purusha means in early Vedas, a cosmic man whose sacrifice by the gods created all life. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 83 out of 100.
Why this word is great
PURUSHA — [Noun] The eternal, conscious, and non-material self or cosmic principle, distinct from the material world of change. Borrowed from Sanskrit पुरुष (puruṣa), meaning 'man, person, spirit, soul'; ultimate origin uncertain. Unlike prakriti (the dynamic, unconscious matrix of matter) or atman (the individuated soul bound to a particular life), purusha is pure, universal consciousness—the silent and sentient witness. It is the still point untouched by the dancer's frenzy, the unwavering flame in a windless cave, and the pristine sky that remains when all clouds of thought have dissipated. To mistake it for anything less is to confuse the window for the view.
noun
- In early Vedas, a cosmic man whose sacrifice by the gods created all life.
- In the Upanishad, an abstract essence of self, spirit, and the Universal Principle that is eternal, without form and all-pervasive, distinguished from the mutable material world.