AITAREYA UPANISHAD - “By a Peasant for the Peasant”: 6. Rishi Maheedasa Aitareya.

SWAMI ADVAYANANDA

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Sunday 04, January 2025, 19:50.
AITAREYA UPANISHAD: “By a Peasant for the Peasant” :  
Composed by Rishi Maheedasa Aitareya
Series of 10 Lectures - by SWAMI ADVAYANANDAJI
Acharyaji, 15th Batch Vedanta Course
AT SANDEEPANY SADHANALAYA, POWAI, MUMBAI
February 15th – February 23rd, 2013.
Reflections by SWAMI GURUBHAKTANANDA
PART 1:   Chapter 2 - 5 Mantras:  ABODES for the Devatas
Post-6.

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Here begins the Chapter 2 of Part 1. 

THE CREATION OF THE organs, their objects and their Devatas in the previous mantram is at the unlimited, subtle, macrocosmic (Samashti) level.  In this chapter, we move to the limited, gross, microcosmic (Vyashti) level. The one, subtle, macrocosmic entity, named Hiranyagarbha, when it becomes gross, is called Virat, and has multiple forms which need suitably sized, individualised abodes to function as microcosmic entities in the gross world. 

The idea of having an “abode” introduces how the individual being is conceived in creation. It is a logical necessity. There is no other way for Virat to function in the gross Cosmos; He has to divide Himself into smaller individual units, each one having a fraction of the total power that Virat represents. 

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Mantram - 2.1: The Need for a Smaller Abode – the Individual:

1 

taah etaah devataah srishtaah, = These Devatas (divinities) so created,   

asmin mahati arnave praapatan; = fell headlong into the great restless sea. 

2  

tam ashanaayaa pipaasaabhyaam = Then to hunger and thirst  

anvavaarjat; = He subjected them. 

3

taah enam abruvan, = They said to Him:   

aayatanam nah prajaaneehi; = “Please find for us an abode  

yasmin pratishthitaah, = wherein we may be established,    

annam adaama iti. = and may obtain our food.

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1 

Diving or falling headlong into the vast ‘Soup’ of which the Organs were made gives some idea of the difficulties that these Devatas must have experienced without having a form to move into. They seemed to be at a loss without having a proper place to live in. 

2

Unless one is faced with problems, no solutions are possible. The Supreme Being,  in order to test-drive his creation of living beings, subjected them to the trials of hunger and thirst. How will they survive in their new environment? How were they going to find their food in this wilderness? If they were thirsty, finding water would be like looking for it in a desert. If they were hungry, how were they expected to get their food? 

3

All the beings tried their best first to survive, but it was just impossible unless they had their own personal abodes. What they needed was a Body of manageable size through which they could function within reasonable range for all their needs to be met. This was not asking for too much. They arrived with their petition to the Supreme Brahman. The Devatas desperately needed suitable abodes. As was the protocol, the request was made, in some desperation, to Brahmaji. Now it became Brahmaji’s problem. Like a loving father, Brahmaji smiled – He knew His children would come running to Him with their problem. He pondered over it for some time. And then . . .  

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Next
Mantram - 2.2: Cows and Horses – The Trial Abodes: 
Continues

 SWAMI GURUBHAKTANANDA

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