Rgveda-Darsana: The Purusha-Sukta - An Indispensible Tool for Understang the Rig Veda

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Vidyalankara, Sastra-Chudamani, Sangita-Kalaratna, Professor Saligrama Krishna Ramachandra Rao is a well- known scholar who combines traditional learning with modern research. Well-versed in Sanskrit, Pali, Ardhamagadhi and several modern Indian languages and acquainted with Tibetan and some European languages, he has written extensively on Vedanta, Buddhism, Jainism, Indian Culture, Art and Literature.

In his professional career, however, he was a Professor of Psychology. He has headed the Department of Clinical Psychology in the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences. Bangalore, and the Department of Indian Culture n the Callison College Study Centre of the University of the Pacific (U.S.A). At present he is the Senior Associate of National lnstitute of Advanced Studies (Indian Institute of Science), Bangalore, and Guest Faculty, Indian Institute of Management Bangalore: he is the visiting Professor of the Vivekananda Chair in the University of Mysore.

He as beer, Member of Karnataka State Lalitha Kala Academi and Sangita Nritya Academi; he has served on the Agama Board (Govt. of Karnataka). He is President of Silpa-Kala Pratishtana. The Govt. of Karnataka has honoured him with the 1986 Rajyotsava Award. He is on the Advisory Committee of the T.T.D. He has received awards from Lalita-Kala Academi and Sangita Nritya Academi.

He has written more than sixty books in Kannada, a play in Sanskrit, and a Pali commentary on a Buddhist classic. One of his books on Iconography in Kannada has won the State Sahitya Academi Award, as also another of he books on the Tirupati Temple.

Among his numerous English publications are three vol’s of Encyclopaedia of Indian Medicine, (Popular Prakashan Mumbai), Tibetan Tantrik Tradition and Tibetan Meditation (Arnold Heinsmann. Delhi), Consciousness in Advaita, and a series of six books on Indian Temples (IBH Prakashana, Bangalore). Origins of Indian Thought (Bangalore University); Kalpatharu Research Academy has published his Pratima-Kosha in six vol’s. Agama-Kosha in twelve vol’s, Art and Architecture of Indian Temples in three vol’s. He is at present engaged in a 30-volume project on Rgveda Darsana, three volumes of which have already appeared.

He is also a musicologist, a sculptor and painter, and has held some one-man shows. He presided over the Music Conference of Gayana-Samaja in Bangalore for the year 1990.

The Kalpatharu Research Academy, Bangalore is an Institution running with the benign blessings of his Holiness Jagadguru Shankaracharya, Sri Sri Bharathi Theertha Mahaswamiji under the auspicious of Dakshinamnaya Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham. Established in 1981, Kalpatharu Research Academy has strided across the horizon of Indological Research and Publications with giant steps, and today stands as an Institution known for its unique quality of Research work.

Kalpatharu Research Academy is dedicated to the cause of preservation of the ancient heritage of India; it has encouraged Research in the fields of Agama, Veda, Tantra, Jyoutisha, Mantra-Sastra, Vastu, Yoga. Silpa, Ayurveda etc.

Among its prestigious publications (numbering more than seventy till now), are Six Vol’s. of Pratima-Kosha, Twelve Vol’s of Agama-Kosha, Three Vol’s. of the Art and Architecture of Indian Temples, and several Koshas like Ganesha-Kosha, Lalita-Kosha and Navagraha-Kosha, Oshadhi-Kosha, Salagrama-Kosha etc.

The Academy has plans of undertaking intensive Research in the field of 1/edo and Vedanga, and intends publishing “Bharatiya-Samskriti-Sarvasva-Kosha” an Encyclopaedic work in several volumes dealing with all aspects of Indian Tradition and Culture. It seeks to promote Education, Culture, Science, An, and learning in all its branches. The approach will be broad- based and multi-disciplinary.

An extensive, comprehensive and specialist reference library has been built up to assist the Research Workers in the Indological disciplines. A valuable collection of Palm-Leaf manuscripts relating to Veda, Vedanta, Vedanga and allied subjects has already been made: the collection work is continuing.

Dakshinamnaya Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham has been running a Guru-Kula type of Institution on traditional lines to impart Vedic Education at several places. Some of these Institutions are over 100 years old. It is the intention of Kalpatharu Research Academy to take an active part in continuing this age-old tradition and act as the Research & Publication wing for these Institutions.

Our ambition is to develop as a National Centre for higher learning in Veda, Vedanga and Shastras and facilitate the propagation of unique Sanskrit and Vedic Texts in the National and International arena.

This Publication is the Sixty-Sixth of its achievement in this field.

The Kalpatharu Research Academy, Bangalore is presenting to the world of scholars and students the Fourth Volume of its prestigious series Rgveda-Darsana. This volume deals with the most important Sukta in Rgveda, namely Purusha-Sukta, which has been extensively used in the country in various ritualistic occasions, even to this day. It is for the first time that an entire volume has been devoted to this Sukta: its importance has been highlighted here. The Academy feels sure that the value of this series of Books on Rgveda would be recognised by the workers in this field as well as pious and interested lay folk.

The Academy records its sincere gratitude to the Author of this, as well as the other, volumes in the series. Prof. S.K. Ramachandra Rao, an eminent scholar whose service to the Academy has been most invaluable. The Academy also feels grateful to His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Bharati-Tirtha Swamiji of the Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham, who is the chief patron of the Academy, Sri V.R. Gowrishankar, the Administrator of the Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham, has been of great help as the Chairman of the Academy and out thanks are due to him. The Academy also acknowledges its gratitude to the officers of the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Government of India, and to the authorities of the Government of Karnataka for their support in our endeavour.

The Omkar Offset Printers, Bangalore merit our special appreciation for the excellent manner in which the volume has been produced.

The present volume focusses attention on the most popular of the Vedic Hymns, viz., Purusha-Sukta. The idea of the Purusha has been explained in some detail and the enigmatic concept of Purusha-medha has also been considered in its proper perspective. It is hoped that by presenting this traditional interpretation, many of the misconceptions will be removed. And as an Appendix has been given a detailed symbolic account of the Yajna, prepared by an almost unknown scholar of the previous generation, Srimushnam Narasimhacharya. This becomes relevant in the context of yajna, which is the central theme of Purusha-Sukta. While this account may at first glace appear to be a modern reappraisal, it accords well with the traditional approach of concentrating on the essentials.

I acknowledge my gratitude to the Chief Patron of the Kalpatharu Research Academy, Sri Sri Sri Bharati-Tirtha Swamiji of the Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham, the Chairman of the Academy Sri V.R. Gowrishankar, the Administrator of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham, Sri Daivajna K.N. Somayaji, the Director and the Chief Editor of the Kalpatharu Research Academy, and the Omkar Offset Printers.