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 intense creative heat or meditation. From that person, as he was brooded over, the mouth was hatched, like an egg. From the mouth came speech, and from speech, Fire. The nostrils were hatched; from the nostrils came the breath, and from breath, Air. The eyes were hatched; from the eyes came sight, and from sight, the Sun. The ears were hatched; from the ears came hearing, and from hearing, the Directions of Space. The skin was hatched; from the skin came hairs, and from the hairs, the herbs and trees. The heart was hatched; from the heart came the mind, and from the mind, the Moon. The navel was hatched; from the navel came the downward breath, and from the downward breath, Death. The generative organ was hatched; from the organ came seed, and from the seed, Water. 4

These deities, having been created, fell into this great ocean the vast sea of worldly existence. He the Creator subjected that Person to hunger and thirst. Then those deities said to Him: "Find for us an abode in which we may be established and eat food." 1

He brought a cow to them. They said: "This is indeed not enough for us." 2