Another personification of the tenth book which later is merged in the personality of Prajāpati is Viśvakarman ("All-Maker"), whose name is used earlier as an epithet of Indra and the sun. He is described as having eyes, a face, arms, and feet on every side, just as Brahmā is later four-faced. He is winged, and is a lord of speech, and he assigns their names to the gods. He is the highest apparition, establisher, and disposer. Perhaps in origin he is only a form of the sun, but in his development he passes over to become one side of Prajāpati as architect.
Another aspect of the Supreme is presented by the Puruṣa Sūkta, or "Hymn of Man" (x. 90), which describes the origin of the universe from the sacrifice of a primeval Puruṣa, who is declared distinctly to be the whole universe. By the sacrifice the sky was fashioned from his head, from his navel the atmosphere, and from his feet the earth. The sun sprang from his eye, the moon from his mind, wind from his breath, Agni and Soma from his mouth; and the four classes of men were produced from his head, arms, thighs, and feet respectively. The conception is important, for Puruṣa as spirit throughout Indian religion, and still more throughout Indian philosophy, is often given the position of Prajāpati. On the other hand, there is primitive thought at the bottom of the conception of the origin of the world from the sacrifice of a giant.[1]
Another and different abstraction is found in the deification of Manyu ("Wrath"), a personification which seems to owe its origin to the fierce anger of Indra and which is invoked in two hymns of the Ṛgveda (x. 83-84). He is of irresistible might and is self-existent; he glows like fire, slays Vṛtra, is accompanied by the Maruts, grants victory like Indra, and bestows wealth. United with Tapas ("Ardour"), he protects his worshippers and slays the foe. Other personifications of qualities are in the main feminine and will be noted with the other female deities.
The goddesses in the Ṛgveda play but a small part beside the
- ↑ See J. Rhys, Lectures on the Origin and Growth of Religion as illustrated by Celtic Heathendom, London, 1888, pp. 114-15.
