Aitareya Upanishad : T.N.Sethumadhavan.

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Saturday, January 08. 2022. 7:00. PM.

Origin of the Universe & Man  

(Part-1)  -

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Preamble :

Aitareya Upanishad is a common ground for philosophy and physics. It contains the mahavakya, the great aphorism  “prajnanam brahma”, Consciousness is Brahman. Aitareya Upanishad identifies  Consciousness  as the First Cause  of  creation.  This is forerunner of ‘Unified Field Theory’ or a  ‘Theory of Everything’ which the modern physicists are trying to discover although  the modern science does not recognize Consciousness as a factor in  creation of the universe.  


One of the oldest pastimes of man is to run the search engine of his contemplative and analytical faculties to  find out the final answer  to the riddle  of  creation of the universe. This question is not merely academic but  it also assumes  the colors of religion, philosophy, science and poetry. 



We have answers to this enigma  in every religion. We  have  scientific theories throwing up endless ever changing conclusions, the most path-breaking of which is Charles Darwin’s “Origin of Species” followed  by Stephen Hawking and others. We  have philosophers’ speculations and poetic imaginations. But the mystery of creation remains as much unfathomed and unsolved today as in  the Vedic days. For a detailed analysis of the subject the reader  may refer to my  article entitled “Mystery of  Creation - Some Vedantic Concepts” under the category ‘Vedanta’ 


VEDIC  PERSPECTIVE ON CREATION :



Creation is interpreted in the Vedas  as a developmental course rather than as bringing into being something not hitherto existent.  It was considered as an ongoing-process and not an event. The Purusha Sukta of Rig Veda  paints a picture of  the ideal Primeval Being existing before any phenomenal existence. He is conceived as a cosmic person with a thousand heads, eyes and feet, who filled  the whole universe and extended beyond it. The world form  is only a fragment of this divine  reality. The first principle which is called Purusha manifested as the whole world by his Tapas.  


This view gets crystallized into the later Upanishadic doctrine that the spirit or Atman in man  (at  microcosm)  is  the  same  as  the  spirit which is the cause of the world which goes by the name  Brahman or Paramatman (at macrocosm). These theories are discussed in elaborate  details in the following  Upanishads Viz.,  Prasna, Aitareya, Mundaka, Taittiriya, Katha, Chandogya, Svetasvatara, Brhadaranyaka, Maitri, Paingala Upanishads  besides the Bhagavad Gita and Yoga  Vasishtha.  Among the latter Acharyas the contributions made by Gaudapada, and Adi  Sankara to these thoughts are colossal.   


A brief quotation from  the article “Cosmology in Vedanta” by Swami Tathagatananda published by Vedanta Society of New York  given below brings  out lucidly the perspectives of both Vedanta and modern science on this subject. 



Quote--“A perceptive reader  will  find many striking similarities between the latest findings of  Astrophysics and ancient Indian  cosmological ideas, of which Swamiji (Vivekananda)  says: " . . . you  will find how  wonderfully they are  in accordance with the latest discoveries of  modern  science;  and where there is  disharmony, you will find that it is modern science which  lacks and not they."  


Einstein writes that "cosmic expansion may  be simply a temporary condition  which will be followed at some  future epoch of cosmic  time  by a period of contraction. The universe in this picture is a pulsating balloon in which  cycles of expansion and contraction succeed each other through eternity."  



The modern astrophysicist, Stephen Hawking, writes: "At the big bang  itself, the universe is thought to have had zero size, and so to have been infinitely hot . . . The whole history of science has been the gradual realization  that events do not happen in an arbitrary manner, but they reflect a certain underlying  order, which may or may not be divinely inspired."  


The Vedas also state that creation is ongoing: what  has been in the past is being repeated     in the new cycle. Stephen Hawking writes,  "Thus, when we see the universe, we  are seeing it as it was in the past." He further writes, "But how did he  [God] choose the initial state or configuration  of the universe? One possible answer  is to say that God chose the initial configuration of the universe for reasons that we cannot hope to know."  


It is perhaps enough for the modern mind to  know how great is the similarity. Vedanta does not support the "big  bang" theory  and its mechanistic materialism.  We have merely cited certain  common ideas  to be found in both.  


Brahman is the ultimate Reality. Brahman  is impersonal-personal God. Impersonal God may be called the static aspect and personal God may be called the dynamic aspect of  Brahman. The static aspect  Anid Avatam -  as  Rg-Veda puts it, "It existed without any movement." Brahman is truth, Consciousness  and Infinitude.  Knowledge, will and action are inherent in Brahman. God projects the universe by animating His  prakriti  (maya).  


Astrophysics and Advaita Vedanta agree on certain points. Advaita Vedanta upholds the notion of the pulsating or oscillating universe. Creation is followed by dissolution and this process will continue ad infinitum. Science used the term  "big bang" for the starting point of creation and "big crunch" for the dissolution of  the universe.  


The "cosmic egg” of Vedanta, which is like a  point, is called singularity in astrophysics. The background material of the scientist cannot be accepted as the source of creation.   That is the biggest difference between the two  systems. Science  is still exploring  and remains inconclusive but Vedanta has given  the final verdict, which  is unassailable. Unless there is one changeless Reality, change cannot be perceived at all”.--Unquote 


We will now attempt to study the  Aitareya Upanishad  in detail. 


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Next Introduction  to the Aitareya Upanishad 

To be continued ...


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