The Purusha Suktam hymn describes the primordial cosmic creation as a process in which the universe and all its elements emerge from the sacrifice of the Purusha, the Cosmic Being. The hymn details how various aspects of the cosmos—such as the moon, sun, wind, earth, sky, and even the social classes—arise from different parts of Purusha’s body.
However, the hymn does not explicitly describe a process of “naming” things during this creation. Instead, it focuses on the manifestation or emergence of cosmic elements and beings from the Purusha through the act of sacrifice. The text poetically enumerates what arises from each part of the Purusha, but does not mention a divine or ritualistic act of assigning names to these entities.
Some later Vedic texts, such as the Satapatha Brahmana, do reference the act of creation through uttering specific sounds or words (e.g., “bhūh,” “bhuvah,” “svah”), which are associated with generating earth, air, and sky, and could be interpreted as a form of naming. However, this motif is not present in the Purusha Suktam itself.
In summary, while the Purusha Suktam adumbrates the emergence and differentiation of cosmic entities, it does not directly address the process of naming them at the time of creation. The focus is on the origin and interconnectedness of existence, rather than on the assignment of names.
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The Vishnu Sahasranama is a revered Sanskrit hymn consisting of one thousand names of Lord Vishnu, found in the Mahabharata’s Anushasana Parva.
Each name highlights a specific quality, attribute, or aspect of Vishnu, who is regarded as the preserver and protector of the universe. The hymn is both a form of praise and a spiritual practice, believed to bring peace, protection, and spiritual upliftment to those who recite it with devotion.
The phrase from the preamble, “yaani naamaani gaunaani vikhyaataani mahaatmanah,” can be translated as:
“Those names of the great-souled (Vishnu), which are secondary (gaunaani) and well-known (vikhyaataani)…”
In this context, “gaunaani” means descriptive or attributive names, as opposed to the primary or essential name.
The verse acknowledges that these thousand names are well-known epithets and attributes of Vishnu, each expressing a different facet of his divine nature. The act of listing and chanting these names is seen as a way to contemplate, invoke, and connect with the many aspects of the divine, reflecting the Hindu belief that the ultimate reality (Brahman) manifests in numerous forms and names.
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Now, reading the Purusha Suktam and the Vishnu Sahasranama together offers clear insight into the Vedantic view of creation and the process of naming as an epistemological act.
• The Purusha Suktam describes the emergence and differentiation of the cosmos from the primordial Purusha, detailing how various elements and beings arise, but it does not explicitly mention the act of naming them.
• The Vishnu Sahasranama presents a thousand names of Vishnu, each reflecting a quality, function, or aspect of the divine, and the preamble (“yaani naamaani gaunaani vikhyaathaani mahaatmanah”) acknowledges these as descriptive and well-known names.
In Vedantic epistemology, naming is closely related to the concept of śabda (word or testimony), one of the accepted sources of valid knowledge (pramāṇa). Names are not merely labels; they are seen as pointers to underlying realities or attributes. The process of naming (nāma) and form (rūpa) is fundamental in Vedantic thought, as creation is often described as the manifestation of names and forms from the undifferentiated absolute (Brahman).
The Mundaka Upanishad, for example, explicitly says, “From Brahman are produced all these: the Creator (Brahma), names and forms and nourishment for all”.
Thus, naming in Vedanta is an epistemic act—it is how the undivided reality becomes knowable, differentiated, and accessible to cognition.
The thousand names in the Vishnu Sahasranama exemplify this: each name is a way of knowing, relating to, and invoking the divine, reflecting the belief that the ultimate reality manifests as multiplicity through names and forms.
In summary:
• Purusha Suktam: Describes the differentiation of cosmic elements.
• Vishnu Sahasranama: Demonstrates the epistemic function of naming as a means of knowing and relating to the divine.
• Vedantic epistemology: Recognizes śabda (word/testimony) as a means of knowledge, and views naming as a process by which the absolute becomes manifest and knowable.
So, in Vedantic terms, the process of naming is integral to how creation is known and experienced, serving as a bridge between the unmanifest and the manifest, the undivided and the differentiated.
Sudarshan Madabushi