Atharvaveda 10.2

By whom were brought the two heels of a man (púruṣa)? by whom was his flesh put together? by whom his two ankle-joints (gulphá)? by whom his cunning (péçana) fingers? by whom his apertures? by whom his (two) uchlakhás in the midst? who [put together] his footing (pratiṣṭhā́)?

From what, now, did they make a man's two ankle-joints below, his two knee-joints above? separating (? nir-ṛ) his two back-thighs (ján̄ghā), where, forsooth, did they set them in? the two joints of his knees—who indeed understands (cit) that?

There is joined, fourfold (cátuṣṭaya), with closed (sáṁhita-) ends, above the two knees, the pliant (çithirá) trunk; what the hips are, the thighs—who indeed produced (jan) that, by which the body (kúsindha) became very firm?

How many gods [and] which were they, who gathered (ci) the breast, the neck-bones of man? how many disposed the two teats? who the two collar-bones (? kaphoḍá)? how many gathered the shoulder-bones (pl.)? how many the ribs?

Who brought together his two arms, saying "he must perform heroism"? what god then set on his two shoulders upon the body (kúsindha)?

Who bored out the seven apertures in his head—these ears, the nostrils, the eyes, the mouth? in the might of whose conquest (vijayá) in many places quadrupeds [and] bipeds go their way.

Since in his jaws he put his ample (purūcī́) tongue, then attached (adhi-çri) [to it] great voice; he rolls greatly on among existences, clothing himself in the waters: who indeed understands that?

Which was that god who [produced] his brain, his forehead, his hindhead (? kakā́ṭikā), who first his skull, who, having gathered a gathering in man's jaws, ascended to heaven?

Numerous things dear and not dear, sleep, oppressions and wearinesses, delights and pleasures—from where does formidable man bring (vah) them?

Whence now in man [come] mishap, ruin, perdition, misery, accomplishment, success, non-failure? whence thought (matí), uprisings (úditi)?

Who disposed in him waters, moving apart, much moving, produced for river-running, strong (tīvrá), ruddy, red, dark and turbid, upward, downward, crosswise in man?

Who set form in him? who both bulk (mahmán) and name? who [set] in him progress (gātú)? who display (ketú)? who [set] behaviors (carítra) in man?

Who wove in him breath? who expiration and respiration (vyāná)? what god attached (adhi-çri) conspiration (samāná) to man here?

What one god set sacrifice in man here? who [set] in him truth? who untruth? whence [comes] death? whence the immortal?

Who put about him clothing (vā́sas)? who prepared (kalpay-) his life-time? who extended to him strength? who prepared his swiftness?

With what did he stretch the waters along? with what did he make the day to shine? with what did he kindle (anu-idh) the dawn? with what did he give the coming-on of evening?

Who put in him seed, saying "let his line be extended"? who conveyed into him wisdom? who gave (dhā) [him] music? who dances?

With what did he cover this earth? with what did he surround the sky? by what is man a match for (abhí) mountains in greatness? by what, for deeds?

With what does he go after Parjanya? with what [after] the out-looking Soma? with what [after] both sacrifice and faith? by whom was mind put in him?

Wherewith does he obtain one learned in revelation (çrótriya)? wherewith this most exalted one? wherewith does man [obtain] this Agni? wherewith did he measure (make?) the year?

The bráhman obtains one learned in revelation, the bráhman this most exalted one; the bráhman [as] man this Agni; the bráhman measured the year.

Wherewith does he dwell upon (? anu-kṣi) the gods? wherewith [upon] the people of the god-folk? wherewith this other asterism? whereby is authority (kṣatrá) called real (sát)?

The bráhman dwells upon the gods, the bráhman [upon] the people of the god-folk; the bráhman this other asterism; the bráhman is called real authority.

By whom is this earth disposed? by whom the sky set above? by whom this atmosphere, the expanse, set aloft and across?

By the bráhman is the earth disposed; the bráhman [is] the sky set above, the bráhman this atmosphere, the expanse, set aloft and across.

Atharvan, having sewed together his head, and also (yát) his heart—aloft from the brain the purifying one sent [them] forth, out of the head.

Verily that head of Atharvan [is] a god-vessel, pressed together; breath defends that, the head, food, also mind.

Was he now created upward (ūrdhvá)? [or] was he now created crosswise? did man grow unto (ā-bhū) all the quarters?—he who knoweth the bráhman's stronghold, from which man is [so] called.

Whoever indeed knoweth that bráhman's stronghold, covered with amṛ́ta—unto him both the bráhman and the Brahmans have given sight, breath, progeny.

Him verily sight doth not desert, nor breath, before old age, who knoweth the bráhman's stronghold (púr), from which man (púruṣa) is [so] called.

Eight-wheeled, nine-doored, is the impregnable stronghold of the gods; in that is a golden vessel, heaven-going (svargá), covered with light.

In that golden vessel, three-spoked, having three supports—what soul-possessing monster (yakṣá) there is in it, that verily the knowers of the bráhman know.

The bráhman entered into the resplendent, yellow, golden, unconquered stronghold, that was all surrounded with glory.