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 the sacred knowledge 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 original: "rtam"; the cosmic order or divine law; 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 original: "mishat"; refers to any living or moving thing. 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 cosmic incubation or meditative heat known as tapas. As he was being brooded over, a mouth burst forth, like an egg. From the mouth came speech; from speech, fire. The nostrils burst forth; from the nostrils, breath; from breath, air. The eyes burst forth; from the eyes, sight; from sight, the sun. The ears burst forth; from the ears, hearing; from hearing, the quarters of space. The skin burst forth; from the skin, hairs; from the hairs, herbs and trees. The heart burst forth; from the heart, the mind; from the mind, the moon. The navel burst forth; from the navel, the Apana the downward-pulling vital air associated with digestion and excretion; from the Apana, death. The phallus burst forth; from the phallus, semen; from semen, water. 4

These deities the cosmic forces like Fire, Air, and Sun, once created, fell into this great ocean of worldly existence. He the Creator subjected the person to hunger and thirst. The deities said to Him: "Find for us a dwelling place where, being established, we may eat food." 1

He brought a cow to them. They said: "Indeed, this is not enough for us." 2