Aitareya Upanishad
One of the ten principal Upanishads, from the Aitareya Aranyaka of the Rigveda. In three chapters, it describes the cosmic creation, the emergence of Consciousness, and the identity of individual self with Brahman. Contains the Mahavakya: Prajnanam Brahma — Consciousness is Brahman.
- The Aitareya Upanishad is one of the ten principal Upanishads (Dasopanishad) and is embedded in the Aitareya Aranyaka of the Rigveda.
- Its three chapters systematically move from the outer world (cosmic creation) to the inner world (the nature of consciousness and Self).
- Chapter 1: Describes the cosmic creation — how Brahman created the universe, the five elements, the sense organs, and the vital forces.
- Chapter 2: Discusses the three births of the self — birth from the father's seed, birth from the mother, and the "rebirth" through spiritual knowledge.
- Chapter 3: The philosophical climax — declares the Mahavakya: Prajnanam Brahma — Pure Consciousness (Prajna) is Brahman, the ground of all perception and existence.
- Adi Shankaracharya wrote a major commentary (Bhashya) establishing this text in the canon of Advaita Vedanta.
Structural Organization
Example: Aitareya Upanishad 1.1 → Chapter 1, Verse 1 (In the beginning, this all was Atman alone)
Key Topics
Key Figures
Key Texts & Works
Featured Shlokas
Who Is He Whom We Worship as the Self?
Aitareya Upanishad · Chapter Adhyaya 3 · Verse 1
को न्वेष आत्मेति वयमुपास्महे । कतरः स आत्मा — येन वा पश्यति येन वा शृणोति येन वा गन्धानाजिघ्रति ॥ १ ॥
ko nv eṣa ātmeti vayam upāsmahe | kataraḥ sa ātmā — yena vā paśyati yena vā śṛṇoti yena vā gandhān ājighrati || 1 ||
Who is this Self that we worship? Which is the Self? — He by whom one sees, or by whom one hears, or by whom one smells?
In the Beginning — Atman Alone Existed
Aitareya Upanishad · Chapter Adhyaya 1 · Verse 1
आत्मा वा इदमेक एवाग्र आसीत् । नान्यत्किञ्चन मिषत् । स ईक्षत लोकान्नु सृजा इति ॥ १ ॥
ātmā vā idam eka evāgra āsīt | nānyat kiñcana miṣat | sa īkṣata lokān nu sṛjā iti || 1 ||
In the beginning, the Self alone existed here — nothing else whatsoever stirred. He thought: "Let me now create the worlds."
Food — The Lord Created It for All Beings
Aitareya Upanishad · Chapter Adhyaya 2 · Verse 1
सोऽकामयत — द्वितीयो म आत्मा जायेतेति । स मनसा वाचं मिथुनम् समभवत् । तदरेतोऽभवत् ॥ १ ॥
so'kāmayata — dvitīyo ma ātmā jāyeteti | sa manasā vācaṃ mithunam samabhavat | tad areto'bhavat || 1 ||
He desired: "Let a second self be born of me." He united mind with speech. That became the seed (retas).
The Creator Creates the Worlds
Aitareya Upanishad · Chapter Adhyaya 1 · Verse 2
स इमाँल्लोकानसृजत — अम्भो मरीचीर्मरमापः ॥ २ ॥
sa imāml lokān asṛjata — ambho marīcīr maram āpaḥ || 2 ||
He created these worlds: the waters (ambhas), the rays of light (marichi), death (mara), and the waters below.