-12-13; Sama Vedam 4-3 and Atharva Vedam 19-6-3 with some variations . The Version in the Yajur Veda Taittiriya Aaranyaka version is most frequently used in the Southern part of India. In this version, the first Anuvaakam has 18 mantras and starts with the Viswarupa vision, Sahasraseershaa Purusha: Sahasraksha:Sahasra Paath. It is the ancient tradition to recite the first Anuvakam together with the second Anuvakam beginning with Adhbhya: Sambhotha: followed by Narayana Sooktham beginning with "Sahasra Seersham Devam" and conclude with the short Vishnu Sooktham commencing with "Vishnohr Nukam". They form an organic whole from the point of subject and content. All the three deal with the Purushotthama Tatvam elaborated in the chapter of Bahgavad Gita entitled Purushotthama Yogam. It is therefore considered as the essence of all Vedas. Gitaacharyan hints at it in a Purushotthama Yoga slokam this way:

" I am centred in the hearts of ALL ; Memory and perception as well as their loss come from Me . I am verily that which has to be known by ALL the Vedas, I indeed am the author of the Vedantha, and the knower of the Veda am I " .

The old adage is that an Aasthika should recite Sri Rudram, Purusha Sooktham, Upanishad (portions), Geetha and Vishnu Sahasra Namam daily as an essential pentad for Moksham. The use of Purusha Sooktha mantras for Homam, Japam and Puja has been elaborated by Sutrakaaras like Apasthambha and Bodhaayana for our benefit. There have ben commentaries on them by Sayanaa of Vijaya Nagar empire time and Periya Jeeyar or Sri Ranganatha Muni at a later time. Therefore the subject is vast.

For the purposes of our  discussion, we can state safely that Purushotthaman can be meditated upon and worshipped in the gigantic Viswa Rupa form as wel as in the minutest form (aNu --aNorh aNeeyaan) ... In Purusha Sooktham, at its beginning, the focus is on the mighty form transcending the Universes. In Narayana Sooktham, at its end, the minutest form of Purushottama shining in the heart cave of the chetanas are being saluted. It concludes with the thundering statement that He is Brahma, Hari, Indra, and every thing in the universes created, sustained and destroyed by Him. The one and only  mantra of Vishnu Sooktham sums up by saying that his glory is limitless and it is impossible to count them since it is  as difficult as counting all the dust particles in the Universes. It appeals to us by stating, May We offer our eulogies at the feet of Trivikrama, who measured all the Universes. The Key passage for us in all the three Sookthams is "Naanya: Panthaa Ayanaaya Vidhayateh". There is no other path to Moksham.  The Understanding of the Purushotthama Tatvam as described by the Sookthams is hinted as the only path to attain Moksham.

The other references dwelling on the subject matter of Purusha Sooktham and the other two related Sookthams are:

1. Saakalya Brahmanam -Purusha Sooktha Samhitai
2. Purusha Sooktha Manthraartha NirupaNam (Part of the Text of Paancha    
Raatra Samhitai)
3. Purusha Sooktha Vaibhavam (Mudgalopanishad)
4. Maha Narayana Upanishad.

Om Purushottamaya Nama:

 V.Sadagopan

         Home      Back