Aithareya Upanishad Bhashyam

नारायणं निखिलपूर्णगुणैकदेहं 

सर्वज्ञमच्युतमपेतसमस्तदोषम् । 

प्राणस्य सर्वचिदचित्परमेश्वरस्य

साक्षादधीश्वरमियां शरणं रमेशम् ।।

Aitareya Upanishad occupies a very special place among the ten principal Upanishads. This Upanishad occurs in the Aitareya Aranyaka of Ashvalayana Sakha of Rig Veda. This Upanishad is also known as Mahabhuti as it extolls Lord Sri Hari who is known as Mahabhuti.

Rishi and Devatas

Mahidasa Aitareya is the presiding deity of this Upanishad. Goddess Mahalakshmi and Lord Brahma are also the presiding deities. Lord Mahidasa is also the seer of this Upanishad.

Main theme of the Upanishad

This Upanishad reveals esoteric knowledge about Lord Vishnu. There are various types of contemplations that one can mentally do as per one’s eligibility. Among such contemplations, one of the most favored contemplations that earn highest grace from Lord Sri Hari is knowing how all words primarily convey Him and no one else. This Sarva-Shabda-Vachyatva tenet is expounded in detail in this Upanishad.

This Upanishad also clearly brings forth the greatness of Vayu among all souls. Lord Vayu is Jeevottma. This knowledge about Lord Vayu is very dear to Lord Vishnu. In this way, this Upanishad is very dear to Lord Vishnu. Apart from bringing out the importance of Brihatisahasra hymns, this Upanishad also discusses some interesting things like Bad Omens, Indications of Untimely Death, Implications of Bad Dreams etc. Ardhanaari Narayana form of the Lord and the spiritual significance of each syllable in the name of Vishnu is clearly elucidated.

Aitareya Upanishad Bhashya

Sri Madhwacharya had a special attachment towards this Upanishad. This can be known from his life history. He was very fond of discoursing about this Upanishad to his disciples. His disciple Satya Tirtha was fortunate to study this thrice under him. It is also said the Sri Acharya taught this Upanishad to his childhood teacher Totintillaya. We are fortunate that Sri Acharya has blessed us with a commentary on this Upanishad. We also come to know that his final discourse was on this Upanishad at the Ananteshwara Temple in Udupi while the celestials showered flowers on Him. It is widely believed that he left to Badarikashram and is still serving Bhagavan Vedavyasa there.

The Specialty of Aitareya Upanishad Bhashyam

Acharya begins the Upanishad Bhashyam by an invocation to Lord Narayana. At the outset, Acharya reveals the story of Mahidasa Aitareya, who incarnated as the son of Sage Vishala and Itara. Mahidasa reigns supreme in a debate where Lord Brahma, Lord Shiva and others participated. All the celestials became his servants hence he came to be known as Mahidasa. Mahidasa Aitareya was extolled by Lord Brahma. He then discoursed about various doctrines to Goddess Rama. The teachings of Mahidasa Aitareya to Goddess Mahalakshmi form the chief subject matter of this Upanishad.

Salient Features

Some of the salient features of Aitareya Upanishad Bhashyam are as follows:

» Clears many confusions regarding the context and meaning of the original text.

» Provides several authentic quotations to reveal the original meaning of the text.

» Important texts, both well-known and not so well known are quoted to bring home the point of discussion.

» Gives us a grasp of the rich literature that existed but rapidly started to diminish even at that time but now completely lost to posterity.

» Acharya’s Bhashya has done a yeomen service to mankind by capturing the knowledge contained in such esoteric texts. Otherwise mankind would have been totally deprived of such knowledge and might have stayed completely oblivious of the existence of such texts in the first place.

Unique contributions of Bhashyam

Now let us learn about some of the unique contributions of the Bhashyam -

» Clearly brings forth the meaning of the Upanishadic passage which speaks about the three-way classification of souls both in the Mukti Yogya and Tamo Yogya categories.

» Clearly brings forth the intent of the name Uktha used in the Upanishad to mean Lord Vishnu as the originator of this Universe.

» Three ways in which Lord graces the food we eat - Taste, Smell and Vision with his three forms Parashurama, Narasimha and Kapila is revealed.

» Lord pervades our bodies. He is specially present in the head. He is present in the heart and other places as well. The learned souls contemplate upon the Lord present in such places.

» Different faculties like Prana, Manas and their respective controllers are enumerated. Prana is Lord Vayu. Manas has three divisions which are governed by Rudra, Sesha and Garuda. Rudra is controller of Ahankara. Sesha gives knowledge about Pancharatra. Garuda is responsible for Vedic knowledge. Lord Indra is responsible for inspiring the mind to perform Vedic sacrifices.

» Lord Vayu is Supreme among the deities. This is elucidated through an Upanishadic Narrative of gods leaving and entering Lord Brahma’s body. The body became lifeless only when Vayu left and sprung back to life only upon his entry proving that Lord Vayu is supreme among all deities.

» Liberation is possible by performing Upasana of the Lord’s forms as per one’s eligibility. Upanishads contain contemplations covering all types of souls – Deva, Rishi, Pitrus, Chakravarthis and Manushyottamas. Many of the contemplations mentioned in the Upanishads are beyond human reach. Such contemplations are to be done by Revered Sages and Celestials. Great merits are accrued by mere knowledge of these contemplations and their respective Adhikarins.

» Birth and death occur due to the presence and absence thereof of Prana and Apana, which are in turn controlled by Lord Sri Hari.

» Lord is known as Satya as He is is

1) Supreme

2) Full of Auspicious qualities

3) Omniscient

» The Vedas and its allied literature are to be taken as the order of the Lord.

» Contemplation of Lord Vishnu and Lord Vayu cleanses one of all his sins.

» All souls are protected by Lord Sri Vishnu in his belly. They are both known as Brihati.

» All deities are born from various limbs of the Lord.

» Internal evidences from the Upanishadic text sometimes raise a feeling that only a few passages are due to Mahidasa Aitareya. But, contrary to popular belief Acharya has stressed that the entire Upanishad is revealed by Lord Mahidasa to Goddess Rama.

» The Superiority of Brihati Chandas over Gayatri is brought out.

» Human body is envisaged as a chariot of Lord Sri Vishnu.

» The elucidation of meaning of every syllable in the name Vishnu.

» In-depth etymological explanations on how the names of Sages of the ten mandalas of Rig Veda, names of building blocks of Vedas such as Sukta, Rik, Akshara and various other words are the names of Lord Vishnu alone.

» Meanings of several Rik Mantras is a special contribution.

» Clearly specifies who is eligible to do what type of contemplation. Contemplations done by various sages is elucidated. Wrong contemplation or contemplation without eligibility would lead to negative results.

» Clears doubts about the tautology of a few Upanishadic passages thus protecting the integrity of the Upanishad.

» Emphatically stresses that not even a single syllable in the Vedas is superfluous or meaningless.

» Vedic passages should not be interpreted without attaining proper qualification.

» Difference between the individual souls and the Supreme Lord is repeatedly stressed. Indra’s reply to Vishwamitra’s question was not about his identity with Supreme Brahman. His famous reply - प्राणो वा अहमस्मि ऋषे - is to be understood to mean – “Supreme Brahman is my indweller”.

» Gradation in the sentient beings.

» Vishnu does not have neuter form.

» Female form of the Lord present in the earth sports with the male form present in the sky.

» There are a few Vedic hymns which convey Vishnu alone. Neither Goddess Mahalakshmi nor Lord Vayu are conveyed by such Vedic Hymns.

Conclusion

At the end of the Upanishad Sri Acharya signs off by stating that the only purpose for this work is to earn the grace of Lord Vishnu. This Upanishad is very dear to Vishnu hence discoursing on this Upanishad is very dear to Sri Acharya. Concluding his commentary on the Aitareya Upanishad, Sri Acharya reveals the Avatara Traya of Lord Vayu and also gifts all with a beautiful elucidation of the Balittha Sukta which is a famous illustration of the three avataras of Shri Vayu. In brief, Madhwacharya, in the Aitareya Bhashyam, gave unique and totally convincing interpretations of the original text. He has left no scope for self-contradictions or tautologies. He has often quoted from various scriptures, epics and history to support his arguments. He has unveiled hidden secrets of scriptures and successfully propounded the methodology to search for the ultimate truth.

पूर्णागण्यगुणोदारधाम्ने नित्याय वेधसे ।

अमन्दानन्दसान्द्राय प्रेयसे विष्णवे नमः।।