Why is Bhagavatam 2.6 called the Purusha-Sukta confirmed?
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Hare Krishna.
Question. Why is the second Ganto chapter which describes the Virat Purusha called as the Purusha Sukta confirmed by Shri Prabhupada, whereas Vishwanath Chakrathakur titles it as second description of second Purusha, Virat Purusha. So answer.
The point is when Purusha Sukta, whatever is described in Purusha Sukta is reiterated over here and Shri Prabhupada stresses that. Now Purusha Sukta is a hymn in the Rig Veda, not one hymn, it’s a collection of hymns. It’s 10.70 in the Rig Veda where it describes the Purusha, the cosmic being, Purusha.
And there’s a description, the Purusha Sukta itself is quite a mysterious prayer in the sense that there is a description of how the cosmic being offered himself in a sort of sacrifice involving self-immolation and by that all living beings were created and the universe came out and how everything is dependent on the Purusha and how the four varnas are a part of the Purusha, emanate from different parts of the Purusha. So basically how the Purusha is the foundation of existence, the source of existence and a Purusha sacrifices himself for the sake of existence, all that has been described in the Purusha Sukta. So now the identity of the Purusha in the Purusha Sukta is not explicit.
So now the Bhagavatam focuses on Bhagawan as the absolute truth and that Bhagawan is described in His highest manifestation to be Krishna. Krishna is the Bhagawan as the Bhagavatam states right from its beginning. Now the Purusha Sukta, the chapter in the Bhagavatam which describes the Virat Purusha.
So the descriptions are parallel, are similar, they echo the descriptions which are given in the Purusha Sukta and the idea of the cosmic being sacrificing himself for providing the ingredients of sacrifice that is also reiterated in the Bhagavatam. That means this particular section at one level we say it is describing the Virat Purusha. Now the Virat Purusha description comes at various sections in the Bhagavatam.
Many times in the prayers of the various devotees and Devatas also the description of the Virat Purusha comes. You are so and so, the earth is like the sun and the moon are your eyes and this and that, like that description of the Virat Purusha comes. But the description of the Virat Purusha where it echoes the themes of the Purusha Sukta that comes in this particular chapter in the Bhagavatam.
And now the Bhagavatam’s overall flow of development is towards revealing, towards understanding and revealing Krishna as the absolute truth. Purusha Sukta confirmed here means that the identity of the Purusha in the Purusha Sukta as Bhagawan who manifests ultimately as Krishna is confirmed through the Bhagavatam. So Vishwaprabhupada with his singular focus on Krishna’s supremacy accordingly titles this chapter not just in terms of its objective description, not just in terms of an objective description of its content but in terms of its ultimate purpose in the overall thought flow of the Bhagavatam.
So this chapter with its description of the Purusha similar to the description given in the Purusha Sukta and with the Bhagavatam’s onward flow towards revealing Krishna as Bhagawan, this chapter confirms that the Purusha described in the Purusha Sukta is Bhagawan ultimately as Krishna. So that is why the chapter title is Purusha Sukta confirmed. Thank you.