Purusha means the consciousness, self, cosmic being and the universal principle, depending on the historical timeline and source. Being a complex concept, its meaning developed during the Upanishad and Vedic times. According to the early Vedas, sacrifice made by the Gods, created a cosmic being which created all life.
Discussion on this creation theory is seen in the Vedas. According to the Upanishads, Purusha is all pervasive, does not have any form, is an abstract sense of the Universal principle, spirit and self and is indestructible and eternal. The Upanishads also discuss the Purusha concept with the Prakrti (material reality) concept. Prakrti is subject to cause and effect and can change. Whereas, the Universal principle, Purusha does not change, is present everywhere is unchanged and it is for this reason that all the time, Prakrti transforms, changes and transcends resulting in cause and effect. As per other schools of Hinduism, everyone and everything is connected by Purusha.
The Rigveda describes Purusha as God’s sacrificial victim, whose sacrifice creates human beings and all kinds of life form. In Hinduism, both Yoga and Sankhya schools state that the interaction of Purusha (spirit) and Prakrti (matter) are the two ultimate realities that account for the Universe and all experiences. The Yoga and Samkhya schools both are of the belief that realization of Purusha is the path to Moksha (Self-realization, release).
The Rigveda portrays Varna as a result of human beings created from various body parts of the Purusha divinity. Purusha, as an abstract idea is discussed in different Upanishads and referred to as Brahman and Paramatman, interchangeably.
