Read Aitareyopanishad in English

Aitareyopanishad: An Introduction

Aitareya Upanishad is a major Upanishad that comes under Vedanta philosophy and is a part of the fourth, fifth and sixth chapters of the second Aranyaka of Aitareya Upanishad of the Rigveda. In this the important principles of Brahmavidya (knowledge of Brahma) are described in detail. In this Upanishad, important topics of soul, Brahma, world and human life have been discussed.

Shankaracharya's commentary:

Lord Shankaracharya has written an important commentary on this Upanishad, in which he has given importance only to knowledge as a means of attaining salvation and while denying the right of rituals, has given importance to Sannyasa as its right.

Chapters and Sections:

Aitareyo Upanishad has three chapters. The first chapter has three sections, while the second and third chapters have only one section each.

First Chapter:

1. First Section: Birth of Creation:

In the beginning of creation there existed only one soul, who took a resolution and created three worlds named Ambha, Marichi and Mar.

2. Second Section: Origin of the Human Body:

God created a man from water and gave him components.

3. Third section: Production of food to satisfy the appetite of worshiped deities:

Food was created to satisfy the hunger of the gods.

Chapter II:

Self-knowledge has been described as the only means to attain the supreme position.

CHAPTER III:

The glory of wisdom has been described and it has been described as the form of Brahma, Indra, Prajapati, all the gods, Panchmahabhoot and all living beings.

First Section/Origin of Creation:

In the first section, the huge luminous form of the soul was present in the beginning of the creation. The soul resolved to create and created various worlds:

Ambh: The world with the prestige of heaven beyond the heavenly world.

Marichi: Space or light world (Dyulok).

Mar: Earth or the world of death.

You:: The aquatic womb beneath the earth, the underworld.

Second Section / Origin of Human Body:

This section describes the origin of the human body and its structure.

Third Section / Origin of Food:

Food was created to satisfy the hunger of the gods.

Three births of man:

Three births of man are described: physical birth, mental birth and spiritual birth..

Nature of soul:

The nature of the soul and its identity have been described in detail.

Summary:

Aitareyo Upanishad presents the deep knowledge of soul and Brahma. This Upanishad explains the uniqueness of the soul and its integral relationship with God. Shankaracharya's commentary further enhances the importance of this Upanishad, in which knowledge is considered paramount for attaining salvation.