AITAREYA UPANISHAD - “By a Peasant for the Peasant”: 9. Rishi Maheedasa Aitareya

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Sunday 05, April 2026, 05:20.
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-9.

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Mantram - 2.4: The Gods Take Up Their Super-Abode:

8 

Agnih vaak bhootvaa, =  i) The God of Fire, having turned into speech,

mukham praavishat; = entered the mouth; 

9 

Vaayuh praanah bhootvaa, = ii) The God of Air, having become scent, 

 naasike praavishat; = entered the nostrils; 

10

 Aadityah chakshuh bhootvaa, = iii) The Sun-God, having become sight,  

akshinee praavishat; = entered the eyes; 

11

 Dishah shrotram bhootvaa, = iv) The God of the Quarters (Space), having  

karnau praavishan; = become hearing, entered the ears; 

12

Oshadhi vanaspatayah lomaani = v) The herbs and trees, having become hair, 

bhootvaa, tvacham praavishan; =  entered the skin; 

13

Chandramaah manah bhootvaa, = vi) The Moon-God, having become the mind, 

 hridayam praavishat; =  entered the heart; 

14

Mrityuh apaanah bhootvaa, naabhim = vii) The God of Death, having become the  

praavishat; =  out-breath, entered the navel; 

15

 Aapah retah bhootvaa, = viii) The God of the Waters, having become  

shishnam praavishan.= the semen, entered the generative org.

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This mantram is the counterpart of mantram 1.4. 

The 8 elements when created came in an order reverse to the above – i.e. the physical organ came first then the object associated with it, and then the Deity who was to govern it. 

8-15 Now when they are all settling into their abodes, the unpacking is done in reverse order. The Deities enter first and, appearing as the sense objects, enter into their respective sense organs. 

One gets the distinct feeling from this verse of how various departmental heads operate in a large corporation. The CEO issues the instruction from his office on the top floor, and then all the heads go to their various departments with their orders. They in turn go about their respective duties very obediently, issuing the same orders to the workers. 

The Cosmos is seen to operate in very much the same way. For this mantram, Sri Shankaracharya in his Bhashya provides the example of a King giving orders to the various commanders of an army as they enter into a city that they are about to conquer. Each commander simply goes to his territory and takes over the  functioning! This simile is more appropriate in its impact to get the message across.


 *****

Next

Mantram - 2.5: What About Hunger and Thirst? 


Continues


SWAMI ADVAYANANDA


SWAMI GURUBHAKTANANDA

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know the self, know the self in Nature, know the self in Jiva, Further Oneness.

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