The '''Aitareya'''
Upanishad is one of the older, "primary" Upanishads commented upon by
Shankara. It is a
Mukhya Upanishad, associated with the
Rigveda. It figures as number 8 in the
Muktika canon of 108 Upanishads.
The Aitareya Upanishad is a short prose text in three chapters and contains 33 verses in total. It comprises of fourth fifth and sixth chapters of the second book of the older vedic text,
Aitareya Aranyaka. This Upanishad contains three chapters.
The Rishi of Aitereya Aranyaka and Aitereya Brahmana is Aitereya Mahidasa. In Chhandogya Upanishad, Aitereya Mahidasa is said to have lived 116 years(Chhandogya 3.16.7).
In the first chapter of the text, atman, the inner self, is portrayed as a divine creator. In the second chapter, the three births of the atman are described.
The third chapter deals with the qualities of the Self or Brahman. It contains one of the most famous expressions of the Vedanta, "pragnanam Brahma," which is one of the
Mahavakyas.
External links
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Aitareya Upanishad
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Aitareya Upanishad
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Sri Aurobindo, ''The Upanishads''
[1].
Sri Aurobindo Ashram,
Pondicherry. 1972.