🪷 ऐतरेयोपनिषद् · Aitareyopaniṣad

For the 4 Vedic seed-mantras (mahā-vākyas), see /mahavakyas. For the index of all 10 Mukhya Upaniṣads, see /upanishads.
🪷 अनुक्रमणिका · Contents · 5 sections
  1. Central Teaching
  2. Key Śloka
  3. Krishna-Tattva Connection
  4. Bhagavad Gītā Cross-References
  5. Mahā-Vākya

Upaniṣad #8 of 10 Mukhya · The Aitareya Upaniṣad — Pure Awareness IS Brahman · Ṛg-Veda · ~33 mantras across 3 chapters

🪷 MAHĀ-VĀKYA · GREAT-STATEMENT 🪷
प्रज्ञानं ब्रह्म
prajñānaṁ brahma
CONSCIOUSNESS / PURE-AWARENESS IS BRAHMAN
— Aitareya 3.1.3

Central Teaching

The Aitareya opens with the cosmological creation-account from the One Ātman (Adhyāya 1) · proceeds through the embryology of the human jīva (Adhyāya 2) · and culminates in the mahā-vākya declaration "prajñānaṁ brahma" (Adhyāya 3) — pure awareness IS the Absolute. The Aitareya is the Mahā-vākya of the Ṛg-Veda · the foundational anchor of the Bahvṛca-paramparā lineage.

Key Śloka

सर्वं तत्प्रज्ञानेत्रं प्रज्ञाने प्रतिष्ठितम् प्रज्ञानेत्रो लोकः प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठा प्रज्ञानं ब्रह्म।

sarvaṁ tat prajñā-netraṁ prajñāne pratiṣṭhitam · prajñā-netro lokaḥ prajñā pratiṣṭhā · prajñānaṁ brahma

"All that exists is led by Consciousness, is grounded in Consciousness. Consciousness is the eye of the world; Consciousness is the foundation. CONSCIOUSNESS IS BRAHMAN."

— Aitareya 3.1.3

🪷 Krishna-Tattva Connection

Krishna IS the consciousness behind every cognition (BG 15.15 antaryāmin · sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo). The Aitareya mahā-vākya "prajñānaṁ brahma" is the Ṛg-Vedic anchor for Krishna's "buddhir buddhimatām asmi" (BG 7.10) — among the intelligent I am the intellect-itself.

Bhagavad Gītā Cross-References

This Upaniṣad echoes through the Bhagavad-Gītā at:

📖 References

  1. Traditional śruti transmission. Aitareyopaniṣad Upaniṣad (ऐतरेयोपनिषद्), Aitareya 3.1.3. Editorial profile associated with the Ṛg-Veda; no complete local source edition pinned · Traditional source association for this editorial profile.
  2. Ādi Śaṅkarācārya (~8th century CE). Śāṅkara-Bhāṣya on Aitareyopaniṣad Upaniṣad (शाङ्कर-भाष्य). The Advaita-Vedānta authoritative commentary · Traditional commentary reference; no local bhāṣya edition is asserted.
  3. Vyāsa Maharṣi. Bhagavad-Gītā (भगवद्गीता). Mahābhārata Bhīṣma-parva 23-40 · multiple recensions in continuous use ~5,150 years · 700 verses · 18 chapters · the core dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna · www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q179572.
  4. Bhagavad-Gītā cross-references, BG 13.27 sama-darśana · BG 15.15 antaryāmin · BG 7.10 buddhir buddhimatām asmi · BG verses that echo this Upaniṣad's teaching.
← 7. Taittirīya Upaniṣad↑ All 10 Mukhya Upaniṣads9. Chāndogyopaniṣad →

Sources and Connected Readings

Continue from this editorial profile to the Upaniṣad index, exact Bhagavad-Gītā bridge verses, ŚB 1.2.11's advaya-tattva synthesis, Bindu, and philosophy. Bhagavad-Gītā ranges are expanded into individual verse routes for direct reading.

Aitareyopaniṣadeditorial profile with a selected quotation; edition collation pending/upanishadsone complete received reader and nine editorial introductions with source review in progressprajñānaṁ brahmadetail page for this Upaniṣad's Mahā-vākyaBG 13.27sama-darśanaBG 15.15antaryāminBG 7.10buddhir buddhimatām asmiŚB 1.2.11Brahman · Paramātmā · Bhagavān as one advaya-tattva/binduDiamond of Darśanas · Brahman as one valid Bindu-aperture/philosophyKrishna = Paramaatma = Parabrahman constitutional foundation

🪷 ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः 🪷

📚 See Also

📖 References

  1. Aitareyopaniṣad · Ṛg-Veda — Traditional source association; local page is an editorial profile
  2. Śaṅkara-Bhāṣya · traditional commentary lineage — Bibliographic orientation only; no local bhāṣya edition is asserted
  3. Aitareya 3.1.3 — The key-śloka of this Upaniṣad · the verse that crystallizes its teaching
Categories: Mukhya Upaniṣads · Vedānta · Śruti · Prasthāna-Trayī · Ṛg-Veda · Mahā-Vākya-Upaniṣads