Purushasukta

The Purushasukta is a hymn from the Rigveda, India's oldest text. It describes the creation of the universe from the body of a cosmic man, or Purusha, who was both the sacrificer and the victim in a primordial sacrifice. This hymn is significant because it represents the beginning of a new phase in Vedic thought, where sacrifice became more elaborate and served as the basis for cosmological and social philosophies.12

From Purusha's body, the four social classes of Indian society emerged: the priest from his mouth, the warrior from his arms, the peasant from his thighs, and the servant from his feet. This hymn is considered an early attempt to explain the origin of the cosmos and the structure of society.2