Verse 1.1Famous
intermediateआत्मा वा इदमेक एवाग्र आसीत् ।
नान्यत्किञ्चन मिषत् ।
स ईक्षत लोकान्नु सृजा इति ॥
ātmā vā idam eka evāgra āsīt | nānyat kiñcana miṣat | sa īkṣata lokān nu sṛjā iti ||
"In the beginning, the Self alone existed. Nothing else was there. He thought: "Let me create the worlds.""
What This Means:
Before creation, only pure Consciousness (Atman) existed, nothing else. This Self, through mere intention, decided to create the universe. Creation begins with thought, with will.
Going Deeper:
The word "Atman" here refers to the cosmic Self, Brahman. The creation is not mechanical but intentional (īkṣata, "He saw/thought"). This establishes that consciousness, not matter, is primary. The universe arises from awareness, not the other way around.
How To Apply This:
Your intentions shape your reality. Just as the cosmic Self created through intention, your thoughts and will create your experience. What are you intending to create today?
Key Sanskrit Terms:
Ātmā= The Self, pure consciousnessEka= One, aloneAgra= In the beginning, beforeĪkṣata= Thought, intended, saw
#creation#consciousness#intention#oneness
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35 verses of the Aitareya Upanishad
The Creation of the Universe
- 1.1In the beginning, the Self alone existed. Nothing else was there. He thought: "Let me create the worlds."
- 1.2He created these worlds: the waters above heaven, heaven itself, the mid-region of light rays, the earth...
- 1.3He thought: "Here are the worlds. Let me create guardians for these worlds." He drew forth a Person...
- 1.4He brooded over him. From the brooded-upon Person, the mouth opened like an egg. From the mouth came...
- 1.5The eyes opened; from them came sight; from sight came the Sun. The ears opened; from them came hearing...
- 1.6The navel opened; from it came the outward breath (apana); from apana came Death. The generative organ...
The Deities Seek a Home
- 2.1These deities, once created, fell into this great ocean (of existence). He subjected them to hunger and...
- 2.2He brought them a cow. They said: "This is not sufficient for us." He brought them a horse. They said...
- 2.3He brought them a human being (Purusha). They said: "Ah, this is well-made indeed!" For the human being is...
- 2.4Fire became speech and entered the mouth. Air became breath and entered the nostrils. The Sun became sight...
- 2.5Plants and trees became hair and entered the skin. The Moon became mind and entered the heart. Death...
The Self Enters the Body
- 3.1Hunger and Thirst said to Him: "Provide an abode for us too." He said: "I assign you to these deities; I...
- 3.2He thought: "Here are the worlds and the world-guardians. Let me create food for them."
- 3.3He brooded over the waters. From the brooded-upon waters, a form was born. That form that was born is...
- 3.4This food, having been created, tried to flee. He tried to grasp it with speech but could not seize it...
- 3.5He tried to grasp it with breath but could not seize it with breath. If he had seized it with breath, one...
- 3.6He tried to grasp it with sight but could not seize it with sight. If he had seized it with sight, one...
- 3.7He tried to grasp it with hearing but could not seize it with hearing. If he had seized it with hearing...
- 3.8He tried to grasp it with skin but could not seize it with skin. If he had seized it with skin, one would...
- 3.9He tried to grasp it with mind but could not seize it with mind. If he had seized it with mind, one would...
- 3.10He tried to grasp it with the apana (digestive breath) and succeeded. This is the grasper of food, Vayu...
- 3.11He thought: "How could this exist without me?" He thought: "By which path shall I enter?" He reflected...
- 3.12He opened this very seam (at the crown of the head) and entered by that door. That door is called vidṛti...
- 3.13Once born (into the body), He surveyed the beings. "What else could one wish to speak about here?" He saw...
- 3.14Therefore His name is Idandra ("I-saw-this"). Idandra is indeed His name. But they call Him Indra...
The Three Births
- 4.1In the beginning, this one becomes an embryo in the person (father), which is the seed. This is the...
- 4.2It becomes part of the woman's self, as if her own limb. Therefore it does not hurt her. She nourishes...
- 4.3She who nourishes is to be nourished. The woman bears the embryo. The father nourishes the child even...
- 4.4This self of his is established for virtuous deeds. Then the other self, having done what was to be done...
- 4.5This was spoken by the sage: "While still in the womb, I knew all the births of these gods. A hundred iron...
- 4.6Thus knowing, he ascended upward from this body at death, obtained all desires in that heavenly world, and...
Consciousness is Brahman
- 5.1"Who is this Self that we worship?" "Which one is the Self, that by which one sees, by which one hears, by...
- 5.2It is this heart (mind) itself. It is awareness, command, discernment, consciousness, wisdom, insight...
- 5.3This is Brahman, this is Indra, this is Prajapati, these are all the gods, these are the five great...
- 5.4By this conscious Self, ascending from this world, he obtained all desires in that heavenly world and...