Aitareya Upanishad

This Upanishad tells the story of the evolution of life.

Part 1

§1 All things evolved from Atman. The evolution of purusha ("cosmic man") from which all individuals are derived.

§2 The elemental gods enter the different sense organs of the human body.

· fire becomes speech

· air becomes smell

· sun becomes sight

· sounds in space becomes hearing

· plants/trees becomes hairs in the skin

· moon becomes mind

· death becomes outbreath becomes navel

· water becomes semen becomes sex organ

Hunger and thirst enter the body and dwell in the sense organs.

§3 Evolution of consciousness. Food also represents nature in general.

The sense organs, though they observe things, can’t offer any lasting support/benefit.

atman enters the body and enters the three abodes/states of consciousness: in the head, neck, heart.

Idamdra = the perceiver of this. By saying Idamdra is the same as Indra, the Upanishad comes full-circle – created and creator are really the same.

 

Part 2

The cycle of reincarnation: the pre-existing jiva enters the body of a potential father, and through him enters the mother’s womb (first birth). The physical birth is then the second birth. Eventually the body dies, the jiva leaves to be born again in another body.

Vamadeva has been born 100 times; while in the womb for the 101st time, he achieves Self-realisation and thus is freed from the cycle of rebirth.

Part 3

This section presents the atmanas still and unchanging, not attached to or affected by modifications of the mind and senses. So a distinction is drawn between that part of Brahman that is behind the sense organs, and that part that is the unchanging absolute essence (Parabrahman)

§3 Prajna (intelligence, conscousness) is Brahman.