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{{short description|One of the ancient Sanskrit scriptures of Hinduism}}
{{italics}}
{{Infobox Upanishad
| image = Aitareya Upanishad, Sanskrit, Rigveda, Devanagari script, 1865 CE manuscript.jpg
| caption = ''The Aitareya Upanishad'', is found embedded inside the Rigveda. Above: a manuscript page (Sanskrit, Devanagari script)
| name = Aitareya
| Devanagari = ऐतरेय
| Sanskrit_transliteration = Aitareya
| composition_date = 1st millennium BCE
| authors = Aitareya Mahidasa
| type = [[Mukhya Upanishad]]
| Veda = [[Rigveda]]
| Brahmana = [[Aitareya Brahmana]]
| Aranyaka = [[Aitareya Aranyaka]]
| philosophy = [[Ātman (Hinduism)|Ātman]], [[Brahman]]
| chapters = 3
| verses = 33
| commentary = [[Adi Shankara]], [[Madhvacharya]]
| verse =[[Mahāvākyas#Prajñānam Brahma|"Prajñānam Brahma"]]
}}
{{Upanishads}}
The '''Aitareya Upanishad''' ({{langx|sa|ऐतरेयोपनिषद्}}, {{IAST3|Aitareyopaniṣad}}) is a [[Mukhya Upanishads|Mukhya]] Upanishad, associated with the [[Rigveda]]. It comprises the fourth, fifth and sixth chapters of the second book of [[Aranyaka#Aitareya Aranyaka|Aitareya Aranyaka]], which is one of the four layers of Rig vedic text.<ref>Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|978-81-208-1468-4}}, pages 7–14</ref>

Aitareya Upanishad discusses three philosophical themes: first, that the world and man is the creation of the [[Ātman (Hinduism)|Atman]] (Universal Self); second, the theory that the ''Atman'' undergoes threefold birth; third, that Consciousness is the essence of ''Atman''.<ref name=pauldeussen>[[Paul Deussen]], Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|978-81-208-1468-4}}, pages 13–20</ref>

==Chronology==
According to a 1998 review by [[Patrick Olivelle]] and other scholars, the Aitareya Upanishad was likely composed in a pre-[[Buddhist]] period, possibly 6th to 5th century BCE.<ref name="Olivelle1998p12">{{cite book|author=Patrick Olivelle|title=The Early Upanishads: Annotated Text and Translation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d4IRDAAAQBAJ |year=1998|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-512435-4 |pages=12–13}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Stephen Phillips|title=Yoga, Karma, and Rebirth: A Brief History and Philosophy|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=uLqrAgAAQBAJ |year=2009|publisher=Columbia University Press|isbn=978-0-231-14485-8|pages=28–30}}</ref>

==Discussion==
Aitareya Upanishad is a primary ancient [[Upanishad]], and is listed as number 8 in the [[Muktikā|Muktika]] canon of 108 Upanishads. Considered one of the middle Upanishads, the date of composition is not known but has been estimated by scholars to be sometime around 6th or 5th century BCE.<ref>[[Patrick Olivelle]] (1998), Upaniṣads, [[Oxford University Press]], {{ISBN|0-19-282292-6}}, pages 12–15</ref>

The Aitareya Upanishad is a short prose text, divided into three chapters, containing 33 verses.<ref>[[Max Muller]], [https://archive.org/stream/upanishads01ml#page/n97/mode/2up The Aitareya Upanishad], The [[Sacred Books of the East]], Volume 1, Oxford University Press, pages xcv-xcviii and 236–246</ref>

===First chapter===
In the first chapter of the Aitareya Upanishad, [[Ātman (Hinduism)|Atman]] is asserted to have existed alone prior to the creation of the universe. It is this Atman, the Self or the Inner Self, that is then portrayed as the creator of everything from itself and nothing, through heat. The text states that the Atman created the universe in stages. First came four entities: space, ''maram'' (earth, stars), ''maricih'' (light-atom) and ''apas'' (ur-water, cosmic fluid).<ref name=pauldeussen/> After these came into existence, came the cosmic self and eight psyches and principles (speech, in-breathing, sight, hearing, skin/hair, mind, out-breathing, reproductivity). Atman then created eight guardians corresponding to these psyches and principles.<ref name=pauldeussen/> Then, asserts Aitareya Upanishad, came the connective principles of hunger and thirst, where everything became interdependent on everything else through the principle of ''apana'' (digestion). Thereafter came man, who could not exist without a sense of Self and Atman. But this sense then began cogitating on itself, saying that "I am more than my sensory organs, I am more than my mind, I am more than my reproductive ability", and then asked (abridged),

{{Quote|
कोऽहमिति

Who am I?
|Aitareya Upanishad, Chapter 1, Hymn 11<ref name=pauldeussen/><ref>Max Muller translates this as "What am I?", see: [https://archive.org/stream/upanishads01ml#page/240/mode/2up Aitareya Upanishad II.4.3.6], The Sacred Books of the East, Volume 1, Oxford University Press, pages 240–241; The complete hymn is: स ईक्षत कथं न्विदं मदृते स्यादिति स ईक्षत कतरेण प्रपद्या इति । स ईक्षत यदि वाचाऽभिव्याहृतं यदि प्राणेनाभिप्राणितं यदि चक्षुषा दृष्टं यदि श्रोत्रेण श्रुतं यदि त्वचा स्पृष्टं यदि मनसा ध्यातं यद्यपानेनाभ्यपानितं यदि शिश्नेन विसृष्टमथ '''कोऽहमिति''' ॥ ११ ॥ ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/ऐतरेयोपनिषद् Wikisource]</ref>}}

Paul Deussen summarizes the first chapter of Aitareya Upanishad as follows,

{{Quote|
The world as a creation, the Man as the highest manifestation of the Atman who is also named as the [[Brahman]] - this is the basic idea of this section.
|[[Paul Deussen]], Aitareya Upanishad, Chapter 1<ref>Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|978-81-208-1468-4}}, page 14</ref>}}

===Second chapter===
In the second chapter, Aitareya Upanishad asserts that the Atman in any man is born thrice: first, when a child is born (procreation); second, when the child has been cared for and loved to Selfhood where the child equals the parent; third, when the parent dies and the Atman transmigrates.<ref name=pauldeussen/> The overall idea of chapter 2 of Aitareya Upanishad is that it is procreation and nurturing of children that makes a man immortal, and the theory of rebirth, which are the means by which Atman sustainably persists in this universe.<ref name=pauldeussen/>

===Third Chapter===
The third chapter of Aitareya Upanishad discusses the nature of Atman. It declares that consciousness is what defines man, the source of all intellectual and moral theories, all gods, all living beings (man, animals, plants), all that there is. Then the Upanishad asserts that the key to the riddle of the Universe is one's own inner self.<ref name=pauldeussen/> To know the universe, know thyself. Become immortal, suggests the Aitareya Upanishad, by being you.<ref name=pauldeussen/>

Max Muller translates parts of the chapter as follows (abridged),<ref name=maxmuller245/>
{{Quote|
Who is he whom we meditate on as the Self? Which is the Self? 
(...) 
Everything are various names only of Knowledge (the true Self) 
Everything is led (produced) by knowledge. 
It rests on Knowledge. The world is led by Knowledge. Knowledge is its cause. 
Knowledge is Brahman.
|Aitareya Upanishad, Chapter 3<ref name=maxmuller245>Max Muller, [https://archive.org/stream/upanishads01ml#page/244/mode/2up Aitareya Upanishad II.4.3.6], The Sacred Books of the East, Volume 1, Oxford University Press, pages 245–246</ref>}}

Aitareya Upanishad, like other Upanishads of Hinduism, asserts the existence of Consciousness as Atman, the Self or [[Brahman]]. It contains one of the most famous expressions of the Vedanta, "Prajnanam Brahma" (Knowledge is Brahman/god/divine/holy),<ref>[https://archive.org/stream/AitareyataittiriyaUpanishadsWithShankaraBhashya-English/05AitareyataittiriyaUpanishadsWithShankaraBhashya-English#page/n7/mode/2up Commentary on Aitareya Upanishad] Adi Shankara, pages 3–4</ref> which is one of the [[Mahāvākyas]].

==Sanskrit commentaries==
[[File:1593 CE, Adi Shankara bhasya Aitareya Upanishad, Varanasi Jain temple bhandara, Sanskrit, Devanagari, MS Add.2092.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|A 1593 CE manuscript page of the ''Aitareya Upanishad'' with Adi Shankara's commentary. This Hindu manuscript was preserved by and found in a Jain temple ''bhandara'' in Varanasi.]]
Aitareya Upanishad is one of the older [[Upanishads|Upanishad]]s reviewed and commented upon in their respective ''Bhasyas'' by various ancient scholars such as [[Adi Shankara]] and [[Madhvacharya]]. Adi Shankara, for example, commented on Aitereya Upanishad, clarifying that some of his peer scholars have interpreted the hymns in a way that must be refuted. The first meaning, as follows, is incomplete and incorrect, states Shankara

{{Quote|
This is the true Brahman called ''Prana'' (Life force), this is the only God. All the ''Devas'' (Gods) are only the various manifestations of this ''Prana''. He who attains Oneness with this ''Prana'' attains the ''Devas''.
|Adi Shankara, Aitareya Upanishad Bhasya<ref name=adishankara>[https://archive.org/stream/AitareyataittiriyaUpanishadsWithShankaraBhashya-English/05AitareyataittiriyaUpanishadsWithShankaraBhashya-English#page/n5/mode/2up Commentary on Aitareya Upanishad] Adi Shankara, pages 1–55</ref>}}

Adi Shankara then reminds the reader that the Aitereya Upanishad must be studied in its context, which starts with and states ''Atma va idam'' in hymn 1. It doesn't start with, nor does the text's context, mean that "I am alive, thus God". Rather, states Shankara, the context is abundantly clear that one must know, "Atman exists, I am consciousness, and that self-realization of one's Atman, its Oneness with Universal Self is the path to liberation and freedom. Know yourself. Worship yourself."<ref name=adishankara/> Adi Shankara then explains that rituals, sacrifices, merit-karma (worship) does not lead to liberation, the wise do not perform these and rituals such as ''Agnihotra'', they seek Atman and understanding of their own Being and their own Inner Self, and when one has achieved "Self-knowledge, full awareness of one's consciousness" does one achieve [[moksha]].<ref name=adishankara/>

==Translations==
The first{{Citation needed|date=February 2011}} English translation was published in 1805 by [[Henry Thomas Colebrooke|Colebrooke]].<ref name=colebrook1858>See Henry Thomas Colebrooke (1858), ''[https://archive.org/details/essaysonreligio01colegoog/page/n38  Essays on the religion and philosophy of the Hindus]''. London: [[Williams and Norgate]]. In this volume, see chapter 1 (pp. 1–69), ''On the Vedas, or Sacred Writings of the Hindus'', reprinted from Colebrooke's ''Asiatic Researches'', Calcutta: 1805, Vol 8, pp. 369–476. A translation of the Aitareya Upanishad appears in pages 26–30 of this chapter.</ref> Other translators include Max Muller, Paul Deussen, Charles Johnston, Nikhilānanda, Gambhirananda, Sarvananda, Patrick Olivelle<ref>[[Patrick Olivelle]] (1998), Upaniṣads, Oxford University Press, {{ISBN|0-19-282292-6}}</ref> and Bhānu Swami (with commentary of Śrī Raṅgarāmānujācārya).

==Authorship==
The author of the ''Aitareya Aranyaka'' and the ''Aitareya Upanishad'' has been historically credited to [[rishi]] Aitareya Mahidasa.<ref>{{cite web |title=Aitareya Aranyaka |url=https://vedicheritage.gov.in/hi/aranyakas/aitareyaranyaka/ |access-date=26 February 2026 |website=Vedic Heritage Portal |publisher=Ministry of Education, Government of India |quote=The speculative thoughts... are established in this Aranyaka by Mahidasa Aitareya. Out of the five Aranyakas, first, second and third Aranyaka are attributed to Mahidasa Aitareya.}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{wikisource}}
{{wikisourcelang|sa|ऐतरेयोपनिषद्|Original Sanskrit text in Devanagari}}
{{wikiquote}}
*[http://www.universaltheosophy.com/legacy/movements/ancient-east/vedic-india/aitareya-upanishad/ Multiple translations (Johnston, Nikhilānanda, Gambhirananda)]{{Dead link|date=October 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}
*[https://archive.org/stream/upanishads01ml#page/156/mode/2up Aitareya Aranyaka with Aitareya Upanishad embedded inside] Max Muller. The Sacred Books of the East, Oxford University Press
*[http://www.bharatadesam.com/spiritual/upanishads/aitareya_upanishad.php Aitareya Upanishad] Another archive of Nikhilānanda translation
*[http://www.sriaurobindoashram.info/Contents.aspx?ParentCategoryName=_StaticContent/SriAurobindoAshram/-09%20E-Library/-01%20Works%20of%20Sri%20Aurobindo/-12_The%20Upanishad_Volume-12 Aitareya]. [[Sri Aurobindo Ashram]], [[Pondicherry (city)|Pondicherry]]. 1972.

{{Indian Philosophy|state=collapsed}}
{{Hindudharma}}

{{Mukhya Upanishads}}

[[Category:Upanishads]]

Aitareya Upanishad - Revision history

KaleyCountryman at 00:04, 27 February 2026