AITAREYA UPANISHAD - 31. Rishi Maheedasa Aitareya.

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Sunday, 16 Jul 2023.  06:15.

PART 3: Chapter 5, 4 Mantras

“CONSCIOUSNESS IS BRAHMAN”

Here begins the First Chapter (No.5) of Part 3

Mantram - 5.3B: “PRAJNANAM BRAHMA” – All Levels

Post-31.

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Mantram - 5.3B: “PRAJNANAM BRAHMA” – All Levels:

10 

sarvam tat prajnaa netram; = All these are impelled by Consciousness (Nimitta);

prajnaane pratishthitam; =  and are supported by Consciousness (Upadana);

11 

prajnaa netrah lokah; = The world has Consciousness as its efficient cause;

prajnaa pratishthaa; = and Consciousness as its basis, the material cause;

12 

prajnaanam brahma. = Verily, “CONSCIOUSNESS IS PURE BRAHMAN”. 

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SUMMARY:

Finally, we have the overall summary statements, divided into efficient and material 

causes.

10-11 

Netram: “impelled or guided by”, is meant to indicate the function of being 

the Nimitta Karana or efficient cause of all living creatures and also to indicate that 

Prajnanam is independent of all that is created. Independence is proof of the Reality status.

Pratishthitam: “established in or supported by”, is meant to indicate the function of 

Upadana Karana or material cause of the same items, and also to indicate the dependency

of the manifested creation on Prajnanam. Dependency is proof of the Unreality status.

12 

Prajnaanam Brahma: Finally, the Mahavakya concludes the discussion of the 

students. The Truth is “Consciousness is Brahman”, where Consciousness is Pure (in its 

aspect as Upahita Chaitanya), the detached, unassociated Consciousness, and is no different 

from Brahman. Creation is unreal in nature, a mere superimposition upon Consciousness.

CONCLUSION:

This is the point we started with at the very beginning in verse 1.1 – “Aatmaa vaa 

idam eka eva agra aaseet – in the beginning this was the Absolute Self alone”. This is the 

unassociated Pure Brahman. We end now with the same Truth, after having done the 

Adhyaropa (superimposition) and the Apavada (de-superimposition).

With that ends the Vedantic verification of the Truths which were earlier alluded to 

through the use of symbolic imagery or graphical representation.

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Next - Mantram - 5.4: Jivanmukti & Kramamukti

To be continued

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