Chapter 1, Section 2
Original Sanskrit
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 ॥
Musean translation
Complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the Sanskrit, covering all three chapters, the opening invocation and closing colophon.
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.
Plain English translation
Complete machine-assisted Plain English translation, made independently and directly from the Sanskrit, covering all three chapters, the opening invocation and closing colophon.
1 These gods had been created, and they fell into this vast ocean. The Self made the person subject to hunger and thirst. The gods said to the Self, “Find us somewhere to live, where we can settle and eat.”
2 It brought them a cow. “This isn't suitable for us,” they said. It brought them a horse. “This isn't suitable for us,” they said.
3 It brought them a human. “This is really well made!” they said. A human is indeed well made. The Self said to them, “Each of you must go into the place that belongs to you.”
4 Fire took the form of speech and went into the mouth. Wind took the form of breath and went into the nostrils. The sun took the form of seeing and went into the eyes. The directions took the form of hearing and went into the ears. Plants and trees took the form of hair and went into the skin. The moon took the form of the mind and went into the heart. Death took the form of the downward-moving breath and went into the navel. Water took the form of semen and went into the penis.
5 Hunger and thirst said to the Self, “Find somewhere for us too.” It answered, “I will give you a share in these same gods. You will share in what they receive.” That is why hunger and thirst both have a share whenever an offering is presented to any god.
About this section
Chapter 1, Section 2 is part of Aitareya Upanishad by Unknown. This page sets the Sanskrit original beside 2 direct-source translations, so any line can be checked against the source. It is section 3 of 6 in the work, which is kept in the Hindu tradition.
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