'Therefore if they say to you, "Look, the Son of Man is in the desert!" do not go out; or "Look, he is in the inner rooms!" do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.'
Ancient Latin: persōna
Etymology: Unknown. Links have been suggested -
to Etruscan 𐌘𐌄𐌓𐌔𐌖 (φersu) (human figure appearing with a mask), which some have referred to Perseus, some to Ancient Greek πρόσωπον (prósōpon, “mask, character”);
to personō (“to sound through”), often by Roman writers, but notice short and long o.
Noun: persōna
mask
character, personage, role
personality, character, individuality
(grammar) person
(Late Latin, Medieval Latin) person
(Medieval Latin) a lord
(Medieval Latin) dignity
Mandala 10, Hymn 901. A THOUSAND heads hath Purusa, a thousand eyes, a thousand feet.
On every side pervading earth he fills a space ten fingers wide.
2. This Purusa is all that yet hath been and all that is to be;
The Lord of Immortality which waxes greater still by food.
3. So mighty is his greatness; yea, greater than this is Purusa.
All creatures are one-fourth of him, three-fourths eternal life in heaven.
4. With three-fourths Purusa went up: one fourth of him again was here.
Thence he strode out to every side over what eats not and what eats.
5. From him Viraj was born; again Purusa from Viraj was born.
As soon as he was born he spread eastward and westward o'er the earth.
6. When Gods prepared the sacrifice with Purusa as their offering,
Its oil was spring, the holy gift was autumn; summer was the wood.
7. They balmed as victim on the grass Purusa born in earliest time.
With him the Deities and all Sadhyas and Rsis sacrificed.
8. From that great general sacrifice the dripping fat was gathered up.
He formed the creatures of-the air, and animals both wild and tame.
9. From that great general sacrifice Rcas and Sama-hymns were born:
Therefrom were spells and charms produced; the Yajus had its birth from it.
10. From it were horses born, from it all cattle with two rows of teeth:
From it were generated kine, from it the goats and sheep were born.
11. When they divided Purusa how many portions did they make?
What do they call his mouth, his arms? What do they call his thighs and feet?
12. The Brahman was his mouth, of both his arms was the Rajanya made.
His thighs became the Vaisya, from his feet the Sudra was produced.
13. The Moon was gendered from his mind, and from his eye the Sun had birth;
Indra and Agni from his mouth were born, and Vayu from his breath.
14. Forth from his navel came mid-air the sky was fashioned from his head
Earth from his feet, and from his car the regions. Thus they formed the worlds.
15. Seven fencing-sticks had he, thrice seven layers of fuel were prepared,
When the Gods, offering sacrifice, bound, as their victim, Purusa.
16. Gods, sacrificing, sacrificed the victim these were the earliest holy ordinances.
The Mighty Ones attained the height of heaven, there where the Sidhyas, Gods of old, are dwelling.
I am Narayana, the Source of all things, the Eternal, the Unchangeable. I am the Creator of all things, and the Destroyer also of all. I am Vishnu, I am Brahma and I am Shankara, the chief of the gods. I am king Vaisravana, and I am Yama, the lord of the deceased spirits. I am Siva, I am Soma, and I am Kasyapa the lord of the created things. And, O best of regenerate ones, I am he called Dhatri, and he also that is called Vidhatri, and I am Sacrifice embodied. Fire is my mouth, the earth my feet, and the Sun and the Moon are my eyes; the Heaven is the crown of my head, the firmament and the cardinal points are my ears; the waters are born of my sweat. Space with the cardinal points are my body, and the Air is my mind...
...And, O Brahmana, whatever is obtained by men by the practice of truth, charity, ascetic austerities, and peace and harmlessness towards all creatures, and such other handsome deeds, is obtained because of my arrangements. Governed by my ordinance, men wander within my body, their senses overwhelmed by me. They move not according to their will but as they are moved by me.
— Mahabharata (translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli, 1883-1896), Book 3, Varna Parva, Chapter CLXXXVIII (188)[10]
Fourfold, namely, was Agni (fire) at first. Now that Agni whom they at first chose for the office of Hotri priest passed away. He also whom they chose the second time passed away. He also whom they chose the third time passed away. Thereupon the one who still constitutes the fire in our own time, concealed himself from fear. He entered into the waters. Him the gods discovered and brought forcibly away from the waters. He spat upon the waters, saying, 'Bespitten are ye who are an unsafe place of refuge, from whom they take me away against my will!' Thence sprung the Âptya deities, Trita, Dvita, and Ekata. - 1:2:3:1
1. THOU, Agni, shining in thy glory through the days, art brought to life from out the waters, from the stone:
From out the forest trees and herbs that grow on ground, thou, Sovran Lord of men art generated pure.
2 Thine is the Herald's task and Cleanser's duly timed; Leader art thou, and Kindler for the pious man.
Thou art Director, thou the ministering Priest: thou art the Brahman, Lord and Master in our home.
3 Hero of Heroes, Agni! Thou art Indra, thou art Viṣṇu of the Mighty Stride, adorable:
Thou, Brahmaṇaspati, the Brahman finding wealth: thou, O Sustainer, with thy wisdom tendest us.
4 Agni, thou art King Varuṇa whose laws stand fast; as Mitra, Wonder-Worker, thou must be implored.
Aryaman, heroes' Lord, art thou, enriching all, and liberal Aṁśa in the synod, O thou God.
5 Thou givest strength, as Tvaṣṭar, to the worshipper: thou wielding Mitra's power hast kinship with the Dames.
Thou, urging thy fleet coursers, givest noble steeds: a host of heroes art thou with great store of wealth.
6 Rudra art thou, the Asura of mighty heaven: thou art the Maruts’ host, thou art the Lord of food,
Thou goest with red winds: bliss hast thou in thine home. As Pūṣan thou thyself protectest worshippers.
7 Giver of wealth art thou to him who honours thee; thou art God Savitar, granter of precious things.
As Bhaga, Lord of men! thou rulest over wealth, and guardest in his house him who hath served thee well.
8 To thee, the people's Lord within the house, the folk press forward to their King most graciously inclined.
Lord of the lovely look, all things belong to thee: ten, hundred, yea, a thousand are outweighed by thee.
9 Agni, men seek thee as a Father with their prayers, win thee, bright-formed, to brotherhood with holy act.
Thou art a Son to him who duly worships thee, and as a trusty Friend thou guardest from attack.
10 A Ṛbhu (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ribhus) art thou, Agni, near to be adored thou art the Sovran Lord of foodful spoil and wealth.
Thou shinest brightly forth, thou burnest to bestow: pervading sacrifice, thou lendest us thine help.
11 Thou, God, art Aditi to him who offers gifts: thou, Hotrā, Bhāratī, art strengthened by the song.
Thou art the hundred-wintered Iḷā to give strength, Lord of Wealth! Vṛtra-slayer and Sarasvatī.
12 Thou, Agni, cherished well, art highest vital power; in thy delightful hue are glories visible.
Thou art the lofty might that furthers each design: thou art wealth manifold, diffused on every side.
13 Thee, Agni, have the Ādityas taken as their mouth; the Bright Ones have made thee, O Sage, to be their tongue.
They who love offerings cling to thee at solemn rites: by thee the Gods devour the duly offered food.
14 By thee, O Agni, all the Immortal guileless Gods eat with thy mouth the oblation that is offered them.
By thee do mortal men give sweetness to their drink. Bright art thou born, the embryo of the plants of earth.
15 With these thou art united, Agni; yea thou, God of noble birth, surpassest them in majesty,
Which, through the power of good, here spreads abroad from thee, diffused through both the worlds, throughout the earth and heaven.
16 The princely worshippers who send to those who sing thy praise, O Agni, guerdon graced with kine and steeds,—
Lead thou both these and us forward to higher bliss. With brave men in the assembly may we speak aloud.
5th Mandala, Hymn 3
1 - O Agni, thou art Varuṇa at birth; but when thou art blazing high thou becomes Mitra.
In thee, O Son of Power, all Gods are centered. Indra art thou, to man who brings oblation.
2 - Bearer of the self-sustaining Law, who keeps the secret name of the mysterious Virgins;
Forging the Lord and Lady of the House as One, thou shining streams reveal thee as the friend Mitra.
3 - The riders of the heavens array their attire with rich displays for thy glory, Rudra! Yea, for thy auspicious birth, the arising of the brightly-coloured one.
Thou guards and keeps the secret name of the shining, streaming cows as thou moves among the Great Triad, the final and supreme abode of Vishnu.
4 - By the glory of thee, who hast the true Seeing, all the Gods are employed and therefore taste immortality;
Men have chosen Agni for their sacred priest, aspiring with him and making an offering.
5 - There is none who precedes thee as priest, O Agni, none more skilled in sacrificial rituals, none who has become a greater seer; O master of the self-sustaining Law,
Of whatsoever man thou becomes the guest, he conquers through sacrifice, O Godhead, those who are mortals.
6 - May we who seek wealth and glory win them by our offering, guarded by thee and awakened, O Agni,
In the clash of War, through the days and the Aeons, with our Treasure we overcome mortal men, O Son of Power.
7 - He shall bring evil on those who plot evil against us, those who turn against us in sin and outrage.
Destroy these hypocrites, O Agni, and whoever injures us with two-faced double-dealings.
8 - In the dawning of this night, O Godhead, the ancients made thee their messenger, and gave thee sacrifice with their oblations;
For thou art the Godhead kindled by mortals who have the glories, thou who travels onward to the Paradise.
9 - Save us, thou who knowest, and draw thy father near thee, thy father who becomes thy son and bears thee, O Child of Power.
O Jnani, when wilt thou regard us? O Agni, skilled in holy Law, wilt thou direct us?
10 - The father adores and establishes the mighty name because thou, O shining one, bringest him to accept and take pleasure in it; once and again,
And doth not Agni, glad in strength of Godhead, gain splendid bliss as he hath waxen mighty when he conquers?
11 - Most Youthful God, carriest safe thy adorer beyond all stumblings, O Agni;
For thieves and hostiles have been seen by us: those who plot and scheme are nigh.
12 - These journeys are in thy hands, and any evil in us has been confessed to the vasu, the Shining One
O our Agni, forever blazing higher and higher, shall never yield us to misfortunes or enemies.