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Aitareya Upanishad

Chapter 4

द्वितीयोऽध्यायः

Adhyaya 2

Verses

  1. Verse 1

    oṃ puruṣe ha vā ayamādito garbho bhavati yadetadretaḥ | tadetatsarvebhyo'ṅgebhyastejaḥ saṃbhūtamātmanyevātmānaṃ bibharti tadyadā striyāṃ siñcatyathainajjanayati tadasya prathamaṃ janma || 1||

    Meaning

    This (self) first comes to be in a man as an embryo — namely the semen. This is the vigour gathered from all the limbs; he bears the self in his own self. When he sheds it into a woman, he gives it birth — that is its first birth.

  2. Verse 2

    tatstriyā ātmabhūyaṃ gacchati yathā svamaṅgaṃ tathā | tasmādenāṃ na hinasti | sā'syaitamātmānamatra gataṃ bhāvayati || 2||

    Meaning

    It becomes one with the woman's own self, as if her own limb; therefore it does not harm her. She nourishes this self of his that has entered her.

  3. Verse 3

    sā bhāvayitrī bhāvayitavyā bhavati | taṃ strī garbha bibharti | so'gra eva kumāraṃ janmano'gre'dhibhāvayati | sa yatkumāraṃ janmano'gre'dhibhāvayatyātmānameva tadbhāvayatyeṣaṃ lokānāṃ santatyā | evaṃ santatā hīme lokāstadasya dvitīyaṃ janma || 3||

    Meaning

    She, the nourisher, becomes worthy of being nourished. The woman bears the embryo. He (the father) nourishes the child both before and after birth. In nourishing the child before and after birth, he nourishes his own self, for the continuance of these worlds; for thus are these worlds continued. This is its second birth.

  4. Verse 4

    so'syāyamātmā puṇyebhyaḥ karmabhyaḥ pratidhīyate | athāsyāyāmitara ātmā kṛtakṛtyo vayogataḥ praiti | sa itaḥ prayanneva punarjāyate tadasya tṛtīyaṃ janma || 4||

    Meaning

    This self of his (the son) is appointed in his place for (continuing) meritorious works. Then his other self (the father), his task accomplished and his years spent, departs. Departing hence, he is born again — that is its third birth.

  5. Verse 5

    taduktamṛṣiṇā garbhe nu sannanveṣāmavedamahaṃ devānāṃ janimāni viśvā śataṃ mā pura āyasīrarakṣannadhaḥ śyeno javasā niradīyamiti | garbha evaitacchayāno vāmadeva evamuvāca || 5||

    Meaning

    This was declared by the seer (Vamadeva): 'While yet lying in the womb, I knew all the births of the gods. A hundred iron citadels held me down; yet, like a hawk, I burst forth with speed.' Vamadeva spoke thus even while lying in the womb.

  6. Verse 6

    sa evaṃ vidvānasmāccharīrabhedādūrdhva utkramyāmuṣmin svarge loke sarvān kāmānāptvā'mṛtaḥ samabhavat samabhavat || 6||

    Meaning

    He, knowing thus, on the falling away of this body ascended upward, and having attained all desires in that heavenly world, became immortal — became immortal.

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