Purusha

''Purusha'' (, [pʊɾʊʂᵊ], ) is a complex concept whose meaning evolved in Vedic and Upanishadic times. Depending on source and historical timeline, it means the cosmic being or self, awareness, and universal principle.

In early Vedas, ''Purusha'' was a cosmic being whose sacrifice by the gods created all life. This was one of many creation myths discussed in the Vedas. In the Upanishads, the ''Purusha'' concept refers to the abstract essence of the Self, Spirit and the Universal Principle that is eternal, indestructible, without form, and all-pervasive.

In Samkhya philosophy, ''Purusha'' is the plural immobile cosmic principle, pure consciousness, unattached and unrelated to anything, which is "nonactive, unchanging, eternal, and pure". ''Purusha'' uniting with ''Prakṛti'' (matter) gives rise to life.

In Kashmir Shaivism, ''Purusha'' is enveloped in five sheaths of time (''kāla''), desire (''raga''), restriction (''niyati''), knowledge (''vidyā'') and separatedness (''kalā''); it is the universal Self (''paramātman'') under limitations as many individual Selfs (''jīvātman''). Provided by Wikipedia