Aitareya Upanishad - Chapter II

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Aitareya Upanishad - Chapter II

1. Indeed in a person this one first becomes an embryo. That which is called semen is a culmination of the vigor coming from the limbs of the body. In the self only one bears the self. By shedding it into a female, he gives birth to it. This is the first birth.

 

2. It enters into the self of the female, as if it is a limb of her. Therefore it does not cause her any harm. She nourishes this self of his that has come into her.

 

3. She is the one who nourishes, so should she be nourished. She bears him in her womb. Before the birth he nourishes the child, so does he after his birth. He thus nourishes his own self, for the continuation of the worlds. The worlds are sustained in this manner only. This is the second birth.

 

4. He who is thus born of his own self, becomes the substitute for performing the deeds. After completing his works, he departs. Departing thus he is born again. This is his third birth. This what the seers said.

 

5. "While I was in the womb, I knew all the births of the gods. A hundred walls made of steel, protected me. I burst out of them with the speed of a hawk," Vamadeva spoke this verse while lying in the womb.

 

6. He who knows all this, when the body is dissolved, travels heavenward and enjoys al the heavenly desires. He becomes immortal, yes immortal.

 

Chapter III

1. "Who is he whom we all worship as the self ?" He by whom one sees, one hears, one smells the various odors, one is able to speak, one is able to distinguish the tasty from the tasteless.

 

2. That which is the heart, the mind, it is consciousness, perception, discrimination, intelligence, mental brilliance, vision, determination, thought power, thoughtfulness, impulse, memory, decision, goal, life, desire, control. All these are the different names of intelligence only.

 

3. He is Brahma, he is Indra, he is Prajapati. He is all these gods. He is the five elements, namely the earth, air, ether, water and light, a combination of which forms into seeds of different kinds, the ones born out of eggs, the ones born out of wombs, the ones born from sweat, the ones born from sprouts, horses, cows, people, and elephants, all the creatures that breath here, moving, flying or stationary. All this is led by intelligence. The world is led by intelligence, is established in intelligence. The world is led by intelligence. The support is intelligence. Brahman is intelligence.

 

4. He with this intelligent self soared upward from this world and having enjoyed all the desires in that heavenly world became immortal. Yes he became immortal.