AITAREYA UPANIṢAD Translation by Dr.
Radhakrishnan Prepared by Veeraswamy Krishnaraj |
The Aitareya Upaniṣad belongs to the Ṛg Veda and the Upaniṣad proper consists of three chapters. This is part of the Aitareya Āraṇyaka, and the Upaniṣad begins with the Fourth Chapter of the second Āraṇyaka, and comprises Chapters IV, V, and VI. The preceding parts deal with sacrificial ceremonies like the mahāvrata and their interpretations. It is the purpose of the Upaniṣad to lead the mind of the sacrificer away from the outer ceremonial to its inner meaning. All true sacrifice is inward. S points out that there are three classes of men who wish to acquire wisdom. The highest consists of those who have turned away from the world, whose minds are freed and collected, who are eager for freedom. For these the Upaniṣad (Ᾱitareya Āraṇyaka II. 4-6) is intended. There are others who wish to become free gradually by attaining to the world of Hiraṇya-garbha. For them the knowledge and worship of prāṇa life-breath is intended. (Ᾱitareya Āraṇyaka II. 1-3). There are still others who care only for worldly possessions. For them the meditative worship of the Saṁhitā is intended. (Ᾱitareya Āraṇyaka III). See Son Ᾱitareya Āraṇyaka III.1.1. |
INVOCATION |
My speech is well established in my mind. My mind, is well established in my speech. O Thou manifest one, be manifest for me. Be a nail for my Veda. Do not let go my learning. By
this that
has been studied,
I maintain days and nights, I will speak of the
right. I will speak of the true. May that protect me.
May that protect the
speaker. Let that protect me. Let that protect the
speaker, Let that protect the speaker. Aum, peace, peace, peace. be a
nail: let the spirit of the Scriptures be constantly present. |
CHAPTER I Section I THE CREATION OF THE COSMIC PERSON |
I.1.1.
The self, verily, was (all) this, one only, in the beginning. Nothing else whatsoever winked. He thought, 'let me now create the worlds.' See B,U. I. 4, I. idam: (all] this, the
manifested universe. one
only: Everything
is derived from
ātman to which there is no second. 'Nothing
else whatsoever winked.' This
is by way of refutation of
the Sāṁkhya
dualism. The non-being of matter which is
assumed for
explaining creation is not external to the
Supreme. I.1.2. He created
these worlds, water, light rays, death and the waters, This water is above the heaven. The heaven is its support. The
light rays are the atmosphere. Death is the earth. What are beneath, they are the waters. Earth is called mara or death,
because all beings on earth die. 'Although
the worlds are composed of the five elements, still from the preponderance of
water, they are called by names meaning water such as ambhas, etc.' S. I.1.3.
He thought, 'Here then are the worlds. Let me now create the guardians of the worlds.' From the waters themselves, he
drew forth the
person and gave
him a shape. I.1.4. He brooded over him. Of him who has thus been
brooded over the mouth was separated out,
like an egg. From the
mouth speech, from speech fire. The
nostrils were separated out: from the
nostrils breath, from breath air. The eyes were separated out: from the
eyes sight, from
sight the
sun. The
ears were separated out: from the ears hearing and from hearing the quarters of space. The skin was
separated out:
from the skin the hairs, from the hairs plants and
trees. The
heart was separated out: from the heart the mind and from the mind, the
moon. The navel was separated
out: from the navel, the outbreath, from the outbreath death.
The generative
organ was separated out: from it semen, from
semen water. like an
egg: as is the case with an egg. when it is hatched. |
Section 2 THE COSMIC POWERS IN THE HUMAN PERSON |
I.2.1. These divinities thus created fell into this great ocean. (The self) subjected that (person) to hunger and thirst. They said to him (the creator), 'Find out for us an abode, wherein established we may eat food.' arṇave: in the ocean: saṁsāra is generally
compared to an ocean. saṁsārārṇave, saṁsāra -samudre.
S. prāpatan: fell, patitavatyaḥ.
S. I.2.2.
For them, he brought a
cow. They said, 'Indeed this
is not enough for us.' For them
he brought a horse. They said, 'Indeed this is not enough for us.' I.2.3· For them he
brought a person. They said, 'Well done indeed: A
person verily is (what is) well done. He said to
them, enter into
your respective
abodes.' I.2.4. Fire, becoming speech,
entered the mouth. Air becoming breath, entered the
nostrils. The
sun, becoming sight, entered the
eyes. The quarters of space, becoming hearing, entered
the ears. Plants and trees, becoming hairs entered the skin. The moon, becoming the mind, entered the heart. Death,
becoming the outbreath, entered the navel: water becoming
semen entered the generative organ. I.2.5. To him (the
creator), hunger and thirst
said, 'For
us (also) find out an abode.' He said to them. 'I assign you a place
in these divinities and make you sharers with them. Therefore
to whatever divinity
an offering is made,
hunger and thirst become partakers
in it. |
Section 3 THE CREATION OF FOOD AND THE INABILITY OF VARIOUS PERSONAL FUNCTIONS TO GET AT IT |
I.3.1. He thought,
'Here are the worlds and the guardians of the
worlds. Let me create food for them.' I.3.2. He brooded
over the waters and from the waters so
brooded over issued a form. That whichever was produced as that form is, verily, food. I.3.3. This so created wished
to flee away. (The
person) sought to seize it with speech. He was not able to take hold of it by speech. If, indeed, he had taken
hold of it by speech, even
with speech, one would have had the satisfaction of food. By
merely talking of food, one will not be satisfied. ajighṛkṣat: sought to seize. atrapsyat: would have had satisfaction. I.3.4. (The person) sought to seize it with breath. He was not able to take hold of it by breath. If, indeed, he had taken hold of it by breath, even with breath one would have had the satisfaction of
food. By
merely breathing toward food, no satisfaction of the appetite is possible. I.3.5. (The person) sought to seize it with sight. He was not
able to take hold of it by sight. If, indeed, he had taken hold of it by sight, even
with the sight (of food) one would have had the satisfaction of food. I.3.6. (The person) sought to seize it with hearing. He was not able to take hold of it by hearing. If indeed, he had taken hold of it by hearing, even with the hearing (of food), one would have had the satisfaction
of food. I.3.7. (The person) sought to seize.it by the skin. He was not able to take hold
of it by
the skin. Indeed, he had taken hold of it by the skin, even with
the skin (i.e. by touching food)
one would have had the satisfaction of food. I.3.8. (The person)
sought to seize
it by the mind. He was not able to take hold of it by the mind. If, indeed, he had taken hold of
it by the mind, even with the mind (i.e. by thinking of
food), one would
have had the satisfaction of
food. I.3.9. (The person) sought to see it by the generative organ. He was not
able to take hold of it by the generative organ. If, indeed, he had taken hold of it by the generative
organ, even by emission
one would have had
the satisfaction of
food. I.3.10. Then, the
person, sought to seize
it by the out-breath. He got it. The grasper of food is what air is. This one living on food,
is, verily. what
air is. |
THE ENTRANCE OF THE SELF INTO THE BODY |
I.3.11. He thought, How can this food exist without me? He thought, through what (way) shall I enter it? He thought (again), If speaking is through speech, if breathing is through breath, if seeing is through the eyes, hearing is through the ears, if touching is through the skin,• if meditation is through the mind, if breathing out is through the outbreath, if emission is through
the generative organ, then who am I? Speech,
etc. are effects and serve a master. The body is like a city and there must be a lord of the city. It is for the enjoyer,
svāmy-artham. So the enjoyer must enter the body. So the question is raised, 'through what way shall I enter it?' .The forepart of the foot and the crown of the head are the two ways of entrance into this body,
the collection of several parts.
By which of these two ways shall I enter this city, this bundle of causes and effects?' Ś. I.3.12. After opening that
very end (of
the head), by that way he entered. This is the opening known as vidṛti. This is the pleasing. For that, there are three abodes; three kinds of dreams as:
this is the abode; this is the abode; this is the abode. l sīman: the very end (of the head), the sagittal suture. This
is the highest center of spiritual consciousness, called the sahasrā,
the thousand-petalled lotus. It is said to be situated in the center of the brain. l three kinds
of dreams: Reference is to the three conditions of waking, dream
and deep sleep of the Māṇḍūkya U. The ordinary condition of waking is said to be a dream as distinguished from the state of
enlightenment.' Śaṁkara
explains that the
right eye is the abode during the waking state: the inner mind (antar-manas)
during dream and the space of the heart (hṛdayākāśa)during profound sleep. He offers an
alternative interpretation. The three abodes are the body of one's father, the womb of one's mother and one's own body. I.3.I3. He, being born, perceived the created beings, what
else here
would one desire to speak? He perceived this very
person Brahman all-pervading, 'I have seen this,' he
said. tatamam: all-pervading. I.3.I4. Therefore his name is Idandra. Indeed, Idandra is the name. Of him who is Idandra, they speak indirectly (cryptically) as Indra. Gods appear indeed to be fond of the cryptic. Idandra: the perceiver of this. Indra: is a word denoting an object beyond the range of vision. |
CHAPTER II THREE BIRTHS OF THE SELF |
II.1.1. In a person,
indeed,
this one first becomes an embryo. That
which is
semen is the vigour come together from all
the limbs. In
the self, indeed, one bears a self. When he sheds this
in a woman, he then gives it birth. That
is its first
birth. II.1.2. It becomes one with the woman, just as a limb of her own. Therefore it
does not hurt
her. She nourishes this self of his
that has come into her. II.1.3. She, being the
nourisher, should be nourished.
The woman bears him as an embryo. He
nourishes the child
before birth and after the birth. While he nourishes the child before
birth and after
the birth, he thus nourishes his own self for the continuation of these
worlds; for thus are
these worlds
continued.
This is one's second birth. agre: before (birth). adhi: after (birth). ātmānam: his own self. The father is
said to be born as the son. II.1.4. He (the son) who
is one
self of his (father)
is made his substitute for (performing) pious deeds. Then
the other self
of his (father's) having accomplished his work, having reached his age, departs. So departing hence, he is indeed, born again. That is his third birth. That
has been
stated by the seer. prayann eva: departing. II.1.5. 'While I was in the womb, I knew
all the births
of the gods. A
hundred strongholds made of steel guarded me. I burst out of it with the swiftness of a hawk. Vāma-deva spoke this verse even when he was lying in the womb. II.1.6. He knowing thus and springing upward, when the body is dissolved, enjoyed
all desires in that world of heaven
and became immortal, yea, became (immortal). |
CHAPTER III |
III.1.1. 'Who is this one?' We worship him as the self.' 'Which one is the self?'
'He by whom one sees, or by whom one hears, or by whom one smells odors, or by whom one articulates speech or by whom one discriminates the sweet and the unsweet.' Another reading will give 'Who is he whom we worship as the
self? Which
one is the
self? He by whom . . .' III.1.2. That which
is heart,
this mind, that is consciousness, perception,
discrimination, intelligence, wisdom,
insight, stead fastness, thought, thoughtfulness, impulse,
memory, conception, purpose, life, desire, control, all these, indeed, are names of
intelligence. Here
we find a classification of various mental functions, the different kinds of perception, conception, intuition as well as feeling and will. III.1.3. He is Brahma,
he is Indra; he is Prajā-pati,
he is all
these gods; and these five great
elements, namely, earth, air, ether, water, light; these things and these which are mingled of the fire, as it were, the seeds of one sort and another; those born from an egg, and those born from a womb, and those born from sweat, and those born from
a sprout; horses, cows, persons and elephants, whatever breathing thing there is here, whether moving or flying or what is stationary. All this is guided by intelligence, is established in
intelligence. The
world is guided
by intelligence. The support is
intelligence. Brahma is intelligence. Intelligence
is said to be the basis of all existence the final reality. We see here the anticipations of the
Buddhist Vijñānavāda. III.1.4. He, with this intelligent
self, soared upward
from this
world and having enjoyed all desires
in that world of heaven became immortal, yea became
(immortal). he: the sage Vāmadeva. |
End AITAREYA UPANIṢAD |