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Aitareya Upanishad is a common ground for philosophy and physics. It contains the mahavakya, the great aphorism “प्रज्ञानं ब्रह्म”, Consciousness is Brahman.
Aitareya Upanishad identifies Consciousness as the First Cause of creation. This is forerunner of ‘Unified Field Theory’.
‘Unified Field Theory’ or a ‘Theory of Everything’ which the modern physicists are trying to discover through Quantum Mechanics, although the modern science does not recognize Consciousness as a factor in creation of the universe.
One of the oldest pastimes of man is to run the search engine of his contemplative and analytical faculties to find out the final answer to the riddle of creation of the universe.
This question is not merely academic but it also assumes the colors of religion, philosophy, science and poetry. We have answers to this enigma in every religion.
We have scientific theories throwing up endless ever changing conclusions, the most path-breaking of which is Charles Darwin’s “Origin of Species” followed by Stephen Hawking and others. We have philosophers’ speculations and poetic imaginations.
But the mystery of creation remains as much unfathomed and unsolved today as in the Vedic days. VEDIC PERSPECTIVE ON CREATION is interpreted in the Vedas as a developmental course rather than as bringing into being something not hitherto existent.
It was considered as an ongoing-process and not an event. The Purusha Sukta of Rig Veda paints a picture of the ideal Primeval Being existing before any phenomenal existence.
He is conceived as a cosmic person with a thousand heads, eyes and feet, who filled the whole universe and extended beyond it. The world form is only a fragment of this divine reality. The first principle which is called Purusha manifested as the whole world by his Tapas.
This view gets crystallized into the later Upanishadic doctrine that the spirit or Atman in man (at microcosm) is the same as the spirit which is the cause of the world which goes by the name Brahman or Paramatman (at macrocosm).
These theories are discussed in elaborate details in Upanishads which as Prasna, Aitareya, Mundaka, Taittiriya, Katha, Chandogya, Svetasvatara, Brhadaranyaka, Maitri, Paingala Upanishads besides the Bhagavad Gita and Yoga Vasishtha.
Among the latter Acharyas the contributions made by Gaudapada, and Adi Sankara to these thoughts are colossal.
A brief quotation from the article “Cosmology in Vedanta” by Swami Tathagatananda published by Vedanta Society of New York given below brings out lucidly the perspectives of both Vedanta and modern science on this subject.
“A perceptive reader will find many striking similarities between the latest findings of Astrophysics and ancient Indian cosmological ideas, of which Swamiji (Vivekananda) says:
” . . . you will find how wonderfully they are in accordance with the latest discoveries of modern science; and where there is disharmony, you will find that it is modern science which lacks and not they.”
Einstein writes that “cosmic expansion may be simply a temporary condition which will be followed at some future epoch of cosmic time by a period of contraction.
The universe in this picture is a pulsating balloon in which cycles of expansion and contraction succeed each other through eternity.”
The modern astrophysicist, Stephen Hawking, wrote: “At the big bang itself, the universe is thought to have had zero size, and so to have been infinitely hot . . .
The whole history of science has been the gradual realization that events do not happen in an arbitrary manner, but they reflect a certain underlying order, which may or may not be divinely inspired.”
The Vedas also state that creation is ongoing: what has been in the past is being repeated in the new cycle. Stephen Hawking wrote, “Thus, when we see the universe, we are seeing it as it was in the past.”
He further wrote, “But how did he [God] choose the initial state or configuration of the universe? One possible answer is to say that God chose the initial configuration of the universe for reasons that we cannot hope to know.”
It is perhaps enough for the modern mind to know how great is the similarity. Vedanta does not support the “big bang” theory and its mechanistic materialism. We have merely cited certain common ideas to be found in both.
Brahman is the ultimate Reality. Brahman is impersonal-personal God. Impersonal God may be called the static aspect and personal God may be called the dynamic aspect of Brahman.
The static aspect अनिद अवतं – as Rg-Veda puts it, “It existed without any movement.” or “a causeless ground” Brahman is truth, Consciousness and Infinitude. Knowledge, will and action are inherent in Brahman.
God projects the universe by animating His prakrti (maya). Astrophysics and Advaita Vedanta agree on certain points. Advaita Vedanta upholds the notion of the pulsating or oscillating universe. Creation is followed by dissolution and this process will continue ad infinitum.
Science used the term “big bang” for the starting point of creation and “big crunch” for the dissolution of the universe. The “cosmic egg” of Vedanta, which is like a point, is called singularity in astrophysics.
The background material of the scientist cannot be accepted as the source of creation. That is the biggest difference between the two systems. Science is still exploring and remains inconclusive but Vedanta has given the final verdict, which is unassailable.
“Unless there is one changeless Reality, change cannot be perceived at all”.
We will now attempt to study the Aitareya Upanishad in detail.
The Aitareya Upanishad belongs to the Aitareya Aranyaka and is a part of the Rig Veda. This Upanishad consists of 3 chapters; the first chapter has 3 sections and the remaining two chapters do not have any sections.
In the earlier portions of the Aranyaka rituals for the attainment of oneness with Saguna Brahman and their interpretations are dealt with. It is the purpose of the Upanishad to lead the mind of the ritualist away from the outer cermonials to their inner meaning.
Sankara points out that there are three classes of men who wish to acquire wisdom. The highest consist of those who have turned away from the world, whose minds are freed and collected, who are eager for freedom.
For such seekers this Upanishad is intended. (The other two classes of people are those who want to become free gradually and those who care only for worldly possessions).
The first chapter describes the creation. It provides an allegorical description of the creation of the universe – as also of man – from Consciousness. It uses the word ‘Brahman’ for universal Consciousness and ‘Atman’ for individual Consciousness.
These two words embrace all possible concepts about God and all known names of God without any contradiction whatsoever.
Atman alone exists as the sole Reality prior to the creation of all names and forms of the phenomenal world and during their continuance and after their dissolution as well.
It projects the created objects through its wondrous powers of maya. The creation is the spontaneous act of the Creator who is not impelled by any desire or necessity. It is the projection of creator’s thoughts. The stages of creation are as follows:
a) the different worlds, the Virat (representing the totality of the physical bodies);
b) the deities or Devas (who control the various organs);
c) the elements;
d) the individual bodies;
e) and the food by which these bodies are sustained.
After creation the Creator enters into the bodies as their living self. Thus is projected the universe of diversity. Next the Upanishad deals with the refutation (अपवाद) of this universe in order to arrive at the Knowledge of Atman.
Aithareyopanishad – 1
॥ ऐतरेय उपनिषत् ॥
॥ शान्तिपाठः ॥ 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॥
Om !
May my speech be based on (i.e. accord with) the mind;May my mind be based on speech. O Self-effulgent One, reveal Thyself to me.May you both (speech and mind) be the carriers of the Veda to me. May not all that I have heard depart from me.I shall join together (i.e. obliterate the difference of) day And night through this study. I shall utter what is verbally true; I shall utter what is mentally true.May that (Brahman) protect me; May That protect the speaker (i.e. the teacher), may That protect me; May that protect the speaker – may That protect the speaker.
Om ! Peace ! Peace ! Peace !
FIRST KAANDA – FIRST CHAPTER
॥ अथ ऐतरेयोपनिषदि प्रथमाध्याये प्रथमः खण्डः ॥
आत्मा वा इदमेक एवाग्र आसीन्नान्यत्किञ्चचन । स ईक्षत लोकान्नु सृजा इति ॥ १ ॥
In the beginning verily (all) this Atman one alone was. Any other acting as a rival was not. He (the Self) thought, “Let me now create the worlds.”
स ईक्षत means ‘he thought’. This is called ‘samkalpa poorvam’. Without samkalpam nothing can take place. When something takes place then it sets off a pravaaham. This flood creates and destroys endless things on its way until it exhausts and perhaps merges with the ocean from which it started as the cloud. The one who sets off this cloud gets caught in this pravaaham and they cannot exist without the other. That’s why our seers admonished us from thinking. This upanishad will teach you that if you need to think then what to think and what not to think and how you stop thinking! This comes later.
What did he think? लोकान्नु सृजा इति He thought thus: “Let me created the worlds.”
What will they be? He brooded.
स ईक्षत लोकान्नु सृजा इति – The meaning of this must be clear to you now.
स इमाँल्लोकानसृजत । अम्भो मरीचीर्मापोऽदोऽम्भः परेण दिवं द्यौः प्रतिष्ठाऽन्तरिक्षं मरीचयः । पृथिवी मरो या अधस्तात्त आपः ॥ २ ॥
Whatever he created is seen. If it is not seen it would not be born out of him. The creation has to be seen as different from him. It is possible only when he sees so. This is called EakshaNa Poorvam. Thus he felt happy that he created. What did he create?
Now let’s backtrack a little. He thought of creation but He could not create because he has no Shakti that would impel him to create. So he woke up his Shakti and she asked him “Shiva, why did you wake me up?” Shiva said , I want to create! I cannot create without your help because you are the ‘vimarsa roopini’. So help me create, He said to her. She said ‘whatever I create I have to be with it or it never gets created, is it ok, with you?” He said yes and thus Shakti created the illusion of this great pravaaham of creation. ‘Splendid! Splendid!’ cried Shiva but Shakti was not to be seen. He cried out ‘Shakti, where are you?’ Shakti responded, “Here I am Shiva as the creation that you wanted. I told you that I have to remain with the creation in order for it to exist” Shiva was sad, Shiva wanted her back but He was on the other side of the fence.
So Shakti told Shiva: ‘Shiva, I dont like you being sad. I am collapsing this creation and coming back to you. And so she did! Shiva said to Shakti ‘ Thank you!’ but I want to create! So out of her kindness, Shakti shook him and said ‘see them?’
Shiva said “Who?” “There is no one other than me”. But Shakti created three images of Him by her power of Maya! Thus Shiva saw there were others than him even though there were none other than Shiva. Thus Shakti was called Mahamaayi, the greatest illusion.
Mayini said to Shiva, those three are going to create for you but you have to enter into them to make them real. I will be with you so the pravaham of creation will be there. Thus Shiva entered into them and projected the world as before by His Yoga Maaya who started living with Him. That’s how every moorthy in this prakrti has a consort with her always. Doing anything without the consort will be infructuous in this prakrti.
From here on the ‘nyasa’ begins.
The very first sloka of Mahanarayanopanishad reads as follows: अम्भ॑स्यपा॒रे भुव॑नस्य॒ मध्ये॒ नाक॑स्य पृ॒ष्ठे म॑ह॒तो मही॑यान् । शुक्रेण॒ ज्योती॑ꣳषि समनु॒प्रवि॑ष्टः प्र॒जाप॑तिश्चरति॒ गर्भे॑ अ॒न्तः ॥ १॥
Let us understand this sloka.
अपारे अम्भसि means shoreless waters. Here the waters actually mean Consiciousness! Of course it also means water.
ॐ आपः is actually referring to the Consciousness. ज्योति रसः means it is the essence of brightness and not darkness! This must be understood.
अमृतं ब्रह्म means it has no death because it was unborn. ॐ आपोज्योतिरसोमृतं ब्रह्म is actually telling you that that this Consciousness is that from which all that are known arises (or all knowledge arises). It is unborn and eternal like the shoreless waters. It is referred to as ॐ .
The meaning of the second sloka of Aithareyopanishad is:
He then created all these worlds. He created the world of rain, the world of sun rays, the world of death, and the world in the water. Above the heaven is world of rain The heaven is its supports. The world of sun rays is the mid-region. The earth is the world of death. That which is below is the world is the waters.
Let me translate the first sloka of Mahanaryana Upanishad.
The Lord of creation, who is present in the shoreless waters, on the earth and above the heaven and who is greater than the great, having entered the shining intelligences of creatures in seed form, acts in the foetus (which grows into the living being that is born).
The worlds created were Ambhas, Marici, Maram, and apah. That Ambhas is above – the heavens – supported by it. It is भोग भूमि. Marici is the middle region where it rains. This earth is the Mara where one comes to die. The Region of Waters below the earth is the Apah.
स ईक्षतेमे नु लोका लोकपालान्नु सृजा इति ॥ सोऽद्भ्य एव पुरुषं समुद्धृत्यामूर्छयत् ॥ ३ ॥
Having created the four worlds that provide support for the fruits of action as well as the materials for those fruits [And the accessories for achieving those fruits.] of all creatures, स:, He, Easwara; ईक्षत, deliberated; again इति, thus:- `इमे नु लोकः , these then are the worlds, viz अम्भस् etc., created by Me, which will perish if they are devoid of protectors. According, for their preservation, नु स्रजत् , let Me create; lokapalan, the protectors of the worlds.’ After deliberating thus, स:, He; समुद्धृत्य, having gathered up; पुरुषं, a human form, possessed of head, hands, etc.; अद्भ्यः, from the water, itself — from the five elements in which water predominated, and from which He had created (the worlds, viz) ambhas etc. — just as a potter gathers up a lump of clay from the earth; अमूर्छयत् , (He) gave shape to it — that is to say, fashioned it by endowing it with limbs [He created Virat].
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 ॥
He, the Atman thought: These indeed are the worlds (I have created). Let me now create the guardians of these worlds. He then raised the पुरुष from the waters (i.e., five elements) and fashioned him. The Atman brooded on the पुरुष, and when he was thus brooded over there burst forth the mouth as an egg does; From the mouth proceeded speech, and from speech fire. The two nostrils burst forth ; and from the nostrils proceeded the power of smell, and from the power of smell air. Eyes burst forth; from the eyes proceeded sight, and from sight the sun. Ears burst forth; from the ears proceeded hearing and from hearing the quarters. Skin burst forth; from the skin proceeded hairs, and from hairs, herbs and trees. The heart burst forth; from the heart proceeded mind, and from mind the moon. The navel burst forth; from the navel proceeded the down-breathing, and from down-breathing arose death. generative organ burst forth, from the generative organ came seed, and from seed the water.
[Notes — 1. In the beginning etc . — According to the Veda there is no such thing as first creation. So beginning refers to the start of a new cycle only. By asserting that nothing existed in the beginning except Atman and that the creation was willed by Him, the scripture indicates that Pramatman alone is the material and efficient causes of the universe which is only a projection or concretization of the thought-energy of Atman. The gulf between physics and metaphysics, matter and spirit, insentience and intelligence, is also thus bridged.
2. Atman — Stands for Paramatman, the Atman-Brahman Reality, the basic Principle of all that is, both living and non-living. That which comprehends everything, that which grasps objects and enjoys them, and that which pervades everything is Atman. In ancient works the term Atman is used to denote the Principle of Consciousness in man, self, intellect, mind, senses, internal essence, nature of an object, and ultimate Reality.
Sankara says: “highest denotation of Atman is ‘ Being, Intelligence, Infinitude,’ — the Ultimate Reality, which is the basis, substance, and substratum of all else that appear as the multiplex universe. The bifurcation of existence into the dual aspects of subject and object is only a phenomena of the Atman and that has no absolute value. Hence, in the view of Sankaracarya the passages that follow describing creation are to be understood only in a secondary sense, Arthavada. It is here made clear that the Absolute Reality or Atman holds within itself potentially both the aspects of existence — Substance and Intelligence. We therefore find here a solution for the quarrel between Idealism and Realism.
3. He created etc . — Some take this description of creation as that of Bhutasrshti while others take it as mere flight of imagination. Through figures and imageries here as in other parts of the Vedas, the Rshis present a concrete picture of creation from the level of sense-perception. The division of the universe into fourteen worlds often found in the Puranas has its beginning in the four-fold division mentioned here. The higher worlds above Suvarloka are called here Ambhas (the world of celestial waters) probably from the fact that the higher sky is as blue as the deep sea and also because of the popular belief that rain comes from the higher region, Dyuloka, the abode of gods, which comes immediately below, is called here the support of the Ambhao-loka. The intermediate space, which is just above our head, is the next world through which rays of light pass and that is why it is called Marici here. Our earth is called Maram, the mortal world, because every creature of this world is liable to death. The nether regions are named here as Ap or the world of water. Probably the name is suggested by the old belief that the waters of the ocean descend up to the nadir and pervade the entire nether worlds. But all these are based upon the crude popular beliefs of the time.
But the higher view of the Vedas regarding creation and the worlds is, in the first place, that there has been no creation; the manifestation of the visible is but an expression of the inner Reality. Creation is nothing but the evolution of Nama and Rupa, name and form, from the Unmanifested. And this evolution, although it may have some pragmatic value, has no absolute reality; it is only a phenomenon, a reading of Reality. How could the absolute Brahman, the one without a second, indivisible and infinite in nature, mutate into the gross physical world? The whole thing is a false reading of the Reality. Matter itself is but a shadow (chaya), a glory (mahima), a power (Shakti), the Maya of the Supreme Being. Creation and the physical world are true only so far as man’s physical life is concerned. But if things can be seen from the standpoint of the inner core of reality, which is called in the Vedanta the Atman, then the whole universe with all its manifold layers of expression would appear as so many concentric circles around that one common centre, the Paramatman. All the fourteen worlds mentioned above are but so many planes of consciousness, each with the varied contents of its own. The grossest world is the outermost circle, receded farthermost from the centre ; and the subtlest, the Brahmaloka, or Satyaloka as it is called sometimes, the plane of Hiranyagarbha, is the innermost circle. These fourteen planes range in their subtlety or grossness as they approach to or recede away from the centre, the Atman.
4. पुरुष stands for the Virat-atman, the aggregate Being — or from these two etymological explanations the word means both, the Spirit dwelling in the individual being as well as the Spirit in the totality of beings. The creation of the Universe animated by Spirit is what is suggested here. Easvara is Paramatman viewed as the material and efficient cause of the Universe ; He is the Lord and ruler of the Universe. He manifested Himself as Virat or the Cosmic Being out of waters, i.e., out of the constituent elements of the universe. ‘Waters’ here is a synecdoche for all the five elements. The Taittiriyaranyaka I.23.1 says “Water alone was this Universe at first; in it on a lotus the Lord of the Universe arose. The water element is preponderent in man, and hence man is supposed to have been created from it.”
Let us take sloka 2: “सोऽपोऽभ्यतपत्ताभ्योऽभितप्ताभ्यो मूर्तिरजायत । या वै सा मूर्तिरजायतान्नं वै तत् ॥ २ ॥”
5. Burst forth etc. — The word ‘अभ्यतपत् ’ in text is from the root ‘तप् ‘ which in Vedic Sanskrit means *to create by will*. This idea of ‘tapas’ is found in Mugdaka I.I.9 etc. The process of creation is here described on the analogy of the development of the embryo in the egg, or the foetus in the womb. After impregnation the life-nucleus (morula) floats in the amnionic fluid where the foetus develops; in the process of its growth various organs and faculties express themselves till parturition takes place. What happens in the case of the microcosm of man is supposed to take place in the Macrocosm of the Viratpurusha. He too has evolved out of the waters, his organs, senses, and the presiding deities of the senses, developing in the same order as that of the child in the womb. It may appear curious at first that the text should have described the evolving of the senses from the sense-organs and the presiding deities from the senses themselves; but the point becomes perfectly clear when we take note of the process of the evolution of the foetus itself. In its evolution first appears the organ and then gradually the power of utilising the organ which is generally called the quickening stage; and subsequently the expressions of the principle of consciousness through all these senses and organs. The appearance of consciousness or ‘caitanya’ or ‘devata,’ as it is figuratively described in the Vedas, completes the embryonic condition of life and brings it out to the world of expression. As in every organic being we notice the three factors, viz., the organ, the energizing principle of the organ, and the intelligence controlling the energy and the organ, so three things are always distinguished in the above text i.e., the physical organ, or the seat of the senses, the senses themselves, and the presiding deities of the senses. The presiding deities, Abhimanidevatas, should not be taken in the sense that they are so many spirits or angels controlling the different organs of man; but they should be understood in the Vedantic sense of the different expression of the same Atma-caitanya or Intelligence, working differently through the different sensations. That is why we find the word Devatas often used for the senses in the Upanishads.
Now let us turn to Taittiriya Aranyaka on what it says on this. I am giving you the translation right after this. I insist you read the Sanskrit verses.
आपो॒ वा इ॒दमा॑सन्थ्सलि॒लमे॒व । स प्र॒जाप॑ति॒रेकः॑ पुष्करप॒र्णे सम॑भवत् । तस्यान्त॒र्मन॑सि कामः॒ सम॑वर्तत । इ॒दꣳ सृ॑जेय॒मिति॑ । तस्मा॒द्यत्पुरु॑षो॒ मन॑साऽभि॒गच्छ॑ति । तद्वा॒चा व॑दति । तत्कर्म॑णा करोति । तदे॒षाऽभ्यनू᳚क्ता । काम॒स्तदग्रे॒ सम॑वर्त॒ताधि॑ । मन॑सो॒ रेतः॑ प्रथ॒मं यदासी᳚त् ॥ ०। १। २३। ९०॥
स॒तो बन्धु॒मस॑ति॒ निर॑विन्दन् । हृ॒दि प्र॒तीष्या॑ क॒वयो॑ मनी॒षेति॑ । उपै॑न॒न्तदुप॑नमति । यत्का॑मो॒ भव॑ति । य ए॒वं वेद॑ । स तपो॑ऽतप्यत । स तप॑स्त॒प्त्वा । शरी॑रमधूनुत । तस्य॒ यन्मा॒ꣳ॒समासी᳚त् । ततो॑ऽरु॒णाः के॒तवो॒ वात॑रश॒ना ऋष॑य॒ उद॑तिष्ठन् ॥ ०। १। २३। ९१॥
ये नखाः᳚ । ते वै॑खान॒साः । ये वालाः᳚ । ते वा॑लखि॒ल्याः । यो रसः॑ । सो॑ऽपाम् । अ॒न्त॒र॒तः कू॒र्मं भू॒तꣳ सर्प॑न्तम् । तम॑ब्रवीत् । मम॒ वैत्वङ्मा॒ꣳ॒सा । सम॑भूत् ॥ ०। १। २३। ९२॥
नेत्य॑ब्रवीत् । पूर्व॑मे॒वाहमि॒हास॒मिति॑ । तत्पुरु॑षस्य पुरुष॒त्वम् । स स॒हस्र॑शीर्षा॒ पुरु॑षः । स॒ह॒स्रा॒क्षस्स॒हस्र॑पात् । भू॒त्वोद॑तिष्ठत् । तम॑ब्रवीत् । त्वं वै पूर्वꣳ॑ सम॑भूः । त्वमि॒दं पूर्वः॑ कुरु॒ष्वेति॑ । स इ॒त आ॒दायापः॑ ॥ ०। १। २३। ९३॥
अ॒ञ्ज॒लिना॑ पु॒रस्ता॑दु॒पाद॑धात् । ए॒वाह्ये॒वेति॑ । तत॑ आदि॒त्य उद॑तिष्ठत् । सा प्राची॒ दिक् । अथा॑रु॒णः के॒तुर्द॑क्षिण॒त उ॒पाद॑धात् । ए॒वाह्यग्न॒ इति॑ । ततो॒ वा अ॒ग्निरुद॑तिष्ठत् । सा द॑क्षि॒णा दिक् । अथा॑रु॒णः के॒तुः प॒श्चादु॒पाद॑धात् ।
ए॒वाहि वायो॒ इति॑ ॥ ०। १। २३। ९४॥
ततो॑ वा॒युरुद॑तिष्ठत् । सा प्र॒तीची॒ दिक् । अथा॑रु॒णः के॒तुरु॑त्तर॒त उ॒पाद॑धात् । ए॒वाहीन्द्रेति॑ । ततो॒ वा इन्द्र॒ उद॑तिष्ठत् । सोदी॑ची॒ दिक् । अथा॑रु॒णः के॒तुर्मध्य॑ उ॒पाद॑धात् । ए॒वाहि पूष॒न्निति॑ । ततो॒ वै पू॒षोद॑तिष्ठत् । सेयन्दिक् ॥ ०। १। २३। ९५॥
अथा॑रु॒णः के॒तुरु॒परि॑ष्टादु॒पाद॑धात् । ए॒वाहि देवा॒ इति॑ । ततो॑ देवमनु॒ष्याः पि॒तरः॑ । ग॒न्ध॒र्वा॒प्स॒रस॒श्चोद॑तिष्ठन् । सोर्ध्वा दिक् । या वि॒प्रुषो॑ वि॒परा॑पतन् । ताभ्योऽसु॑रा॒ रक्षाꣳ॑सि पिशा॒चाश्चोद॑तिष्ठन् । तस्मा॒त्ते परा॑भवन् । वि॒प्रुड्भ्यो॒ हि ते सम॑भवन् । तदे॒षाऽभ्यनू᳚क्ता ॥ ०। १। २३। ९६॥
आपो॑ ह॒ यद्बृ॑ह॒तीर्गर्भ॒मायन्॑ । दक्ष॒न्दधा॑ना ज॒नय॑न्तीः स्वयं॒भुम् । तत॑ इ॒मेऽद्ध्यसृ॑ज्यन्त॒ सर्गाः᳚ । अद्भ्यो॒ वा इ॒दꣳ सम॑भूत् । तस्मा॑दि॒दꣳ सर्वं॒ ब्रह्म॑ स्वयं॒भ्विति॑ । तस्मा॑दि॒दꣳ सर्व॒ꣳ॒ शिथि॑लमि॒वाद्ध्रुव॑मिवाभवत् । प्र॒जाप॑ति॒र्वाव तत् । आ॒त्मना॒त्मानं॑ वि॒धाय॑ । तदे॒वानु॒प्रावि॑शत् । तदे॒षाऽभ्यनू᳚क्ता ॥ ०। १। २३। ९७॥
९८ वि॒धाय॑ लो॒कान्, वि॒धाय॑ भू॒तानि॑ । वि॒धाय॒ सर्वाः᳚ प्र॒दिशो॒ दिश॑श्च । प्र॒जाप॑तिः प्रथम॒जा ऋ॒तस्य॑ । आ॒त्मना॒त्मान॑म॒भिसंवि॑वे॒शेति॑ । सर्व॑मे॒वेदमा॒प्त्वा । सर्व॑मव॒रुद्ध्य॑ । तदे॒वानु॒प्रवि॑शति । य ए॒वं वेद॑ ॥ ०। १। २३। ९८॥
Indeed the universe is full of water and nothing else and Prajapati emerged on a lotus leaf with a unique wish. As a thought appeared on his mental retina, that thought got converted as a speech; तद्वा॒चा व॑दति । तत्कर्म॑णा करोति । or once the speech emerges, then that leads to action; then that action symbolises a Veda Mantra! Initially thus a desire led to mind. The primary thought blossomed as the flower of reality. Rig Veda vide 10.129.4 is aptly quoted: काम॒स्तदग्रे॒ सम॑वर्त॒ताधि॑ । मन॑सो॒ रेतः॑ प्रथ॒मं यदासी᳚त् ॥ स॒तो बन्धु॒मस॑ति॒ निर॑विन्दन् । हृ॒दि प्र॒तीष्या॑ क॒वयो॑ मनी॒षेति॑ । or right at the very beginning of Virat Swarupa had the wish to manifest .”Srishti‟ and that thought like “beeja srijana saamardhya‟ or the ability to generate the seed was caused. Once the unique thought of a highly personified knowledge occurs then that intense thought takes the form of Reality! It is said that Sages have the impulse of mind which leads to fruition.
Katha Upanishad vide II.iii.9 -11 is quoted:
न सन्दृशे तिष्ठति रूपमस्य न चक्षुषा पश्यति कश्चनैनम् ।
हृदा मनीषा मनसाभिक्लृप्तो य एतद्विदुरमृतास्ते भवन्ति ॥ ९ ॥
यदा पञ्चावतिष्ठन्ते ज्ञानानि मनसा सह ।
बुद्धिश्च न विचेष्टति तामाहुः परमां गतिम् ॥ १० ॥
तां योगमिति मन्यन्ते स्थिरामिन्द्रियधारणाम् ।
अप्रमत्तस्तदा भवति योगो हि प्रभवाप्ययौ ॥ ११ ॥
( Brahman‟s view is far beyond the normal vision by the eyes. But, He is visualised by “hrida‟, “maneesha‟, “manasa‟ or by heart, Intellect and by thought of mind only that He is perceivable; those who are aware of this fact would pave the way for Immortality. The highest state of Yoga in the extraordinary context when the “Panchendriyas‟or organs and senses are truly rested into union and synthesized with mind and intellect, that is Yoga. That situation calls for “स्थिरामिन्द्रियधारणाम् ‟ or the balanced and stable control of senses with no distraction of mind whatsoever but uniformly concentrating on Brahman. The term Yoga is unfortunately interpreted as a mere breathing exercise not knowing the spirit of synthesizing the body and senses-absolute stability of mind-dissolution of thoughts and total concentration aided of course by breathing control! This state envisages the negation of seeing, hearing, speaking, thinking, and breath control topped by meditation on the single and singular state bordering death like situation!) This very Vedic Triplet of.”हृदा मनीषा मनसा‟ is confirmed vide Rig Veda I.61.2 :
अस्मा इदु परय इव पर यंसि भराम्याङगूषं बाधे सुव्र्क्ति |
इन्द्राय हर्दा मनसा मनीषा परत्नाय पत्ये धियोमर्जयन्त ||
or we offer a limited “havishya samaana stotra‟ as an ideal chant for “sharu vinaashana‟; Rishi ganas offer sacred stotras by way of hridaya-manas-buddhi!
Consequent on the desire to undertake creation, Prajapati having performed tapas, shook off his body and a small mass of flesh got generated and three Maharshis appeared viz. Aruna-Ketavah-Vaaarashana and stood up. From His long nails appeared Vaikhaanasa; from His long hairs or “Vaalaas‟ emerged Vaalakhilyaas from whose essence water got generated. There after from the waters, kurma or tortoise crawled therein. Prajapati addressed the kurma: have you emerged from my “twang‟ or skin and “maamsa‟ or flesh. Kurma replied in the negative and said that even in the ancient times, that the concept of “Purushatwam‟ or virility of the universe accomplished its existence; the tortoise then assumed thousand heads and thousand eyes; the thousand eyes flashed from the waters. Then the Creator Prajapati exclaimed : तम॑ब्रवीत् । त्वं वै पूर्वꣳ॑ सम॑भूः । त्वमि॒दं पूर्वः॑ कुरु॒ष्वेति॑ । or “indeed, you were born well before I came into existence; since you were the first , you created the universe well before me!”
Having confessed thus the Virat Purusha picked water from the primordial ocean from his hands and deposited a fistful water towards the easterly direction uttering the mantra “ए॒वाह्ये॒वेति॑ । तत॑ आदि॒त्य उद॑तिष्ठत्” Aditya then stood up towards the easterly direction; Arunaketu Deva then deposited water in the southern direction pronouncing the mantra: “ए॒वाह्यग्न॒‟ when Arunaketu Agni manifested. Then Arunaketu offered firstful of water to the western direction with the mantra “ए॒वाहि वायो॒‟ and Vayu Deva manifested upwards from the ocean. Then Arunaketu Deva offered water in the northern direction with the mantra “ए॒वाहीन्द्र‟ and Indra Deva manifested. As Arunaketu offered to the “Antariksha‟ with the mantra .”ए॒वाहि पूष॒न्न‟ and the Antariksha Devata Pushan manifested. Arunaketu further deposited water into the space stating .”ए॒वाहि देवा॒‟ then “Deva manushyaa Pitarah Gandharva apsarasas‟ got manifested. Further on, waterdrops were sprinkled by the Virat Prusha and the waters fell down: “ताभ्योऽसु॑रा॒ रक्षाꣳ॑सि पिशा॒चाश्चोद॑तिष्ठन् । तस्मा॒त्ते परा॑भवन् । वि॒प्रुड्भ्यो॒ हि ते सम॑भवन् । ’ or there got manifested asuras, raakshasaas, pishachis and were defeated and destroyed subsequently. Then the waters enveloped the mighty womb and Swayambhu Manu .
From the waters in mass or in smaller units got created and so did the Celestial Swarupa of Prajapati on his own as .”atmaana aatmaanam‟ as Self-Created. Thus Prajapati the Self Generated, created the worlds, all the Beings, Directions, Intermediate Lokas, and so on. He enters within every Being, every feature and facet, within-without, inside and outside out, comprehensively and intrinsically. Indeed He is omni-present, omni potent and omniscient!
FIRST KAANDA – SECOND CHAPTER
॥ अथ ऐतरेयोपनिषदि प्रथमाध्याये द्वितीयः खण्डः ॥
ता एता देवता सृष्टा अस्मिन्महत्यर्णवे प्रापतन् । तमशनापिपासाभ्यामन्ववार्जत् । ता एनमब्रुवन्नायतनं नः प्रजानीहि यस्मिन्प्रतिष्ठिता अन्नमदामेति ॥ १ ॥
These gods, the guardians of the universe, thus created, fell into this mighty ocean of existence. He, the Creator, subjected the Virat or aggregate body to hunger and thirst. The gods spoke to Him: “Grant us a place where we can establish ourselves and eat food.”
He brought the form of a cow’s body for them. They said: “This, indeed, is not sufficient for us.” He brought the form of a horse’s body for them. They said: “Indeed this too is not sufficient for us.”
ताभ्यः पुरुषमानयत्ता अब्रुवन् सुकृतं बतेति पुरुषो वाव सुकृतम् । ता अब्रवीद्यथायतनं प्रविशतेति ॥ ३ ॥
He brought for them the form of a man. Seeing that they exclaimed in joy! ‘ Well done.’ And therefore man is indeed well-done. He said to them: “Do enter according to your places.” Then fire, having turned to speech, entered the mouth. Air, having become scent, entered the nostrils; sun, having become sight, entered the eyes. The deities of the quarters, having become hearing, entered the ears. The deities of the plants and trees, having become hairs, entered the skin. The moon, having become mind, entered the heart. The god of death, having become down-breathing, entered into navel. The god of waters, having become seed, entered the generative organ. Hunger and thirst said to Him: “Assign a place for us.” He told them: To these deities “I assign you, and I make you sharers in them.” Therefore to whatsoever god an offering is made, hunger and thirst become partners in it.
[Notes — 1. Ocean of existence — Our mundane life, the interminable round of birth and death, is often figuratively called an ocean in the religious books of India. The water in this ocean, says Sri Sankara, is nothing but sorrow resulting from unfulfilled desires; and the sorrow has its root in ignorance. The beginningless, endless, shoreless sea of Samsara is infested with huge crocodiles in the shape of tormenting diseases, old age, and death. One may get a momentary relief in this ocean when one is in contact with objects that afford a spell of pleasure. But mighty waves of innumerable pangs soon engulf him when the tempestuous winds of desire for sense enjoyments blow over this sea. Everywhere we hear shrieks and pitiable cries of those plunged in the infernal regions. Yet this ocean carries on its bosom the ship of wisdom well-stored with such excellent traits as truth, dharma, charity, sympathy, non-violence, tranquility, detachment, courage and the rest. The company of holy men and renunciation form the chartered route in this blue waters pointing to the shore beyond, viz., liberation or Moksha.
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 ॥
Fire becoming speech entered the mouth; Air becoming Prana entered the nostrils; the Sun becoming sight entered the eyes; the Cardinal Points becoming sound entered the ear; Herbs and Lords of the forests becoming hair entered the skin; the Moon becoming mind entered the heart; Death becoming Apana entered the navel; Water becoming semen entered the generative organ. (4)
Commentary — As commanders enter into a town at the word of the sovereign, so having obtained the permission of the Lord and saying “Be it so” Fire the presiding deity of speech becoming speech itself entered the mouth, its source. Similarly the rest is explained. Air entered the nostrils ; the sun the eyes; the cardinal points the ears; herbs and lords of the forest the skin; the Moon the heart ; the death the navel; the waters the generative organ.
तमशनायापिपासे अब्रूतामावाभ्यामभिप्रजानीहीति ते अब्रवीदेतास्वेव वां देवतास्वाभजाम्येतासु भागिन्यौ करोमीति । तस्माद्यस्यै कस्यै च देवतायै हविर्गृह्यते भागिन्यावेवास्यामशनायापिपासे भवतः ॥ ५ ॥
Hunger and Thirst said to him. “Allot to us a station.” To them he replied “I assign you a place in these deities and make you sharers with them. Therefore when oblations are offered to any deity whomsoever, Hunger and Thirst become sharers
therein. (5)
Grant us etc., — As creatures even the gods were subjected to the conditions of life such as hunger and thirst. For the Creator first subjected His own Virat or aggregate form to hunger and thirst, and as a consequence His own emanations like Fire and Sun were also troubled by hunger and thirst. What is in the cause is found in the effect also. Life, from the smallest worm to the highest god, demands Bhogya, Bhogasthana, and Bhogopakaraga — objects of enjoyment, locus of enjoyment, and means of enjoyment. Hence the guardian deities as soon as they were created, oppressed by hunger and thirst, demanded a locus, from where they could enjoy food and drink. The gods or cosmic deities — Fire, Air and the rest — are but the various categories indwelt by the Spirit; they themselves function in man as the impelling power behind the senses. The same gods or deities are thus macrocosmic and microcosmic. From this it is clear that there was already the cosmic body of the Virat wherefrom the gods originated. But residing in it as microcosmic deities Fire and the like could not enjoy food first, for that aggregate body was too vast and nothing fell out of it forming the object of enjoyment, that being all-inclusive. Hence the gods prayed to the Creator to make for them individual bodies. The reference here to the form of the ‘cow’ and the ‘horse’ points to Vyasti-srishti or creation of individual creatures.
In the evolution of life man comes after the quadrupeds — cows, horses, etc. — devoid of higher intelligence and discrimination. These forms are therefore unfit for the residence of gods. All bodies except that of man are meant only for enjoyment or suffering ; the human body has, in addition, the fitness to elevate the jeevaatma tenanting it to higher levels of existence ; hence man is the masterpiece of creation, his body alone being the Karmayatana. Bhagavata says: “Having created with the help of His own unborn Magic Power bodies of trees, reptiles, quadrupeds, birds, insects, and fish, the Creator was not satisfied ; He then created Purusha endowed with intelligence capable of realizing the Divine Reality, and He was delighted”
Well-done — The original term ‘ Sukrta ’ means well-fashioned i.e. the best of all created forms. It may also be taken as ‘ Svakrta ’ or made by Himself i.e. made by the Creator Himself to His full satisfaction. This suggests the idea that man is created in the image of God. Hence the human form is the root of all good deeds and noble aspiration.
Do enter etc , — In the previous section it was declared that from the Virat-purusha came forth various faculties and their corresponding deities. The Virat-purusha’s mouth, nostrils, sight, ears, skin, heart, navel, and generative organ gave rise to the guardian deities Fire, Air, Sun, Quarters, Herbs and Trees, Moon, Apana, and waters. Each one of these stand for the cosmic deity behind the phenomenon noted above ; thus Herbs and Trees stand for the deities behind herbs and trees ‘By Quarters’ the deities of the quarters are meant; Apana stands for the deity Death, and Water stands for that aspect of Prajapati presiding over water and the other four elements. Now, here, in this section we get the description how these regents of the universe representing the Virat-purusha entered the created individual. Fire, the presiding deity of the mouth with the power of speech entered mouth; this means that the microcosmic Purusha is capable of speech because he is endowed with the organ of, speech, the power of articulation, and the deity of speech impelling behind. To know the relation between the seat of a sense, its functioning, and the deity behind, it is necessary to bear in mind the maxim ‘सङ्घाटस्य परार्थत्वात् ‘ an aggregate whole, an organ or an organism, has its existence because of something else for whose sake it exists. The senses are instruments made of subtle material and their operation cannot take place unless we posit something for which they operate. The deities are therefore the powers that wield and work the senses. These three factors are sometimes called Adhyatma, Adhidaiva, and Adhibhuta. As soon as the seat of the organ appeared, the function and the power behind impelling the function, also manifested through the organ. In each case we are to understand the seat of the sense, the sense-organ, and the presiding deity clearly and distinctly as their seats and functions cannot be interchanged. That is why it is said that each entered ‘his own abode’.
To this deities etc., — Hunger and thirst are abstract notions; and enjoyment of food is possible only when they appear associated with a tangible body of a living being. Therefore a site was assigned to them in Fire and other gods dwelling in the mouth etc. as well as outside; and they are invoked when offerings are made.
By stating that hunger and thirst are made sharers in the deities and not in the Purusha it is suggested that the true nature of Purusha as Atman is beyond the taint of Samsaara such as hunger and thirst. In fact the entanglement of Purusha in the Samsaara is not really true.
FIRST KAANDA – THIRD CHAPTER
॥ अथ ऐतरेयोपनिषदि प्रथमाध्याये तृतीयः खण्डः ॥
स ईक्षतेमे नु लोकाश्च लोकपालाश्चान्नमेभ्यः सृजा इति ॥ १ ॥
He, the Creator, thought: “There are these worlds and their guardian deities; let me create food for them.
सोऽपोऽभ्यतपत्ताभ्योऽभितप्ताभ्यो मूर्तिरजायत । या वै सा मूर्तिरजायतान्नं वै तत् ॥ २ ॥
He brooded over the waters and from the waters thus brooded over sprang up an organic matter. And now the form thus born was verily the created food.
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 ॥
The food that was thus projected, out of fear attempted to run away. He, the first embodied being, sought to seize it by speech (as he did not know others who ate food or their way of eating); but he could not seize it with speech. Were he able to seize it with speech, later man created by him would have verily been satisfied by merely uttering the name of food. He sought to seize it by breath, but he could not seize it by breath. Were he able to seize it by breath, man would have verily been satisfied by the mere scent of food. He sought to seize it by sight, but he could not seize it by the eye. Were he able to seize it by the eye, man would have verily been satisfied merely by the sight of food. He sought to seize it by the ear. He could not seize it by the ear. Were he able to seize it by the ear, man would verily have been satisfied by merely hearing about food. He sought to seize it by the skin, but he could not seize it by the skin. Were he able to seize it by the skin, man would have been satisfied by merely touching food. He sought to seize it by the mind, but he could not seize it by the mind. Were he able to seize it by the mind, man would have verily been satisfied by merely thinking about food. He sought to seize it with the generative organ, but he could not seize it with the generative organ. Were he able to seize it by the generative organ, man would have verily been satisfied by merely assimilating and ejecting food. He sought to seize it by the Apana and he seized it.
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 ॥
He, the Creator, thought: “How can this (aggregate of body, senses, etc.,) remain without me?” He thought: “By which of the two ways (i.e,, feet and head) shall I enter the organism? He thought: “If the speech names, if scent smells, if the eye sees, if the ear hears, if the skin feels, if the mind thinks, if the Apana digests, and if the generative organ emits, what then am I?”
Commentary — Having thus made the combinations of worlds and Lords of worlds to exist, depending on food, like the existence of a city, inhabitants and protectors, He like the ruler, thought ‘कथं नु’. It means, ‘thinking by which mode.’ मदृते means, ‘without me, the builder of the city. How will this combination of causes and effects, to be hereafter described, be without me, existing, as it does, for another? All this speaking by speech etc., will be useless, like offerings and encomiums proffered by subjects and court bards on behalf of the ruler of the city in his absence. Therefore, one should, like the king of a town, be the supreme ruler, the president, the witness of commissions, omissions and their consequences, and the Enjoyer. If this combination of effects can exist for another, without me, the intelligent beneficiary, like the city and its inhabitants without its master, then who am I, of what nature, or lord of whom? If I do not enter into this combination of causes and effects, and enjoy the fruit of what is spoken by speech etc., like the king entering into the town and taking note of the commissions and omissions of the officers of the city, none will know or care to know me, as existing or as of such and such a nature. Otherwise, I shall be known as a being, who knows the nature of speech, and for whom the functions of speech etc., combined, exist; just as the pillars, the walls etc., combined to form palaces and so on, exist for the benefit of something not ‘connected with their parts. Having thus thought, he thought again ‘how shall I enter it? The fore-part 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?
स एतमेव सीमानं विदर्यैतया द्वारा प्रापद्यत । सैषा विदृतिर्नाम द्वास्तदेतन्नाऽन्दनम् । तस्य त्रय आवसथास्त्रयः स्वप्ना अयमावसथोऽयमावसथोऽयमावसथ इति ॥१२॥
Having slit open the suture of the skull, He, indeed, entered the body by that door. That door is called विदृति, the place of joy. It is the नन्दन. For Him there are three seats and three dreams. This dwelling place, and this, and this. Thus they were born. He named all things and thought if He could name anything beside Himself.
Commentary — I shall not enter, by the fore-part of the feet, the ways by which my servant Prana is authorized to act in my behalf in all matters; but I shall enter through the other gate of the head, as the only other alternative. So thinking, like one in the world who does what he has thought of, the Lord and the Creator, cleft the head where the hair ends, and entered into this bundle of causes and effects, by the way thus made. This entrance is well-known by the perception of taste and so on, when the crown of the head is dipped in oil and so on., (for some time). This Is the celebrated entrance known as विदृति (the cleft.) The other entrances such as ear and so on, being the common ways of those, occupying the position of servants, are not perfect and are not sources of delight. But this is the entrance of the one Lord of all. Therefore this is called नन्दन (productive of joy). The elongation of the vowel a is a Vedic license. This is called नन्दन, because one going through it, revels in the highest Brahman; of him, who thus created and entered the creation, as an individual soul (jtva), just as a king enters a city, there are three abodes — the right eye, during the waking state; the Inner mind, during the dreaming state; and the cavity of the heart, during sound sleep. Or the following may be the three abodes — the body of the father, the womb of the mother and one’s own body. The three states of sleep, means, the waking, the dreaming and the sleeping states. It may be urged, the waking state being the state of knowledge, cannot be dreamt. Not so. It is certainly a dream. How? Because there is no realization of one’s true Atman, and because one sees there unreal things as in a dream. This abode, the right eye, is the first. Inside the mind, is the second; the cavity of the heart is the third. “This abode” and so on., is only a repetition of what has been already said. Living in these abodes alternately, as the Atman, He sleeps long with, his self-born consort Ignorance and does not awake, in spite of repeated experiences of heavy thrashings with the pestle of grief arising from many hundreds of thousands of calamities huddled together.
स जातो भूतान्यभिव्यैख्यत् किमिहान्यं वावदिषदिति । स एतमेव पुरुषं ब्रह्म ततममपश्यत् । इदमदर्शनमिती ॥ १३ ॥
He being born knew and talked only of the Bhutas. How should he speak of any other? Then did he see the Purusha, the Brahman, all-pervading. He said ‘this have I seen.’ (13)
Commentary — He being born, i.e., having entered the body in the form of jiva (the Individual soul) knew and talked of the Bhutas. When, however, some preceptor possessing great compassion beat at the root of his ears the kettle-drum of the Mahavaakyas or key notes of the Vedanta, whose sound wakes up the knowledge of the Aatman, he saw his Self as the Brahman, the Creator dwelling in the body, yet all-pervading like the Akhas. The word ततमम्, having another letter ta dropped, should be ततमम् , meaning all-pervading. He cried “I have seen this Brahman, the real essence of my Atman. Wonder ! The elongation, in iti of the vowel is according to the sutra “विचारणार्थ प्लुतिः पूर्वं,” i.e., a word suggesting deep deliberation gets its vowel elongated.
[Notes — 1. He, the Creator, thought S’vet. Up. VI. 16
स विश्वकृद् विश्वविदात्मयोनर्ज्ञः कालकालो गुणी सर्वविद् यः ।
प्रधानक्षेत्रज्ञपतिर्गुणेशः संसारमोक्षस्थितिबन्धहेतुः ॥ १६ ॥
describes Isvara as the cause of release from transmigration as well as the cause of bondage to the wheel of birth and death. Hence it is natural that he attached to the gods hunger and thirst and also without their request thought of creating food for them. To question the act of the Almighty would be to deny His omnipotence and freedom, and to judge Him from the standard of the creature.
Food for them — The inner significance of the passage is that the will of Paramesvara for further creation made it possible for the causal and subtle matter to evolve into gross forms. The seed evolves into a tree, and what makes it possible to evolve is the same Divine Will which is called in common parlance the Law of Nature. And it is this gross form of matter which sustains the subtle existence as it were: we cannot understand or conceive the causal without the help of the gross, the subtle depending upon the gross for its cognition. Hence the gross ‘form’ is termed here ‘Food’. Further, the gross objects have been called food as they are enjoyed by the senses and their presiding devatas.
Speech etc., — We get here a hint of an important psychological fact that it is through insight, trial, and error the functional activity of each organ was acquired. That Apana, the air coursing down the hollow of the mouth, alone catches food and supports life was found out only after trying with speech, scent, eye, ear, touch, mind, and begetting organ. It is not possible to swallow food without the help of Apana breath drawn in through the mouth. Hence the breath Apana is called अन्नायु, the chief cause in supporting life through food. Life lasts only as long as the Prana is in the body. The Apana is the vital energy that works throughout the alimentary canal and the digestive organs including the lower intestines, receiving, digesting, and excreting food. Hence it alone is the true seizer of food. .
How can this remain etc., — The inner significance of the passage is that the body with the aggregate of the senses would be perfectly meaningless and incapable of proper functioning without the intelligent principle, the jeevaatma, to guide it from within. A combination of different elements must necessarily be for an entity quite different from all the composing elements. As for instance, a house built by different composing materials is meant for the man or any other living being quite different from the materials composing it; so the body which is composed of the different materials must necessarily be meant for the purpose of an entitiy quite different from the composing elements. This is one of the arguments adopted by the Sankhya School to prove the existence of Purusha, the pure principle of Intelligence who is dwelling in, yet quite different from, the body, which is composed of the different modifications of Prakrti or Matter. The Atman is signified here as a monarch residing in the palace of this body and for whose purpose the different functionaries, the senses, are performing their respective duties.
By which of the two ways., — In the Aitareyaranyaka it is stated that Prana entered the body by the fore part of the feet. Atman as the active principle or Kriyashakti (Prana) entered the body by the tip of the feet; the part of the body below the hip is therefore more flexible and helpful for locomotion. But Prana is only a lower expression of Atman, a mere servant bound to obey the behests of the Atman. Hence the place where Prana entered the body is not fit for Atman, the Overlord, to enter. He therefore entered the body through the crown, the suture in the head called Brahmarandhra, as ज्ञानशक्ति or Knowledge Principle. This door-way by which a ray of the Paramatman entered the body in essence and became the Jiva is called Vidrti or ‘cut’; it is distinct from the other openings like eye, ear, etc., which are the passage for Fire, Air, etc., the powers of the guardian deities who are but the servants of the Atman. Hence they cannot afford the greatest opening of joy. This door is intended for Paramatman alone and hence it is the door of bliss — Nandanam dvarah, i.e., the happy gate; for the jeevaatma passing through it at death attains progressive Liberation or Kramamukti, by gaining Brahmaloka. According to modern researches the cortex or the brain is supposed to be the organ of the mind and the seat of consciousness. All the motor and sensory activities of man proceed from the cerebral centres; therefore brain is the first and last place of consciousness in the human body. Probably that is the reason why the head and the suture at the crown are so important in the view of the Upanisadic seers.
For him there are three seats etc., — The Creator who has entered the body as Jivatman has three places of residence : in the state of waking the region of the sense of sight, i.e,, the right eye, in the state of dream the inward organ, and in deep sleep the ether of the heart. Or these three places of dwelling may be the father’s body, the mother’s body and one’s own body as will be specified in the next section. From the passage in Brahmopanisad — paraphrasing the first meaning it is clear that the brain, the neck, and the heart are the three centres of consciousness. The three dreams are sleeping, waking, and dreaming states. Deep sleep and dream visions are both called Svapna in Sanskrit. Here even the ordinary waking experience is subsumed under the term Svapna because there does not arise the consciousness of the ultimate Reality in the ordinary Jiva before illumination, and because the world spectacle is as illusory as the dream universe; for one experiences a dream when Reality is screened from him and an unreal something is presented in its place. This is exactly what happens in dream, vide Mandukyakarika II. The Brahmic Consciousness alone, which is absolute, immutable and permanent, is the truly awakened state of the jeevaatma.
Thus horn etc., — The Paramatman created the universe with no other material than Himself ; He then ordered the regent gods presiding over the elements, the sensory and motor activities, the internal and external faculties, hunger and thirst acting as motive forces for pushing up the creatures in the ladder of evolution, food for all living things, and man-form as the most suitable abode of Atman ; finally individuating Himself as Jiva He entered the body as a prince enters his own city. But the Jiva forgets his original nature in the universal dream of Ignorance conjured up by Maya.
After subjecting himself to the severe impact of threefold sorrows in the ocean of transimgration when the Jiva awakens to the truth that he is essentially Paramatman, he perceives everything from the elements upward to Brahma identical with Himself and ejaculates what else besides the Atman there is for him to name ? Thus the above passage adumbrates the stage of Self-illumination which the individual jeevaatma attains under the benign influence of the Guru, Scripture, and spiritual discipline. The illumined jeevaatma after examining the creatures separately whether they have svatah-satta, or independent being, finally concludes that there is nothing different from the true Self. The passage is translated also: ‘He looked through all beings to see whether any one wished to proclaim another Self “Whom else but Him can I here affirm to exist?” It clearly indicates the principle of Apavada or denial of a dual entity and the assertion of the one Paramatman.
“I have seen it” — The drift of this passage is that Isvara or Atman when got individualized as Jiva expressed or illumined the universe by his comprehension. The object of knowledge wholly depends upon the capacity of knowledge of the subject for its expression for material objects are not self- expressive Hence the relative world is wholly dependent upon the relative consciousness of the
individual jeevaatma. But the dual cognition of subject and object based on relative consciousness appears to be the only truth in the beginning, i,e , while Avidya still clouds the mind. Next, when the jeevaatma begins to scrutinize the nature of this object and understands the true meaning of the plurality of its visions, it feels Brahman as the only first Principle in the form of a logical necessity. Subsequently what appeared to him first as a mere logical necessity slowly dawns upon the consciousness as its permanent content. And this transmutation, or better evolution, of the individual consciousness into Brahman consciousness, is generally called ‘ realization of Brahman and is indicated here by the utterance, “I have seen it.” The Jiva wants to see what other Principles besides his own intelligent self could there be behind this scene of plurality of the sense-universe. As a result of Self-realization the Jiva feels within his own consciousness, that the intelligent Principle which constitutes his very jeevaatma and has appeared so long to his mind as an individual entity, is the immanent Principle of all existing objects and is the very being of the universe. Thus it is that he realizes Brahman as the most all-pervasive Principle.
Idamdra — Here is an etymological method of impressing a philosophical truth. The Gita calls the Paramatman as Upadrasta. The Jiva who has realized his own Atman as the Self-luminous, universal, inner principle is called Idam + dra i.e. this-seeing. On the strength of the Upanisadic maxim ‘Brahma-veda Brahmaiva bhavati’ — a knower of the Divine is the Divine Itself — such a Jiva who has realized his ultimate nature and Brahma are equally called Idamdra. By syncupating the syllable ‘dam’ the same word Idamdra becomes Indra, the well-known designation of the Absolute Divinity. Sri Sankara points out that Gods love to be referred to indirectly, that is to say, to be behind the veil, because they are worthy of great adoration. There is the custom in highly cultured society not to call a father or teacher by the direct name, but through some veiled honorific expression. That Gods love mystery is indicated also in Ait-Brahmaija 3. 43. 1, Brhadaranyaka, IV. 2. 2, and Satapatha VI. 1.1.2; VII. 5. 1. 22.
Here ends the third Part.
ADI SANKARA’S COMMENTARY
Sankara’s summing up of the substance of the fourth Adhyaya. The purport of this fourth chapter is this : — The Brahman, Creator, Supporter, and Destroyer of the Universe, not subject to Samsara, Omnipresent Omnipotent, knower of all, having created all this Universe beginning with the Aakasa in due order, without the aid of any other entity than itself entered for its own realization all the bodies having life, and so on. And having so entered, it realized its own real Self directly thus : “I Brahman am all this.” Therefore he alone is the one Atman in all bodies and there is none else. Another text also says “He, Brahman is my Self, I am Brahman” and “all this was the Aatman alone in the beginning.” It has also been said “Brahman is all-pervading.” Similarly also elsewhere. if seeing that there is not so much as the point of a hair unoccupied, by the Brahman the all-pervading Aatman of all, it be asked how it entered cleaving the head as the ant enters a hole, we say, this is a small matter for question and there is much here worth questioning. That he saw, having no sensory organs, that he created the worlds unaided by anything else, that he gathered the Purusha from the waters and fashioned him, that from his contemplation, the mouth and other organs were distinctly formed, that from the mouth and so on, the protectors of worlds, Fire and so on, were produced that they were affected with hunger, thirst and so on, that they asked for an abode, that the forms of a cow and so on, were shewn to them, that they entered into their respective abodes, that the food created began to run away, that he desired to catch it by speech and so on, all this is questionable, quite like the cleaving of the head and the entry by that way. If It be urged “Let all this be incongruous,” we say “No.” Here, as the only fact intended to be conveyed is the realization of the Atman, all this is but attractive hyperbole and there is thus no fault, or it seems to be more reasonable that the Lord, Omniscient, Omnipotent, the great Conjurer, did, like a conjurer, do all this illusion to facilitate explanation, as well as, comprehension, as stories, although false, they are easily explained and understood by all. It is well-known that there Is no good to be attained by the knowledge of the narrative of the creation, (as it is false); and it is well established in all the Upanishads, that the end attained by the conception of the unity of the real Self is immortality. This is also stated in the Gita and other Smritis by the text “the Lord of all seated alike in all living beings” etc.
But here one may say, “there are three Atmans. The first is the Jiva the enjoyer, the doer, and subject to changes well-known to all the world and the Sastras. The second Aatman, Intelligent, Lord of all, Omniscient, Creator of the Universe, is inferred from his creating worlds and animal bodies with numerous suitable places for the enjoyment of the fruits of Karma by diverse beings, just as by seeing the construction of towns and palaces, the author thereof, having knowledge and capacity on that subject, such as carpenter and so on, is inferred. The third, is the Purusha, spoken of in the Upanishads well-celebrated in the Sastras as being ‘not this, not this.’ ‘From whom speech falls back.’ Thus these three Aatman are dissimilar to one another. How then could it be known that there is only one Atman, without a second and not subject to change? How, if so, is the Jiva (the individual soul) known? Verily he is known as the hearer, seer, speaker of articulate speech and maker of Inarticulate sound and having theoretical and practical knowledge. If so, is it not contradictory to say of him who is known as hearer and so on, that lie the thinker, is unthinkable; he, the knower is unknown? It is also said in the Srutis: “You should not try to know the thinker of thought and the knower of knowledge.” To this we reply it is certainly contradictory, if he is directly perceived like joy and so on, but it is such direct knowledge that is negatived by ”don’t try to think the thinker of thought and so on.” Hence as he is known by such indicative marks as hearing and so on, where then is the contradiction? Again, it is asked how the Aatman is known by the indicative mark of hearing and so on? For, when the Atman is hearing the sound to be heard, then being engaged solely in the act of hearing, there is no possibility of its thinking of, or knowing about itself or anything else; similarly also as regards other thoughts and so on; for, all activity of hearing etc., is directed only to its objects, (and not towards its source). It is not possible for the thinker to think of anything other than the thinkable. It may also be urged that everything (even the Self itself), should be thought of by means of the mind. To this we reply, ‘it is perfectly right, but all that is thinkable cannot be thought of except by the thinker or the Self, mind being only an instrument in his hand. If so, what would be the result? This would be the result. That which thinks of all will only be the thinker and never the thinkable and there is not another thinker of the thinker when the Atman is to be thought of by the Atman, then the thinker of the Atman and he that is thinkable by the Atman, will become two distinct Atmans (which is absurd.) Or, the one and the same Atman should be divided into two forms as the thinker and the thinkable, just as a bamboo is split into two; in such a case the Self is to have a form, which is absurd. So inconsistency results in both cases. Just as of two lights, one cannot be the enlightened and the other the lightened both being equally illumining, similarly here. Nor has the thinker any time left to think of himself as he is always engaged In thinking of the thinkable. Even when the thinker thinks of himself by the indicative marks, still the result is what has been already stated i.e. that there are two Atmans, one to be thought of by the indicative marks, and the other, the thinker of it. If it be said that the same Atman divides himself into two, the inconsistency has been already pointed out. If the Atman cannot be directly known, or known by inference, how is it said that one should know Him to be his Self or how that the Atman is the hearer, the thinker etc.? It is well-known that the Atman has the capacity of hearing and of not hearing etc. What is it you find inconsistent. How is that?’ When he is the hearer he is not the thinker and when he is the thinker he is not the hearer. This being so, he is in one view both hearer and thinker and in another view neither hearer nor thinker. Similarly in respect of other attributes. If this be so, how do you find no inconsistency, when you are landed in doubt as to whether the Atman has the capacity of hearing etc., or has not the capacity of hearing etc? When Devadatta goes, he is going and not staying; when he stands still, he is staying and not going. Then alone he is going and staying alternately; but not always going and staying. Similarly here.
Here again the followers of Kanada etc., argue thus. “The Atman is spoken of as the hearer, the thinker etc., only on account of its being the thinker and the hearer occasionally. They say that knowledge is the product of the connection (between the mind and the sensory organs). They also quote instances of men saying “My mind was elsewhere engaged. I did not see that” etc. It also stands to reason that the impossibility of this simultaneity of knowledge through various sensory organs is an indication of the existence of the mind. Let this be so, what do you lose? If this can be so, let it be so, if it pleases you; but the meaning, of, the Srutis will be set at naught. Is it not then the meaning of the Srutis, that the Atman is the hearer, the thinker etc. Not so; for the texts say also, he is not the hearer, thinker etc. But have you not replied to the argument by the theory that the Atman is hearer and not hearer and so on, alternately no; for we hold that the Atman is always the hearer etc, for the Sruti declares ” The hearing of the hearer knows no destruction.” If it be so, if it is held that he is always the hearer etc, then simultaneous knowledge through all the senses, a thing contradicted by experience, would result and the absence of ignorance in the Aatman would have to be admitted; and that is not real. Neither of these two faults would result; for the Sruti declares that the Atman is both the hearing and the hearer. Just as the light of the fire depending on the contact with dried hay etc., is not eternal, so the sight etc., of the transient and gross senses such as the eye etc, having the capacity to come in contact with, and remain separate from objects, is transitory. But there is no possibility of the Atman, eternal, formless, and neither connected nor isolated, assuming transient attributes as the seeing produced by contact. So the Sruti declares “The sight of the seer knows no destruction etc.”
Thus there are two kinds of vision, that of the eye which is transient and that of the Aatman which is eternal. Similarly also two kinds of hearing, that of the ear which is transient and that of the Aatman which is eternal. Similarly two sorts of thought and knowledge, external and internal. It is only on this view that the Sruti “He is the seer of sight, hearer of the hearing etc” becomes explicable. The transient nature of the vision of the eye is well-known in the world, for during the disease of the eye and after removal of the disease, people say respectively “The sight is lost” and “the sight is gained”. Such is also the case with hearing and thinking. The eternal nature of the vision and so on, of the Self is also well-known in the world. A person whose visual organ has been removed says “I just saw my brother in a dream.” So one who is really deaf, says “I have heard today the mantra in a dream.” If the eternal vision of the Aatman were produced by the contact of the eye with an objects it would be destroyed when the eye is destroyed. Then one whose visual organ has been removed would not see in a dream anything, blue, yellow etc. Also the Srutis “The sight of the seer knows no destruction”, “That is the eye in the Purusha by which he sees in dreams,” would be contradicted. The eternal vision of tbe Aatman is the percipient of the external and transient vision. As the external vision, having the attributes of transient things, increases, decays etc., it is perfectly reasonable, that its percipient, the vision of the Aatman should also appear, through the mistaken notion of men transient like it, just as the sight of a whirling object, such as a fire brand, seems itself to whirl. Accordingly the Sruti also says “It seems to think and to move.” Therefore the vision of the Aatman being eternal, there can be no simultaneity of impressions, or want of it. The false notion about the vision of the Atman is explicable, in the case of men of the world, by their subjecting themselves to the condition of the external and transient vision, and in the case of the notionalists, by their disregard of the Sastras and traditional teachings. The supposition of difference among the Jiva, the Isvara and the Paramatman is certainly due to that. Similarly also is the perception of difference in the eternal, illimitable vision of the Atman, where all differences speakable and thinkable, such as “it is”, “it is not,” are merged into one entity. He who perceives any matter for differentiation in that entity which is beyond all speech and thought, as existent or non-existent, one or many, conditioned or unconditioned, intelligent or dull, active or passive, fruitful or fruitless, produced or causeless, happy or miserable, inside or outside, negative or positive, distinct or otherwise from me, would, indeed, get even the sky to cover his person, like the skin, climb up to the sky with his feet like a flight of steps, and trace the foot-prints of fish in water and of birds in the air for the Srutis declare: “It is not this”, “It is not that”, “From which all speech returns” and also “Who could know the Atman?” “How can it then be known as my Aatman?” “Tell me by what means I can know that to be the Atman in me.” On this point there is an ancient anecdote. Some ignorant man, having committed a fault, was thus reviled by some. “Shame upon you! you are no man.” He being ignorant, approached another man to make himself sure that he was a man and addressed him “Tell me who I am?” The person addressed knowing him to be a stupid, said “I will enlighten yon gradually.” So having disproved that he was anything immoveable etc., he resumed silence after saying “you are not not-man”. The stupid man again asked him “you who set about enlightening me are silent. Why do you not enlighten me?” Quite like this, is what you say. He who being told that he is not not-man does not understand that he is a man, how could he know that he is a man, even though he be told that he is a man? So the Atman can be known only in the manner inculcated by the Sastras and not otherwise. It is well-known that dried hay etc., consumable by fire cannot be consumed by anything other than fire. Similarly therefore, only the Sastras setting about inculcating the entity of the Atman concluded with saying “It is not this,” “It is not that” etc., as the anecdote concluded by teaching that he was not not-man. The Sastras also say “This Atman is neither internal, nor external,” “This self is Brahman, the knower of all; this is the injunction,” “Thou art that.” But when to him all become his Atman, then “whom could he see and by whom?” etc. As long as a man does not know the Atman thus described, so long he knows one, regarding the external and transient names and forms as the Aatman and regarding from ignorance the attributes of the conditions, as belonging to the Atman, travels in Samsara under the sway of ignorance, desire and Karma, rotating again and again in various grades of creation, from the Brahman down to the worm, such as the Devas, animals and men. Thus travelling in Samsara he leaves the body and the sensory organs once assumed and takes others. What experiences does a person thus travelling in a continuous stream of births and deaths, as with the current of a stream, undergo? The Sruti now declares in order that men may get freedom from desire.
PART 4
हरिः ॐ
पुरुषे ह वा अयमादितो गर्भो भवति यदेतद्रेतः । तदेतत्सर्वेभ्योऽङ्गेभ्यस्तेजः सम्भूतमात्मन्येवऽऽत्मानं बिभर्ति तद्यदा स्त्रियां सिञ्चत्यथैनज्जनयति तदस्य प्रथमं जन्म ॥ १ ॥
First indeed the germ is in the man. That which is semen is the vigour drawn from all his limbs. His Self he bears in himself. When he sheds it into the woman he then gives it birth. That is its first birth. (1)
Com. — The same individual with his ignorance, desires and liking for Karma performs Karma like sacrifices and so on., reaches the moon, leaving this world through the path of smoke, returns, after his Karma is exhausted, to this world through rain etc., and becoming food is offered as an oblation in the fire of man. The text states that this traveller in Samsara becomes incorporated with the man, first in the form of semen [तदेतद्रेतः] in him, through the rasas (i.e., blood, flesh etc;) and this semen is the essence drawn from all the component parts of this body, the outcome of food. It is called the Atman, because it is the essence of the man. He supports this Atman, being himself conceived in the form of the semen, in his Atman, i.e. body semen, when, his wife arrives at the proper season in the fire of the woman [स्त्रियं]. sheds uniting in love with her [सिञ्चति]. Then the father gives birth to it, conceived by him in the form of semen. This coming out of its place in the form of semen at the time that the semen is shed, is the first birth of the person travelling in Samsara, i.e., his first manifested state. This has been already stated by the texts “This Atman (purusha), offers that Atman (semen) to that Atman (woman.)
तत्स्त्रिया आत्मभूयं गच्छति यथा स्वमङ्गं तथा । तस्मादेनां न हिनस्ति । साऽस्यैतमात्मानमत्र गतं भावयति ॥ २ ॥
It becomes one with the woman, as her own limb. Therefore it does not hurt her. She nourishes his (the husband’s) Self come into her. (2)
Commentary — The semen shed in the woman becomes indistinguishable from her as in the case of the father, like her own limb, such as her breast etc; and for that reason the faetus does not injure the mother, as a carbuncle etc., would. The meaning is that because it becomes a part of herself like her limb such as her breast, it does not therefore hurt her. The pregnant woman, knowing that her husband’s Self had entered her womb, nourishes it by rejecting foods etc., injurious to the faetus and by taking such as are favorable to it.
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 ॥
She, being the nourisher should be nourished. The woman bears the foetus. He nourishes it just before and after its birth. In nourishing the babe just before and after its birth he nourishes himself alone, for the continuation of these worlds; for, thus are the worlds continued. This is his second birth. (3)
Commentary — She the nourisher of the husband’s self-conceived in her womb, should be nourished by the husband; for no relation in this world between one person and another is possible, without reciprocity of benefits. The woman nourishes the foetus by such means as are enjoined for the nourishment of the faetus [अग्रे ] before birth. The father nourishes the child just before and after birth by the performance of natal ceremonies etc. The father in nourishing the child just before and after birth, by the performance of natal ceremonies (Jatakarma) etc., nourishes only himself. For it is only the father’s self that is born in the shape of the son. It is accordingly said “The husband enters the wife etc.” If it is asked why he produces himself in the shape of the son and nourishes him, it is answered “for the continuation of these worlds;” for these worlds will not continue if none in the world procreates sons etc. Thus because these worlds continue as a stream, because of the continuance of such acts as the procreation of sons etc., therefore that should be done for their continuation, and not for emancipation. This coming out of the mother’s womb in the form of a babe of the person subject to Samsara is his second birth, i.e., his second manifested condition relatively to his form as semen.
सोऽस्यायमात्मा पुण्येभ्यः कर्मभ्यः प्रतिधीयते । अथास्यायामितर आत्मा कृतकृत्यो वयोगतः प्रैति । स इतः प्रयन्नेव पुनर्जायते तदस्य तृतीयं जन्म ॥ ४ ॥
This Atman of his, is made his substitute for doing virtuous deeds. Then the other self of his (the father’s self) having accomplished his purpose and reached old age, departs. Departing from hence, he is indeed born again. That is his third birth. (4)
Commentary — The meaning is, that this Atman of the father, i.e., his son, is made by him a substitute in his stead for the performance of all virtuous deeds enjoined by the Sastras and performable by him. Accordingly it is said in the Vajasaneyika also, in the portion treating of making the son the substitute for the father: “He admits I who am enjoined by my father, am Brahman, am sacrifice etc.” Then having entrusted his burden to the son, the other self of the son, i.e., the father, having accomplished its purpose, i.e. being released from the three-fold debt incurred by him and having become spent with age, dies. Departing from this world, i.e., leaving this body, he takes, like the caterpillar, another body formed by his Karma and is born again. The birth, which he is to take after his death, is his third birth. Now, the first birth of the person subject to Samsara is from the father; the second birth of the same person has been stated to be that from the mother in the form of a child. When the third birth, i.e., the same person has to be explained, how is it said that the re-birth of the father after his death is the son’s third birth? This is no fault; for, it is intended to lay down that the father and the son are the same self. The son also having entrusted the burden to his son, departs and is born again, like the father. The Sruti means, that what is said in one place is in effect said in another place, the father and the son being one self.
तदुक्तमृषिणा गर्भे नु सन्नन्वेषामवेदमहं देवानां जनिमानि विश्वा शतं मा पुर आयसीररक्षन्नधः श्येनो जवसा निरदीयमिति । गर्भ एवैतच्छयानो वामदेव एवमुवाच ॥५॥
Here it has been stated by the sage: “While in the womb, I knew all the births of the gods, A hundred strongholds, as if ironmade, guarded me; (Like) a hawk, I burst through them with speed.” So spoke Vdmadeva while even lying in the womb. (5)
Commentary — While thus travelling in Samsara in rotation, in these three manifested conditions, subject to the bonds of birth and death, every one in the world, hurled into the ocean of Samsara, does in some stage realize with effort the Atman, as described in the Srutis. Then at once being freed from all the bonds of Samsara, he becomes like one whose purpose is accomplished. This fact is explained in this mantra by the sage. While lying in the womb of the mother I knew all the births of all the Devas, such as speech, fire etc., because of the fructifying of my meditations in my many previous births. This is the meaning. [Hundred] many [Purah] bodies impenetrable, like those made of iron, guarded me from extricating myself from the meshes of Samsara [अधः] down. Like a hawk bursting down through the net, I have come out of it with speed by dint of the strength due to my knowledge of the Atman. Wonder! That Vamadeva, even while living in the womb, spoke thus.
स एवं विद्वानस्माच्छरीरभेदादूर्ध्व उत्क्रम्यामुष्मिन् स्वर्गे लोके सर्वान् कामानाप्त्वाऽमृतः समभवत् समभवत् ॥ ६ ॥
He thus knowing, and becoming one with the highest Self, soaring aloft, on the dissolution of the body, attained all desires in that world of heaven and became immortal, became immortal. (6)
Commentary — He, Vamadeva, the seer, having thus known the Aatman as described, on the dissolution of the body; i.e., on the final ceasing of the continuity of the stream of embodied existence, created by ignorance, Impenetrable like a thing of iron and infested by hundreds of various miseries such as births, deaths, etc., by dint of the strength acquired by drinking the nectar of the knowledge of the Paramaatman, i.e., by the destruction of the body in consequence of the destruction of ignorance etc., the seed of embodied existence, becoming one with the Paramaatman, soaring from beiow, i.e., from Samsara, having attained oneness with the Atman of all, enlightened and purified by knowledge, became immortal in his own self, i.e., became extinguished like a light in the self, already described as undecaying, deathless, immortal, fearless, omniscient, beginningless, secondless, endless, all-pervasive, sweet with the unalloyed nectar of knowledge.
Having obtained all desires, that is, having, even while living, obtained all desires by the knowledge of the Atman. The repetition is for the purpose of showing the end of the knowledge of the Aatman with its fruit and its illustration.
Here ends the commentary on the fourth Part.
THE LAST CHAPTER
हरिः ॐ . 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 ॥
Now let us consider each mantra.
हरिः ॐ . 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 ॥
Whom shall we worship as the Atman? Who is the Atman? Whether he by whom one sees, or he by whom one hears, or he by whom one smells the smell, or he by whom one speaks the speech or he by whom one discerns sweet and what is not sweet. (1)
Commentary. — The Brahmins of the present time desirous of emancipation, and wishing to acquire the fruit of becoming the Atman of all; by means of the knowledge of Brahman, enlightened by the traditional teachings of the preceptors, Vamadeva and the rest, wishing to know the Brahman and desirous of turning away from the bondage of Samsara, ephemeral and characterised by causes and effects, ask each other to inquire ‘who is this Atman, and how shall we directly worship that Atman, as this Atman, and who is that Atman? We should like to worship the very Atman whom Vmadeva worshipped as the Atman directly, and became immortal. Who may that Atman be? In them, who thus questioned each other with a desire to know, arose the recollection, produced by the impression of teachings previously heard, respecting the two particular Atmans already explained. “The Brahman entered the Purusha through the forepart of the feet.” “He cleft the head and entered the Purusha by this passage.” “Two Brahmans in opposition to each other have entered here” “They are both the Atman of this body. One of them must be the Atman to be worshipped. Thus they again questioned each other for the purpose of clearly determining who the Atman was. In them, who thus inquired, arose another thought, respecting the differentiation of these two. How? Two entities are known to exist in this body. One, by whom, with the aid of various senses, differing in many ways, anything is perceived and another who is known as one who remembers the impressions of objects perceived with the aid of other senses. Here, that by which one knows cannot be the Atman. By whom is it then known? We reply : that by which being the eye, one sees form, that by which being the ear, one hears sound, that by which being the nose, one smells the smell, that by which being the organ of speech, one utters speech, consisting of names such as cow, horse, good, bad, etc., or that by which being the tongue, one “discerns what is sweet and what is not.
यदेतद्धृदयं मनश्चैतत् । सञ्ज्ञानमाज्ञानं विज्ञानं प्रज्ञानं मेधा दृष्टिधृर्तिमतिर्मनीषा जूतिः स्मृतिः सङ्कल्पः क्रतुरसुः कामो वश इति । सर्वाण्येवैतानि प्रज्ञानस्य नामधेयानि भवन्ति ॥ २ ॥
This which is known as the heart, this mind, consciousness, discrimination, wisdom, reason, perception, steadiness, thought, acuteness, quickness, memory, volition, decision, strength, desire and control, all these are indeed the names of wisdom. (2)
Commentary — What is that sense which though one is variously differentiated, is now explained. What has been already stated “The essence of creatures is the heart, the essence of the heart is the mind; by the mind is created the waters and Varuna, the Lord of Waters. From the heart comes the mind and from the mind, the moon.” Such only is this heart and this mind, one appearing: diverse. By this one mind becoming the eye, one sees form. By this becoming the ear, one hears. By this becoming the nose, one smells; by this becoming speech, one speaks; by this becoming the tongue, one tastes. In its deliberative aspects, it deliberates and in the form of heart it determines. Therefore this sense, having all other senses and objects for its play of activity, is the means whereby the knower knows everything. Accordingly also, the Kaushitaki texts says: “Reaching the organ of speech by wisdom, one obtains ail names by speech. Reaching the eye by wisdom, one sees all forms by the eye” etc. It is said in the Vajasaneyika also “One sees by the mind alone and hears by the mind, one knows forms by the heart” etc.
Therefore it is well-known that that which is named as the heart and the mind, is the means of the perception of all objects; and Prana is essentially that. The Brahmana says “what is called Prana is wisdom and what is called wisdom is Prana” In the beginning of the discussion about Prana we have said that Prana is the combination of the senses. Therefore the Brahman which entered by the feet cannot possibly be that entity, the Brahman to be worshipped, because it is an adjunct, being only a means of perception to the knower. The only other entity, i.e., that knower, to whom the functions, hereafter described, of the sense called the heart or the mind, are the means of perception, can alone be the Aatman fit to be worshipped by us. So they decided. The functions of the mind, consisting of external and internal objects, and serving as a means of perception to the all-wise Brahman, the knower, resting upon the condition of the mind, are thus explained. [संज्ञान] consciousness, [अज्ञान] directing, the state of being the lord, [विज्ञान] the acquirement of the different branches of knowledge; and so on. [प्रज्ञान] wisdom. [मेधा] power of retaining the import of books. [दृष्टिः ] perception of all objects through the senses. [धृतिः] steadiness by which the drooping body and the senses are kept up; for, they say “By steadiness, they support the body.” [मतिः] thought [मनीषा] independent power of thinking. [जूति:] distress of mind under disease etc. [मनीषा] recollections. [सङ्कल्प:] idea such as the thinking of forms, as white, black etc. [क्रतुः] application. [असुः] any pursuit for the maintenance of life etc. [काम] desire for any objects not at hand. [वस:] desire for the company of women. These and the other functions of the mind, being the means of perception to the knower who is mere consciousness become conditions to the Brahman, with his pure consciousness ; and सञ्ज्ञानम् and others, all these become the names of Brahman, the pure consciousness, when subjected to these conditions and not directly in its unconditioned state. Accordingly it has also been said “while only moving, it is called Prana” etc.
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 ॥
This Brahman, this Indra, this Creator, all these gods, these five great elements, earth, air, ether, water, fire, and all these small creatures, these others, the seeds of creation and these egg-born, womb-born, sweat-born, sprout-born, horses, cows, men, elephants, and whatever else which breathes and moves and flies and is immoveable; all this is guided by wisdom and is supported by wisdom; the universe has wisdom for its guide; wisdom is the basis; wisdom is Brahman. (3)
Commentary — This Aatman in the form of consciousness, is the lower Brahman, called Hiranyagarbha or Prana, the living principle of all bodies, that has entered into the conditions of the mind like the image of the Sun reflected on various waters. This is none else than Indra, according to his (previously-mentioned) characteristic, or the lord of the Devas. This is none else than the Prajapati, the first born who has a body and from whom all the protectors of the world, fire etc., were born, from the cavity of the mouth etc. This is that Prajapati and this also in all these gods, fire etc. These five great Bhutas also, earth etc., the material causes of all bodies known as the eatable and the eater; as also these creatures intermingled with small creatures such as serpents etc, (the word इव has no meaning); and these and these seeds of creation divided under two heads. What these are, is explained: [Egg-born] birds etc. [Womb-born] born of the womb, such as men. [Sweat-born] lice and so on. [Sprout-born] trees etc. Horses, cows, men, elephants and whatever other living thing; what is that? Which is moving, i.e., which moves or goes by the feet; also which flies, i.e., which is capable of flying in the air; as also all that is unmoving. All this is प्रज्ञा-नेत्रम् . प्रज्ञा is consciousness, that is Brahman. नेत्रम् that by which it is guided. That which is guided by प्रज्ञा-नेत्रम् . All this is attached to प्रज्ञा i.e., depends on Brahman during creation, preservation and destruction [प्रज्ञा-नेत्रलोकः] as already explained; or, it may mean all the universe has wisdom for its eye. Wisdom is the basis of all the universe. Therefore wisdom is Brahman. This (entity) being devoid of every sort of condition, unstained, untainted, passive, self-content, one without a second, knowable by eliminating all distinguishing attributes, as ‘not this’, ‘not this’ etc., and beyond all word and thought, becomes, by its connection with the condition of extremely pure wisdom, Omniscient, Lord of all, soul and guide of the common seed of the entire unmanifested universe and is called as Antaryami, being the (universal) controller. This also becomes what is called Hiranyagarbha, characterized by its notion of self in the intelligence, which is the seed of all the manifested universe. This also becomes the Virat, known as Prajapati, who, springing from within the cosmic egg, first conditions himself with a body. This becomes what is known as Devata, the offspring of the same cosmic egg having the name of fire etc. Similarly, the Brahman receives diverse names and forms under conditions of different bodies from Brahman down to the worm. That one being, who is beyond all conditions, is known in all ways by all living beings as well as by the notionalist and is diversely thought of; as stated in the Smriti: “This, some call fire; others, Manu the Creator; others yet, Indra; others yet, Prana and others the eternal Brahman,” etc.
स एतेन प्राज्ञेनाऽऽत्मनाऽस्माल्लोकादुत्क्रम्यामुष्मिन्स्वर्गे लोके सर्वान् कामानाप्त्वाऽमृतः सम्भवत् सम्भवत् ॥ ४ ॥
By means of this wisdom, i.e., self, he, soaring from this world, obtained in Heaven all desires and became immortal, became immortal. (4)
Commentary — He, Vamadeva or any other sage, knew Brahman in the way explained, by that wise self by which wise self, knowers previously became immortal. Similarly that sage too by means of the same wise self rising above this world (this has been already explained); going beyond this world, getting all desires fulfilled in that world of heaven, became immortal.
॥ इति ऎतरेयोपनिषत् समाप्ता ॥
Here ends the commentary of the fifth Part. This is also the end of the Aitareya Upanishad.
ॐ तत् सत् ||
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