Aitareya Upanishad

May my speech be established in my mind; may my mind be established in my speech. O Self-luminous Divine, reveal Thyself to me. May you both (speech and mind) be the carriers of the Veda to me. May what I have heard not depart from me. I shall join together day and night through this study. I shall speak of the Right; I shall speak of the Truth.

May That protect me; may That protect the speaker. May It protect me; may It protect the speaker—protect the speaker.

In the beginning, this universe was the Atman the Supreme Self or Soul alone. There was nothing else whatsoever that winked. He thought: "Let me now create the worlds." 1

He created these worlds: Ambhas the celestial waters beyond the sky, Marici the region of light or the atmosphere, Mara the earth, the realm of mortals, and Apas the subterranean waters. That which is beyond the heavens is Ambhas; the heavens are its support. The atmosphere is Marici. The earth is Mara. The waters that are below it are Apas. 2

He thought: "Here are the worlds. Let me now create the guardians of the worlds." From the waters themselves, he drew forth the Purusha the Cosmic Person or Primal Man and gave him shape. 3

He brooded over him original: "abhyatapat"; performing a kind of mental heat or creative meditation known as Tapas. As he was being brooded over, a mouth burst forth, even as an egg bursts. From the mouth came speech; from speech, Fire. Nostrils burst forth; from the nostrils, breath; from breath, the Air. Eyes burst forth; from the eyes, sight; from sight, the Sun. Ears burst forth; from the ears, hearing; from hearing, the Directions of Space. Skin burst forth; from the skin, hairs; from the hairs, the plants and trees. The heart burst forth; from the heart, the mind; from the mind, the Moon. The navel burst forth; from the navel, the downward-breath; from the downward-breath, Death. The organ of generation burst forth; from the organ of generation, seed; from the seed, the Waters. 4

These deities, thus created, fell into this great ocean symbolizing the vastness of worldly existence. He (the Creator) subjected the Person to hunger and thirst. Then those deities said to him: "Find out for us an abode wherein we may be established and eat food." 1

He brought a cow to them. They said: "Indeed, this is not enough for us."