Purusha Sukta

Rig Veda 10.90 • Verse 3

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Verse 3Famous
intermediate
एतावानस्य महिमातो ज्यायांश्च पूरुषः । पादोऽस्य विश्वा भूतानि त्रिपादस्यामृतं दिवि ॥

etāvānasya mahimāto jyāyāṃśca pūruṣaḥ | pādo'sya viśvā bhūtāni tripādasyāmṛtaṃ divi ||

Such is his greatness, yet Purusha is greater still. One quarter of him is all beings; three quarters are the immortal in heaven.

What This Means:

The entire manifest universe — all beings, all worlds — is only one-fourth of Purusha. Three-fourths remains unmanifest, eternal, in the divine realm. What we see is a fraction of ultimate reality.

Going Deeper:

This profound cosmology suggests that the visible universe is a small expression of infinite potential. The "three quarters in heaven" represents the unmanifest Brahman — pure potentiality that never enters manifestation. Creation is a partial expression, not a diminishment, of the divine.

How To Apply This:

When overwhelmed by life's challenges, remember that what you see is only one-fourth of reality. Three-quarters of existence is eternal peace. You have access to that stillness within.

Key Sanskrit Terms:

pāda= quarter, foot, parttripāda= three-quartersdivi= in heaven, in the divine realm
#manifest and unmanifest#cosmic proportion#transcendence