The Hindu Temple v1.c6.s2.8

v1.c6.s2.8

The Puruṣa of the ‘Puruṣa Sūkta’ is the archetypal, all embracing term; in its analogy are drawn the specified Puruṣas and the corresponding diagrams of universal time and situation such as the Ātmapuruṣa who is Duration,¹⁶ the Kāla-puruṣa¹⁷ who is Time and whose surface is outlined as that of man and marked in its extent by the signs of the Zodiac. The Nakṣatrapuruṣa¹⁸ correspondingly contains the signs of the lunar asterisms, and other star pictures, such as the Śiśumāracakra;¹⁹ this Puruṣa is related to the Vāstupuruṣa. With the star pictures, the description of the Vāstupuruṣa as support of the building has one trait in common: he is described as lying with his face turned down, to the ground, whereas Agni Prajāpati of the Vedic altar lies facing upwards. Dhruva, the Pole star, is described as moving with his head downward round the summit of Sumeru, as if looking at it.²⁰ If the reconstructed Agni Prajāpati faces upward, this connotes “an ascent from here” (Ś.B. VIII. 5. 2. 16), an aspiration towards and attainment of the higher region. From there Dhruva looks down, his face turned to the earth.