AITAREYA UPANISHAD 8. - Rishi Maheedasa Aitareya

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Thursday, June 23, 2022. 19:00.

3 Parts, 6 Chapters, 33 No. Mantras - “By a Peasant for the Peasant”

Introduction : PART - 1 : Chapter One : THE THEORY OF CREATION.

PART 1: Chapter 2, 5 Mantras : ABODES for the Devatas

POST-8.

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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 verse

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:1.

"Tah etah devatah srishtah, asmin mahati arnave prapatan;

tam ashanaya pipaaabhyam anvavarjat;

tah enam abruvan, ayatanam nah prajaaneehi; 

yasmin pratishthitaah, annam adaama iti."

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Translation : 

1 tah etah devatah srishtah, asmin mahati arnave prapatan;                    =   These Devatas 

(divinities) so created,  fell headlong into the great restless sea.

2 tam ashanaya pipasabhyam anvavaarjat;                                            =   Then to hunger and 

thirst  He them.

3 tah enam abruvan,  ayatanam nah prajaaneehi;  yasmin pratishthitaah,  =   They said to Him: 

annam adaama iti.  “Please find for us an abode  wherein we may be established,  and may 

obtain our food.”

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Commentary :

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

To be continued .....

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