मनन Manana · ReflectStep 17 of 18
Puruṣa Sūkta · Ṛgveda 10.90.16
Verse 16The first ordinances
यज्ञेन यज्ञमयजन्त देवास्तानि धर्माणि प्रथमान्यासन् ।
ते ह नाकं महिमानः सचन्त यत्र पूर्वे साध्याः सन्ति देवाः ॥
yajñena yajñam ayajanta devās tāni dharmāṇi prathamāny āsan |
te ha nākam mahimānaḥ sacanta yatra pūrve sādhyāḥ santi devāḥ ||
Meaning
With the sacrifice, the gods offered the sacrifice to the sacrifice. These were the very first laws. And those great ones rose to the highest heaven, where the ancient gods and spirits live.
Word by word
Words joined in recitation are shown split. Where sounds change at the joins, the dictionary form is given under the word.
Reflection
The last verse sounds like a tongue twister. With the sacrifice, they sacrificed to the sacrifice. What does that mean? That it is all one. The one who gives, the gift itself, and the one who receives: all Puruṣa. The circle is complete. And the rishi calls this the first dharma. Today dharma often means duty, or religion, but here it means something simpler: the way things hold together. The pattern of giving that keeps the world turning. And the hymn ends with a promise. Those who live by that pattern, who give as Puruṣa gave, rise to the highest heaven.
Your reflection
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