Aitareya Upanishad (with commentary) · Chapter 2

AitUpBh_1,3.14
tasmādidaṃ paśyatītīdandro nāma paramātmā /
idandro ha vai nāma prasiddho loka īśvaraḥ /
tamevamidandraṃ santamindra iti parokṣeṇa parokṣābhidhānenācakṣate brahmavidaḥ saṃvyavahārārtham -
pūjyatamatvātpratyakṣanāmagrahaṇabhayāt /
tathā hi parokṣāpriyāḥ parokṣanāmagrahaṇapriyā iva eva hi yasmāddevāḥ, kimuta sarvadevānāmapi devo maheśvaraḥ /
dvivacanaṃ prakṛtādhyāyaparisamāptyartham //14//
iti prathamādhyāye tṛtīyaḥ khaṇḍaḥ samāptaḥ //3//
dvitīya adhyāya
prathama khaṇḍa
asmiṃścaturthe 'dhyāya eṣa vākyārthaḥ - jagadutpattisthitipralayakṛdasaṃsārī sarvajñaḥ sarvaśaktiḥ sarvavitsarvamidaṃ jagatsvato 'nyadvastvantaramanupādāyaiva ākāśādikrameṇa sṛṣṭvā svātmaprabodhanārthaṃ sarvāṇi ca prāṇādimaccharīrāṇi svayaṃ praviveśa /
praviśya ca svamātmānaṃ yathāmṛtamidaṃ brahmāsmīti sākṣātpratyabudhyata /
tasmātsa eva sarvaśarīreṣveka evātmā nānya iti /
anyo 'pi"sama ātmā brahmāsmītyevaṃ vidyāt"iti /
"ātmā vā idameka evāgra āsīt"(1 / 1 / 1) iti"brahma tatamam"(1 / 3 / 13) iti coktam /
anyatra ca /
sarvagatasya sarvātmano bālāgramātramapyapraviṣṭaṃ nāstīti kathaṃ sīmānaṃ vidārya prāpadyata pipīlikeva suṣiram /
nanvatyalpamidaṃ codyaṃ bahu cātra codayitavyam /
akaraṇaḥ sannīkṣata /
anupādāya kiñcillokānasṛjata /
adbhyaḥ puruṣaṃ samuddhṛtyāmūrchayat /
tasmābhidhyānānmukhādi nirbhinnaṃ mukhādibhyaścāgnyādayo lokapālāsteṣāṃ cāśanāyāpipāsādisaṃyojanaṃ tadāyatanaprārthanaṃ tadarthaṃ gavādipradarśanaṃ teṣāṃ yathāyatanapraveśanaṃ sṛṣṭasyānnasya palāyanaṃ vāgādibhistajjighṛkṣāḥ, etatsarvaṃ sīmāvidāraṇapraveśasamameva /
astu tarhi sarvamevedamanupapannam /
na, atrātmāvabodhamātrasya vivakṣitatvātsarvo 'yamarthavāda ityadoṣaḥ /
māyāvivadvā mahāmāyāvī devaḥ sarvajñaḥ sarvaśaktiḥ sarvametaccakāra /
sukhāvabodhanapratipattyarthaṃ lokavadākhyāyikādiprapañca iti yuktataraḥ pakṣaḥ /
na hi sṛṣṭyākhyāyikādiparijñānātkiñcitphalamiṣyate /
aikātmyasvarūpaparijñānāttu amṛtatvaṃ phalaṃ sarvopaniṣatprasiddham /
smṛtiṣu ca gītādyāsu"samaṃsarveṣu bhūteṣu tiṣṭhantaṃ parameśvaram"(gītā 13 / 27) ityādinā /
nanu traya ātmānaḥ /
bhoktā kartā saṃsārī jīva ekaḥ sarvalokaśāstraprasiddhaḥ /
anekaprāṇikarmaphalopabhogayogyānekādhiṣṭhānavallokadehanirmāṇena liṅgena yathāśāstrapradarśitena puraprāsādādinirmāṇaliṅgena tadviṣayakauśalajñānavāṃstatkartā takṣādiriveśvaraḥ sarvajño jagataḥ kartā dvitīyaścetana ātmā avagamyate /
"yato vāco nivartante"(tai.u.2 / 4 / 1) "neti neti"(bṛ.u.3 / 9 / 23) ityādiśāstraprasiddha aupaniṣadaḥ puruṣastṛtīyaḥ evamete traya ātmānānyonyavilakṣaṇāḥ tatra kathameka eva ātmā advitīyaḥ asaṃsārīti jñātuṃ śakyate?
tatra jīva eva tāvatkathaṃ jñāyate?
nanvevaṃ jñāyate śrotā mantā draṣṭā ādeṣṭā āghoṣṭā vijñātā prajñāteti /
nanu vipratiṣiddhaṃ jñāyate yaḥ śravaṇādikartṛtvenāmato mantāvijñāto vijñāteti ca /
tathā"na matermantāraṃ manvīthā na vijñātevijñātāraṃ vijānīyāḥ"(bṛ.u.3 / 4 / 2) ityādi ca /
satyaṃ vipratiṣiddham, yadi pratyakṣeṇa jñāyeta sukhādivat /
pratyakṣajñānaṃ ca nivāryate"na matermantāraṃ manvīthāḥ"(bṛ.u.3 / 3 / 2) ityādinā /
jñāyate tu śravaṇādiliṅgena, tatra kuto vipratiṣedhaḥ /
nanu śravaṇādiliṅgenāpi kathaṃ jñāyate? yāvatā yadā śṛṇotyātmā śrotavyaṃ śabdaṃ tadā tasya śravaṇakriyayaiva vartamānatvānmananavijñānakriye na saṃbhavataḥ ātmani paratra vā /
tathānyatrāpi mananādikriyāsu /
śravaṇādikriyāśca svaviṣayeṣveva /
na hi mantavyādanyatra manturmananakriyā saṃbhavati /
nanu manasā sarvameva mantavyam /
satyamevaṃ tathāpi sarvamapi mantavyaṃ mantāramantareṇa na mantuṃ śakyam /
yadyevaṃ kiṃ syāt?
idamatra syāt, sarvasya yo 'yaṃ mantā sa mantaiveti na sa mantavyaḥ syāt /
na ca dvitīyo manturmantāsti /
yadā sa ātmanaiva mantavyastadā yena ca mantavyaḥ ātmā ātmanā yaśca mantavya ātmā tau dvau prasajyeyātām /
eka evātmā dvidhā mantṛmantavyatvena dviśakalībhavedvaṃśādivat ubhayathāpyanupapattireva /
yathā pradīpayoḥ prakāśyaprakāśakatvānupapattiḥ samatvāttadvat /
na ca manturmantavye mananavyāpāraśūnyaḥ kālo 'styātmamananāya /
yadāpi liṅgenātmānaṃ manute mantāḥ, tadāpi pūrvavadeva liṅgena mantavya ātmā yaśca tasya mantā tau dvau prasajyeyātām /
eka eva vā dvidheti pūrvoktadoṣaḥ /
na pratyakṣeṇa nāpyanumānena jñāyate cet kathamucyate"sa ma ātmeti vidyāt"(kauṣī.3 / 9) iti? kathaṃ vā śrotā mantetyādi?
nanu śrotṛtvādidharmavānātmā aśrotṛtvādi ca prasiddhamātmanaḥ /
kimatra viṣamaṃ paśyasi?
yadyapi tava na viṣamaṃ tathāpi mama tu viṣamaṃ pratibhāti /
katham? yadāsau śrotā tadā na mantā yadā mantā tadā na śrotā /
tatraivaṃ sati pakṣe śrotā mantā pakṣe na śrotā nāpi mantā /
tathānyatrāpi ca /
yadaivaṃ tadā śrotṛtvādidharmavānātmā aśrotṛtvādidharmavānveti saṃśayasthāne kathaṃ tava na vaiṣamyam /
yadā devadatto gacchati tadā na sthātā gantaiva /
yadā tiṣṭhati tadā na gantā sthātaiva /
tadā asya pakṣa eva gantṛtvaṃ sthātṛtvaṃ ca /
na nityaṃ gantṛtvaṃ sthātṛtvaṃ vā /
tadvat /
tathaivātra kāṇādādayaḥ paśyanti /
pakṣaprāptenaiva śrotṛtvādinā ātmocyate śrotā mantetyādivacanāt /
saṃyogajatvamayaugapadyaṃ ca jñānasya hyācakṣate /
darśayanti cānyatramanā /
abhūvaṃ nādarśamityādi yugapajjñānānupattirmanaso liṅgamiti ca nyāyyam /
bhavatvevam kiṃ tava naṣṭaṃ yadyevaṃ syāt?
astvevaṃ taveṣṭaṃ cet /
śrutyarthastu na saṃbhavati /
kiṃ na śrotā mantetyādiśrutyathaḥ
na, na śrotā na mantetyādivacanāt /
nanu pākṣikatvena pratyuktaṃ tvayā /
na, nityameva śrotṛtvādyabhyupagamāt /
"na hi śrotuḥ śruterviparilopo vidyate"(bṛ.u.4 / 3 / 27) ityādiśruteḥ /
evaṃ tarhi nityameva śrotṛtvādyabhyupagame pratyakṣaviruddhā yugapajjñānotpattirajñānābhāvāvaścātmanaḥ kalpitaḥ syāt /
taccāniṣṭamiti /
nobhayadoṣopapattiḥ /
ātmanaḥ śrutyādiśrotṛtvādidharmavattvaśruteḥ /
anityānāṃ mūrtānāṃ ca cakṣurādīnāṃ dṛṣṭyādyanityameva saṃyogaviyogadharmiṇām, yathāgnerjvalanaṃ tṛṇādisaṃyogajatvāttadvat /
na tu nityasyāmūrtasyāsaṃyogaviyogadharmiṇaḥ saṃyogajadṛṣṭyādyanityadharmavattvaṃ saṃbhavati /
tathā ca śrutiḥ"na hi draṣṭurdṛṣṭerviparilopo vidyate"(bṛ.u.4 / 3 / 23) ityādyā /
evaṃ tarhi dve dṛṣṭī cakṣuṣo 'nityādṛṣṭirnityā cātmanaḥ /
tathā ca dve śrutī śrotrasyānityā nityā cātmasvarūpasya /
tathā dve matī vijñātī bāhyābāhye evaṃ hyeva /

tathā ceyaṃ śrutirupapannā bhavati"dṛṣṭerdraṣṭā śruteḥ śrotā"ityādyā /
loko 'pi prasiddhaṃ cakṣuṣastimirāgamāpāyayornaṣṭā dṛṣṭirjātā dṛṣṭiriti cakṣurdṛṣṭeranityatvam tathā ca śrutimatyādīnāmātmadṛṣṭyādīnāṃ ca nityatvaṃ prasiddhameva loke /
vadati hi uddhṛtacakṣuḥ svapne 'dyamayā bhrātā dṛṣṭa iti /
tathāvagatabādhiryaḥ svapneśruto mantro 'dyetyādi /
yadi cakṣuḥsaṃyogajaivātmano nityā dṛṣṭistannāśo naśyet /
tadoddhṛtacakṣuḥ svapne nīlapītādi na paśyet /
"na hi draṣṭurdṛṣṭeḥ"(bṛ.u.4 / 3 / 23) ityādyā ca śrutiranupapannā syāt /
"taccakṣuḥ puruṣo yena svapne paśyati"ityādyā ca śrutiḥ /
nityā ātmano dṛṣṭirbāhyānityadṛṣṭergrāhikā /
bāhyadṛṣṭeścopajanāpāyādyānityadharmavattvāttadgrāhikāyā ātmadṛṣṭestadvadavabhāsatvamanityatvādi bhrāntinimittaṃ lokasyeti yuktam /
yathā bhramaṇādidharmavadalātādivastuviṣayadṛṣṭirapi bhramatīva tadvat /
tathā ca śrutiḥ"dhyāyatīva lelāyatīva"(bṛ.u.4 / 3 / 7) iti /
tasmādātmadṛṣṭernityatvānna yaugapadyamayaugapadyaṃ vāsti /
bāhyānityadṛṣṭyupādhivaśāttu lokasya tārkikāṇāṃ cāgamasaṃpradāyavarjitatvād anityā ātmano dṛṣṭiriti bhrāntirupapannaiva /
jīveśvaraparamātmabhedakalpanā caitannimittaiva /
tathā ca asti nāstītyādyāśca yāvanto vāṅmanasayorbhedā yatraikaṃ bhavanti, tadviṣayāyā nityāyā dṛṣṭernirviśeṣāyāḥ asti nāsti, ekaṃ nānā, guṇavadaguṇam, jānāti na jānāti, kriyāvadakriyam phalavadaphalam, sabījaṃ nirbījam, sukhaṃ duḥkham, madhyamamadhyam, śūnyamaśūnyam, paro 'hamanya iti vā saravavākpratyayāgocare svarūpe yo vikalpayitumicchati, sa nūnaṃ khamati carmavadveṣṭayitumicchati, sopānamiva ca padbhyāmāroḍhum jale khe ca mīnānāṃ vayasāṃ ca padaṃ didṛkṣate /
"neti neti"(bṛ.u.3 / 9 / 23) "yato vāco nivartante"(tai.u.2 / 4 / 1) ityādiśrutibhyaḥ /
"ko addhā veda"(ṛ.saṃ.1 / 3 / 6) ityādimantravarṇāt /
kathaṃ tarhi tasya sa ma ātmeti vedanam /
brūhi kena prakāreṇa tamahaṃ sa ma ātmeti vidyām /
atrākhyāyikāmācakṣate - kaścitkila manuṣyo mugdhaḥ kaiściduktaḥ kasmiṃścidaparādhe sati dhiktvāṃ nāsi manuṣya iti /
sa mugdhatayā ātmano manuṣyatvaṃ pratyāyayituṃ kañcidupetyāha bravītu bhavānko 'hamasmīti /
sa tasya mugdhatāṃ jñātvāha /
krameṇa bodhayiṣyāmīti /
sthāvarādyātmabhāvamapohya na tvamamanuṣya ityuktvopararāma /
sa taṃ mugdhaḥ pratyāha bhavānmāṃ bodhayituṃ pravṛttastūṣṇīṃ babhūva /
kiṃ na bodhayatīti? tādṛgeva tadbhavito vacanam /
nāsyamanuṣya ityukte 'pi manuṣyatvamātmano na pratipadyate yaḥ sa kathaṃ manuṣyo 'sītyukto 'pi manuṣyatvamātmanaḥ pratipadyeta tasmādyathāśāstropadeśa evātmāvabodhavidhirnānyaḥ /
na hyagnerdāhyaṃ tṛṇādyanyena kenaciddgdhuṃ śakyam /
ata eva śāstramātmasvarūpaṃ bodhayituṃ pravṛttaṃ sadamanuṣyatvapratiṣedheneva"neti neti"
(bṛ.u.3 / 9 / 23) ityuktvopararāma /
tathā"ananta ramabāhyam"(bṛ.u.2 / 5 / 19, 3 / 8 / 8) "ayamātmā brahma sarvānubhūḥ"(bṛ.u.2 / 5 -19) ityanuśāsanam /
"tattvamasi"(chā.u.3 / 8 / 16) "yatra tvasya sarvamātmaivābhūttatkena kaṃ paśyet"(bṛ.u.2 / 4 / 14, 4 / 5 / 15) ityevamādyapi ca /
yāvadayamevaṃ yathoktamimamātmānaṃ na vetti tāvadayaṃ bāhyānityadṛṣṭilakṣaṇamupādhimātmatvenopetya avidyayā upādhidharmānātmano manyamāno brahmādistambaparyanteṣu devatiryaṅnarasthāneṣu punaḥ punarāvartamāno 'vidyākāmakarmavaśātsaṃsarati /
sa evaṃ punarevameva nadīsrotovajjanmamaraṇaprabandhāvicchedena vartamānaḥ kābhiravasthābhirvartata ityetamarthaṃ darśayantyāha śrutirvairāgyahetoḥ -
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START 2.1
puruṣe ha vā ayam ādito garbho bhavati yad etad retaḥ |
tad etat sarvebhyo 'ṅgebhyas tejaḥ sambhūtam ātmany evātmānaṃ bibharti |
tad yadā striyāṃ siñcaty athainaj janayati |
tad asya prathamaṃ janma

AitUpBh_2.1
ayamevāvidyākāmakarmābhimānavān yajñādikarma kṛtvāsmāllokād dhūmādikrameṇa annabhūtaḥ puruṣāgnau hutaḥ /
tasminpuruṣe ha vā ayaṃ saṃsārī rasādikrameṇa āditaḥ prathamato retorūpeṇa garbho bhavatītyetadāha yadetatpuruṣe retastena rūpeṇeti /
taccaitadreto 'nnamayasya piṇḍasya sarvebhyo 'ṅgebhyo 'vayavebhyo rasādilakṣaṇebhyastejaḥ sārarūpaṃ śarīrasya saṃbhūtaṃ pariniṣpannaṃ tatpuruṣasyātmabhūtatvādātmā /
tamātmānaṃ retorūpeṇa garbhībhūtamātmanyeva svaśarīra evātmānaṃ bibharti dhārayati /
tadreto yadā yasminkāle bhāryartumatī tasyāṃ yoṣāgnau striyā siñcatyugacchan, atha tadainadetadreta ātmano garbhabhūtaṃ janayati pitā /
tadasya puruṣasya sthānānnirgamanaṃ retaḥsekakāle retorūreṇāsya saṃsāriṇaḥ prathamaṃ janma prathamāvasthābhivyaktiḥ /
tadetaduktaṃ purastāt"asāvātmāmumātmānam"ityādinā //1//
START 2.2
tat striyā ātmabhūyaṃ gacchati yathā svam aṅgaṃ tathā |
tasmād enāṃ na hinasti |
sāsyaitam ātmānam atra gataṃ bhāvayati

AitUpBh_2.2
tadreto yasyāṃ striyāṃ siktaṃ sattasyā ātmabhūyamātmāvyatirekatāṃ yathā piturevaṃ gacchati prāpnoti yathā svamaṅgaṃ stanādi tathā tadvadeva /
tasmāddhetorenāṃ mātaraṃ sa garbho na hinasti piṭakādivat /
yasmātstanādi svāṅgavadātmabhūtaṃ gataṃ tasmānna hinasti na bādhata ityarthaḥ /
sā antarvatnyetamasya bharturātmānamatrātmana udare gataṃ praviṣṭaṃ buddhvā bhāvayati vardhayati paripālayati garbhaviruddhāśanādiparihāramanukūlāśanādyupayogaṃ ca kurvatī //2//
START 2.3
sā bhāvayitrī bhāvayitavyā bhavati |
taṃ strī garbhaṃ bibharti |
so 'gra eva kumāraṃ janmano 'gre 'dhi bhāvayati |
sa yat kumāraṃ janmano 'gre 'dhi bhāvayaty ātmānam eva tad bhāvayaty eṣāṃ lokānāṃ santatyai |
evaṃ santatā hīme lokāḥ |
tad asya dvitīyaṃ janma

AitUpBh_2.3
sā bhāvayitrī vardhayitrī bharturātmano garbhabhūtasya bhāvayitavyā vardhayitavyā rakṣayitavyā ca bhartā bhavati /
na hyupakārapratyupakāramantareṇa loke kasyacitkenacitsambandha upapadyate /
taṃ garbhaṃ strī yathoktena garbhadhāraṇavidhānena bibharti dhārayatyagre prāgjanmanaḥ /
sa pitā agra eva pūrvameva jātamātraṃ janmano 'dhyūrdhvaṃ janmano jātaṃ kumāraṃ jātakarmādinā pitā bhāvayati /
sa pitā yadyasmātkumāraṃ janmano 'dhyūrdhvamagre jātamātrameva jātakarmādinā yadbhāvayati /
tadātmānameva bhāvayati /
piturātmaiva hi putrarūpeṇa jāyate /
tathā hyuktam"patirjāyāṃ praviśati"(hari.3 / 73 / 31) ityādi /
tatkimarthamātmānaṃ putrarūpeṇa janayitvā bhāvayatītyucyate - eṣāṃ lokānāṃ santatyā avicchedāyetyarthaḥ /
vicchidyeranhīme lokāḥ putrotpādanādi yadi na kuryuḥ kecana /
evaṃ putrotpādanādikarmāvicchedenaiva santatāḥ prabandharūpeṇa vartante hi yasmādime lokāstasmāttadavicchedāya tatkartavyaṃ na mokṣāyetyarthaḥ /
tadasya saṃsāriṇaḥ kumārarūpeṇa māturudarādyannirgamanaṃ tadretorūpāpekṣayā dvitīyaṃ janma dvitīyāvasthābhivyaktiḥ //3//
START 2.4
so 'syāyam ātmā puṇyebhyaḥ karmebhyaḥ pratidhīyate |
athāsyāyam itara ātmā kṛtakṛtyo vayogataḥ praiti |
sa itaḥ prayann eva punar jāyate |
tad asya tṛtīyaṃ janma

AitUpBh_2.4
asya pituḥ so 'yaṃ putrātmā puṇyebhyaḥ śāstroktebhyaḥ karmabhyaḥ karmaniṣpādanārthaṃ pratidhīyate pituḥ sthāne pitrā yatkartavyaṃ tatkaraṇāya pratinidhīyata ityarthaḥ /
tathā ca saṃprattividyāyāṃ vājasaneyake pitrānuśiṣṭaḥ -"ahaṃ brahmāhaṃ yajñaḥ"(bṛ.u.1 / 5 / 17) ityādi pratipadyata iti /
athānantaraṃ putre niveśyātmano bhāramasya putrasyetaro 'yaṃ yaḥ pitrātmā kṛtakṛtyaḥ kartavyādṛṇatrayādvimuktaḥ kṛtakartavya ityarthaḥ, vayogato gatavayā jīrṇaḥ sanpraiti mriyate /
sa ito 'smātprayanneva śarīraṃ parityajanneva tṛṇajalūkāvad dehāntaramupādadānaḥ karmacitaṃ punarjāyate /
tadasya mṛtvā pratipattavyaṃ yattattṛtīyaṃ janma /
nanu saṃsarataḥ pituḥ sakāśādretorūpeṇa prathamaṃ janma /
tasyeva kumārarūpeṇa māturdvitīyaṃ janmoktam /
tasyaiva tṛtīye janmani vaktavye pretasya pituryajjanma tattṛtīyamiti kathamucyate?
naiṣa doṣaḥ pitāputrayoraikātmyasya vivakṣitatvāt /
so 'pi putraḥ svaputre bhāraṃ nidhāyetaḥ prayanneva punarjāyate yathā pitā /
tadanyatroktamitaratrāpyuktameva bhavatīti manyate śrutiḥ pitāputrayorekātmatvāt //4//
START 2.5
evaṃ saṃsarannavasthābhivyaktitrayeṇa janmamaraṇaprabandhārūḍhaḥ sarvo lokaḥ saṃsāramasudre nipatitaḥ katañcidyadā śrutyuktamātmānaṃ vijānāti yasyāṃ kasyāñcidavasthāyāṃ tadaiva muktasarvasaṃsārabandhanaḥ kṛtakṛtyo bhavatīti -
tad uktam ṛṣiṇā -- garbhe nu sann anv eṣām avedamahaṃ devānāṃ janimāni viśvā |
śataṃ mā pura āyasīr arakṣannadha śyeno javasā nir adīyam |
iti |
garbha evaitac chayāno vāmadeva evam uvāca

AitUpBh_2.5
etadvastu tadṛṣiṇā mantreṇāpyuktamityāha -
garbhe nu māturgarbhāśaya eva san /
nviti vitarke /
anekajanmāntarabhāvanāparipākavaśādeṣāṃ devānāṃ vāgagnyādīnāṃ janimāni janmāni viśvā viśvāni sarvāṇyanvavedamahamaho anubuddhavānasmītyarthaḥ śatamanekā bahvyo mā māṃ pura āyasīḥ āyasyo lohamayya ivābhedyāni śarīrāṇītyabhiprāyaḥ, arakṣannarakṣitavatyaḥ saṃsārapāśanirgamanādadhaḥ /
atha śyena iva jālaṃ bhittvā javasā ātmajñānakṛtasāmarthyena niradīyaṃ nirgato 'smi /
aho garbha eva śayāno vāmadeva ṛṣirevamuvācaitat //5//
START 2.6
sa evaṃ vidvān asmāc charīrabhedād ūrdhvam utkramyāmuṣmin svarge loke sarvān kāmān āptvāmṛtaḥ samabhavat samabhavat