AITAREYA UPANISHAD : 1. “By a Peasant for the Peasant” : Composed by Rishi Maheedasa Aitareya

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Series of 10 Lectures : by SWAMI ADVAYANANDAJI

Acharyaji, 15th Batch Vedanta Course

AT SANDEEPANY SADHANALAYA, POWAI, MUMBAI

February 15th – February 23rd, 2013

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Adi Shankaracharya, Swami Sivananda, Swami Tapovanji, Swami Chinmayananda.

SERVE  LOVE  GIVE  PURIFY  MEDITATE  REALISE

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Introduction 

PART 1

Chapter One:

THE THEORY OF CREATION

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Sunday, January 30, 2022. 20:00.

AITAREYA UPANISHAD

3 Parts, 6 Chapters, 33 No. Verses

“By a Peasant for the Peasant”

by Rishi Maheedasa Aitareya

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Note: 

The Peace Invocation ( Santhi Mantram ) which is usually chanted at the start of a text has been placed at the end as Chapter Six, in accordance with the manner in which Sri Shankaracharyaji has placed it; it is thus considered to be part of the Upanishad itself.

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1.INTRODUCTION :

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1.1.The Source of Aitareya Upanishad :

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THIS UPANISHAD IS FROM one of the Rig Vedic Brahmanas. It is an Aranyaka (an

introductory Upanishad) composed within the Aitareya Brahmana. The first three chapters

of this Brahmana deal with the Karma Kanda. The next three chapters (4, 5 and 6), dealing

with knowledge of the Self or the Jnana Kanda, form this Upanishad.

These three chapters are referred to here as Parts 1, 2 and 3. Part 1 is sub-divided

into three chapters, namely, Chapters 1 to 3. Parts 2 and 3 have just one chapter each,

namely, Chapters 4 and 5. Sri Shankaracharyaji considers the Shanti Mantra sufficiently

important to warrant being called another chapter, i.e. Chapter 6. Putting these six chapters

together, he calls this text “Atma Shatka” (Shat = six).

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1.2.The Author of Aitareya Upanishad :

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This is one of the few Upanishads whose author is known to us. The Rishi’s name is Rishi Maheedasa Aitareya. The Rishi’s mother was Itara, which means “the other one”, presumably because she was the ‘other’ wife of the Brahmana, Vishaala. There is an anecdote concerning this circumstance in the life of the young Maheedasa.

The 5-year old boy was not allowed to sit on his father’s lap during a Havan ceremony, presumably because his mother was the ‘other’ wife. This disturbed the mother, a potter-woman, who then prayed to Goddess Earth for a solution. The Goddess appeared, placed the boy in a celestial seat, probably intending to show that it was superior to the father’s lap. Not only did the Goddess elevate the boy’s physical status in this manner, but She also elevated his mind by teaching him Divine Wisdom. The boy grew up to become a great Rishi, and acquired the name ‘Maheedasa’ meaning “servant of Mother Earth”.

The Rishi (Seer) Maheedasa did not forget his humble origin. He had a great love for the common people. He served the cause of his downtrodden community within which he had grown up. This Upanishad is recognized for its special appeal to the common man. Thus the Rishi promoted Vedic culture ‘from his hut in the slum’ to the peasants in his poor, sidelined community.

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Next - 

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1.3.The Style of Aitareya Upanishad :

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To be continued ....

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