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 heat or meditation. From him, thus brooded over, the mouth was separated out, like an egg. From the mouth came speech, and from speech, Fire. The nostrils were separated out; from the nostrils came the breath, and from the breath, the Air. The eyes were separated out; from the eyes came sight, and from sight, the Sun. The ears were separated out; from the ears came hearing, and from hearing, the Directions of Space. The skin was separated out; from the skin came the hairs, and from the hairs, the Herbs and Trees. The heart was separated out; from the heart came the mind, and from the mind, the Moon. The navel was separated out; from the navel came the downward breath, and from the downward breath, Death. The generative organ was separated out; from the organ came the seed, and from the seed, the Waters. 4

Those deities, once created, fell into this great salty ocean symbolizing the cycle of worldly existence. He the Creator subjected the person to hunger and thirst. Then those deities said to Him: "Find for us a dwelling place where we may be established and eat food." 1

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