Aitareya Upanishad
Invocation
Sanskrit
वाङ् मे मनसि प्रतिष्ठिता मनो मे वाचि प्रतिष्ठितमाविरावीर्म एधि ॥ वेदस्य म आणीस्थः श्रुतं मे मा प्रहासीरनेनाधीतेनाहोरात्रान् सन्दधाम्यृतं वदिष्यामि सत्यं वदिष्यामि ॥ तन्मामवतु तद्वक्तारमवत्ववतु मामवतु वक्तारमवतु वक्तारम् ॥॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥
English
May my speech be established in my mind, and my mind established in my speech. Reveal yourself; appear to me. May you both be the supports of the Veda for me. May what I have heard never leave me. Through this study I join day and night. I will speak what is right. I will speak what is true. May that protect me; may that protect the speaker. May it protect me; may it protect the speaker; may it protect the speaker.Om. Peace, peace, peace.
Chapter 1, Section 1
आत्मा वा इदमेक एवाग्र आसीन्नान्यत्किञ्चचन । स ईक्षत लोकान्नु सृजा इति ॥ १ ॥
स इमाँल्लोकानसृजत । अम्भो मरीचीर्मापोऽदोऽम्भः परेण दिवं द्यौः प्रतिष्ठाऽन्तरिक्षं मरीचयः । पृथिवी मरो या अधस्तात्त आपः ॥ २ ॥
स ईक्षतेमे नु लोका लोकपालान्नु सृजा इति ॥ सोऽद्भ्य एव पुरुषं समुद्धृत्यामूर्छयत् ॥ ३ ॥
तमभ्यतपत्तस्याभितप्तस्य मुखं निरभिद्यत यथाऽण्डं मुखाद्वाग्वाचोऽग्निर्नासिके निरभिद्येतं नासिकाभ्यां प्राणः । प्राणाद्वायुरक्षिणी निरभिद्येतमक्षिभ्यां चक्षुश्चक्षुष आदित्यः कर्णौ निरभिद्येतां कर्णाभ्यां श्रोत्रं श्रोत्रद्दिशस्त्वङ्निरभिद्यत त्वचो लोमानि लोमभ्य ओषधिवनस्पतयो हृदयं निरभिद्यत हृदयान्मनो मनसश्चन्द्रमा नाभिर्निरभिद्यत नाभ्या अपानोऽपानान्मृत्युः शिश्नं निरभिद्यत शिश्नाद्रेतो रेतस आपः ॥ ४ ॥
1 In the beginning, the Self alone was all this; there was nothing else whatever. It considered: “Let me create worlds.”
2 It created these worlds: Ambhas, the Rays, Mara, and the Waters. Ambhas is beyond heaven; heaven is its foundation. The middle region is the Rays. The earth is Mara. What lies below is the Waters.
3 It considered: “Here are the worlds. Let me create guardians for them.” From the waters themselves it drew forth a person and gave him form.
4 It brooded over him with heat. As he grew hot, a mouth broke open, like an egg. From the mouth came speech, and from speech, fire. Nostrils broke open. From the nostrils came breath, and from breath, wind. Eyes broke open. From the eyes came sight, and from sight, the sun. Ears broke open. From the ears came hearing, and from hearing, the directions. Skin broke open. From the skin came hairs, and from the hairs, herbs and trees. A heart broke open. From the heart came mind, and from mind, the moon. A navel broke open. From the navel came the downward breath, and from the downward breath, death. A penis broke open. From the penis came seed, and from seed, the waters.
Chapter 1, Section 2
ता एता देवता सृष्टा अस्मिन्महत्यर्णवे प्रापतन् । तमशनापिपासाभ्यामन्ववार्जत् । ता एनमब्रुवन्नायतनं नः प्रजानीहि यस्मिन्प्रतिष्ठिता अन्नमदामेति ॥ १ ॥
ताभ्यो गामानयत्ता अब्रुवन्न वै नोऽयमलमिति । ताभ्योऽश्वमानयत्ता अब्रुवन्न वै नोऽयमलमिति ॥ २ ॥
ताभ्यः पुरुषमानयत्ता अब्रुवन् सुकृतं बतेति पुरुषो वाव सुकृतम् । ता अब्रवीद्यथायतनं प्रविशतेति ॥ ३ ॥
अग्निर्वाग्भूत्वा मुखं प्राविशद्वायुः प्राणो भूत्वा नासिके प्राविशदादित्यश्चक्षुर्भूत्वाऽक्षिणी प्राविशद्दिशः श्रोत्रं भूत्वा कर्णौ प्राविशन्नोषधिवनस्पतयो लोमानि भूत्वा त्वचं प्राविशंश्चन्द्रमा मनो भूत्वा हृदयं प्राविशन्मृत्युरपानो भूत्वा नाभिं प्राविशदापो रेतो भूत्वा शिश्नं प्राविशन् ॥ ४ ॥
तमशनायापिपासे अब्रूतामावाभ्यामभिप्रजानीहीति ते अब्रवीदेतास्वेव वां देवतास्वाभजाम्येतासु भागिन्यौ करोमीति । तस्माद्यस्यै कस्यै च देवतायै हविर्गृह्यते भागिन्यावेवास्यामशनायापिपासे भवतः ॥ ५ ॥
1 These deities, once created, fell into this mighty ocean. He subjected the person to hunger and thirst. The deities said to him: “Find us a dwelling where we may stand and eat food.”
2 He brought them a cow. They said: “This is not enough for us.” He brought them a horse. They said: “This is not enough for us.”
3 He brought them a human being. They said: “Well made indeed!” A human being is indeed well made. He told them: “Enter, each into your own dwelling.”
4 Fire became speech and entered the mouth. Wind became breath and entered the nostrils. The sun became sight and entered the eyes. The directions became hearing and entered the ears. Herbs and trees became hairs and entered the skin. The moon became mind and entered the heart. Death became the downward breath and entered the navel. The waters became seed and entered the penis.
5 Hunger and thirst said to him: “Find a place for us too.” He told them: “Among these very deities I allot you a share; I make you sharers in them.” Therefore, to whatever deity an offering is taken, hunger and thirst alike have a share in it.
Chapter 1, Section 3
स ईक्षतेमे नु लोकाश्च लोकपालाश्चान्नमेभ्यः सृजा इति ॥ १ ॥
सोऽपोऽभ्यतपत्ताभ्योऽभितप्ताभ्यो मूर्तिरजायत । या वै सा मूर्तिरजायतान्नं वै तत् ॥ २ ॥
तदेनत्सृष्टं पराङ्त्यजिघांसत्तद्वाचाऽजिघृक्षत् तन्नाशक्नोद्वाचा ग्रहीतुम् । स यद्धैनद्वाचाऽग्रहैष्यदभिव्याहृत्य हैवान्नमत्रप्स्यत् ॥ ३ ॥
तत्प्राणेनाजिघृक्षत् तन्नाशक्नोत्प्राणेन ग्रहीतुम् । स यद्धैनत्प्राणेनाग्रहैष्यदभिप्राण्य हैवान्नमत्रप्स्यत् ॥ ४ ॥
तच्चक्षुषाऽजिघृक्षत् तन्नाशक्नोच्चक्षुषा ग्रहीतुम् । स यद्धैनच्चक्षुषाऽग्रहैष्यद्दृष्ट्वा हैवानमत्रप्स्यत् ॥ ५ ॥
तच्छ्रोत्रेणाजिघृक्षत् तन्नाशक्नोच्छ्रोत्रेण ग्रहीतुम् । स यद्धैनच्छ्रोत्रेणाग्रहैष्यच्छ्रुत्वा हैवान्नमत्रप्स्यत् ॥ ६ ॥
तत्त्वचाऽजिघृक्षत् तन्नाशक्नोत्त्वचा ग्रहीतुम् । स यद्धैनत्त्वचाऽग्रहैष्यत् स्पृष्ट्वा हैवान्नमत्रप्स्यत् ॥ ७ ॥
तन्मनसाऽजिघृक्षत् तन्नाशक्नोन्मनसा ग्रहीतुम् । स यद्धैनन्मनसाऽग्रहैष्यद्ध्यात्वा हैवान्नमत्रप्स्यत् ॥ ८ ॥
तच्छिश्नेनाजिघृक्षत् तन्नाशक्नोच्छिश्नेन ग्रहीतुम् । स यद्धैनच्छिश्नेनाग्रहैष्यद्वित्सृज्य हैवानमत्रप्स्यत् ॥ ९ ॥
तदपानेनाजिघृक्षत् तदावयत् सैषोऽन्नस्य ग्रहो यद्वायुरनायुर्वा एष यद्वायुः ॥ १० ॥
स ईक्षत कथं न्विदं मदृते स्यादिति स ईक्षत कतरेण प्रपद्या इति । स ईक्षत यदि वाचाऽभिव्याहृतं यदि प्राणेनाभिप्राणितं यदि चक्षुषा दृष्टं यदि श्रोत्रेण श्रुतं यदि त्वचा स्पृष्टं यदि मनसा ध्यातं यद्यपानेनाभ्यपानितं यदि शिश्नेन विसृष्टमथ कोऽहमिति ॥ ११ ॥
स एतमेव सीमानं विदर्यैतया द्वारा प्रापद्यत । सैषा विदृतिर्नाम द्वास्तदेतन्नाऽन्दनम् । तस्य त्रय आवसथास्त्रयः स्वप्ना अयमावसथोऽयमावसथोऽयमावसथ इति ॥१२॥
स जातो भूतान्यभिव्यैख्यत् किमिहान्यं वावदिषदिति । स एतमेव पुरुषं ब्रह्म ततममपश्यत् । इदमदर्शनमिती ३ ॥ १३ ॥
तस्मादिदन्द्रो नामेदन्द्रो ह वै नाम तमिदन्द्रं सन्तमिन्द्र इत्याचक्षते परोक्षेण । परोक्षप्रिया इव हि देवाः परोक्षप्रिया इव हि देवाः ॥ १४ ॥
1 It considered: “Here are the worlds and their guardians. Let me create food for them.”
2 It brooded over the waters with heat. From the heated waters a form arose. That form which arose was food.
3 Once created, the food tried to flee away. He tried to seize it with speech, but could not seize it with speech. Had he seized it with speech, merely naming food would have satisfied him.
4 He tried to seize it with breath, but could not seize it with breath. Had he seized it with breath, merely breathing toward food would have satisfied him.
5 He tried to seize it with sight, but could not seize it with sight. Had he seized it with sight, merely seeing food would have satisfied him.
6 He tried to seize it with hearing, but could not seize it with hearing. Had he seized it with hearing, merely hearing food would have satisfied him.
7 He tried to seize it with the skin, but could not seize it with the skin. Had he seized it with the skin, merely touching food would have satisfied him.
8 He tried to seize it with the mind, but could not seize it with the mind. Had he seized it with the mind, merely thinking of food would have satisfied him.
9 He tried to seize it with the penis, but could not seize it with the penis. Had he seized it with the penis, merely emitting seed would have satisfied him with food.
10 He tried to seize it with the downward breath, and took it in. This wind is indeed what grasps food; this wind indeed lives on food.
11 It considered: “How could this exist without me?” It considered: “By which way shall I enter?” It considered: “If speech speaks, if breath breathes, if sight sees, if hearing hears, if the skin touches, if the mind thinks, if the downward breath draws in, if the penis emits seed—then who am I?”
12 Splitting this very seam, it entered through that doorway. This doorway is called the Cleft; it is the place of joy. It has three dwellings, three dreams: “This is a dwelling; this is a dwelling; this is a dwelling.”
13 Once born, he surveyed the beings: “What else here would one speak of?” He saw this very person as Brahman, the all-pervading. “I have seen this!”
14 Therefore his name is Idandra; Idandra is indeed his name. Though his name is Idandra, they call him Indra indirectly. For the gods seem to love what is indirect; the gods seem to love what is indirect.
Chapter 2
पुरुषे ह वा अयमादितो गर्भो भवति यदेतद्रेतः । तदेतत्सर्वेभ्योऽङ्गेभ्यस्तेजः सम्भूतमात्मन्येवऽऽत्मानं बिभर्ति तद्यदा स्त्रियां सिञ्चत्यथैनज्जनयति तदस्य प्रथमं जन्म ॥ १ ॥
तत्स्त्रिया आत्मभूयं गच्छति यथा स्वमङ्गं तथा । तस्मादेनां न हिनस्ति । साऽस्यैतमात्मानमत्र गतं भावयति ॥ २ ॥
सा भावयित्री भावयितव्या भवति । तं स्त्री गर्भ बिभर्ति । सोऽग्र एव कुमारं जन्मनोऽग्रेऽधिभावयति । स यत्कुमारं जन्मनोऽग्रेऽधिभावयत्यात्मानमेव तद्भावयत्येषां लोकानां सन्तत्या । एवं सन्तता हीमे लोकास्तदस्य द्वितीयं जन्म ॥ ३ ॥
सोऽस्यायमात्मा पुण्येभ्यः कर्मभ्यः प्रतिधीयते । अथास्यायामितर आत्मा कृतकृत्यो वयोगतः प्रैति । स इतः प्रयन्नेव पुनर्जायते तदस्य तृतीयं जन्म ॥ ४ ॥
तदुक्तमृषिणा गर्भे नु सन्नन्वेषामवेदमहं देवानां जनिमानि विश्वा शतं मा पुर आयसीररक्षन्नधः श्येनो जवसा निरदीयमिति । गर्भ एवैतच्छयानो वामदेव एवमुवाच ॥५॥
स एवं विद्वानस्माच्छरीरभेदादूर्ध्व उत्क्रम्यामुष्मिन् स्वर्गे लोके सर्वान् कामानाप्त्वाऽमृतः समभवत् समभवत् ॥ ६ ॥
1 In a man, this being first becomes an embryo as that seed. This is the vigor gathered from all his limbs. In himself he bears his very self. When he pours it into a woman, he brings it to birth. This is his first birth.
2 It becomes part of the woman's own self, like a limb of her own. Therefore it does not harm her. She nurtures this self of his that has come into her.
3 She who nurtures must herself be nurtured. The woman bears him as an embryo. He nurtures the child from the very beginning, before birth. In nurturing the child before birth, he nurtures his own self, for the continuance of these worlds. In this way these worlds continue. This is his second birth.
4 This self of his is put in his place for the performance of good deeds. Then that other self of his, its work accomplished and its age advanced, departs. Departing from here, he is born again. This is his third birth.
5 This was spoken by the seer: “While still in the womb, I came to know all the births of these gods. A hundred iron fortresses guarded me. Then, a hawk, I flew out with speed.” Vamadeva spoke thus while still lying in the womb.
6 Knowing in this way, he rose from the breaking of this body, attained all desires in that heavenly world, and became immortal; he became immortal.
Chapter 3
कोऽयमात्मेति वयमुपास्महे कतरः स आत्मा । येन वा पश्यति येन वा शृणोति येन वा गन्धानाजिघ्रति येन वा वाचं व्याकरोति येन वा स्वादु चास्वादु च विजानाति ॥ १ ॥
यदेतद्धृदयं मनश्चैतत् । सञ्ज्ञानमाज्ञानं विज्ञानं प्रज्ञानं मेधा दृष्टिधृर्तिमतिर्मनीषा जूतिः स्मृतिः सङ्कल्पः क्रतुरसुः कामो वश इति । सर्वाण्येवैतानि प्रज्ञानस्य नामधेयानि भवन्ति ॥ २ ॥
एष ब्रह्मैष इन्द्र एष प्रजापतिरेते सर्वे देवा इमानि च पञ्चमहाभूतानि पृथिवी वायुराकाश आपो ज्योतींषीत्येतानीमानि च क्षुद्रमिश्राणीव । बीजानीतराणि चेतराणि चाण्डजानि च जारुजानि च स्वेदजानि चोद्भिज्जानि चाश्वा गावः पुरुषा हस्तिनो यत्किञ्चेदं प्राणि जङ्गमं च पतत्रि च यच्च स्थावरं सर्वं तत्प्रज्ञानेत्रं प्रज्ञाने प्रतिष्ठितं प्रज्ञानेत्रो लोकः प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठा प्रज्ञानं ब्रह्म ॥ ३ ॥
स एतेन प्राज्ञेनाऽऽत्मनाऽस्माल्लोकादुत्क्रम्यामुष्मिन्स्वर्गे लोके सर्वान् कामानाप्त्वाऽमृतः समभवत् समभवत् ॥ ४ ॥
॥ इति ऎतरेयोपनिषत् समाप्ता ॥
1 Who is this whom we worship as the Self? Which is that Self? Is it that by which one sees, by which one hears, by which one smells scents, by which one articulates speech, by which one discerns what is sweet and what is not sweet?
2 It is this heart and mind: recognition, command, discernment, awareness, intelligence, vision, steadfastness, thought, reflection, impulse, memory, resolve, purpose, life, desire, mastery. All these are names of awareness.
3 This is Brahma; this is Indra; this is Prajapati. This is all these gods and these five great elements—earth, wind, space, waters, and lights—and these seemingly small and mixed creatures, these seeds of one kind and another: those born from eggs, those born from wombs, those born from moisture, and those that sprout; horses, cattle, human beings, elephants, whatever here is alive, walking or flying, and whatever is rooted in place. All of it is guided by awareness, established in awareness. The world is guided by awareness; awareness is its foundation. Awareness is Brahman.
4 Through this conscious Self, he rose from this world, attained all desires in that heavenly world, and became immortal; he became immortal.
Thus ends the Aitareya Upanishad.