Aitareya Āraṇyaka 2.1.4

2.1.4

taṃ prapadābhyāṃ prāpadyata brahmemaṃ puruṣaṃ.
yat prapadābhyāṃ prāpadyata brahmemaṃ puruṣaṃ, tasmāt prapade tasmāt prapade ity ācakṣate, śaphāḥ khurā ity anyeṣāṃ paśūnām \
tad ūrdhvam udasarpat.
tā ūrū abhavatām \
uru gṛṇīhīty abravīt.
tad udaram abhavat \
urv eva me kurv ity abravīt.
tad uro 'bhavat \
udaraṃ brahmeti śārkarākṣyā upāsate.
hṛdayaṃ brahmety āruṇayo.
brahmā/haiva tā3i \ ūrdhvaṃ tv evodasarpat.
tac chiro 'śrayata.
yac chiro 'śrayata, tac chiro 'bhavat.
tac chirasaḥ śirastvam \
tā etāḥ śīrṣañ chriyaḥ śritāś cakṣuḥ śrotraṃ mano vāk prāṇaḥ \
śrayante 'smiñ chriyo, ya evam etac chirasaḥ śirastvaṃ veda \
tā ahiṃsantāham uktham asmy, aham u/ktham asmīti \
tā abruvan, hantāsmāc charīrād utkrāmāma.
tad yasminn utkrānta idaṃ śarīraṃ patsyati, tad ukthaṃ bhaviṣyatīti \
vāg udakrā/mad.
avadann aśnan pibann āstaiva \
cakṣur udakrāmad.
apaśyann aśnan pibann āstaiva \
śrotram udakrāmad.
aśṛṇvann aśnan pibann āstaiva \
mana udakrāman.
mīlita ivāśnan pibann āstaiva \
prāṇa udakrāmat.
tat prāṇa utkrānte 'padyata \
tad aśīryata-.
-aśārītī3ṁ, tac charīram abhavat.
tac charīrasya śarīratvam \
śīryate ha vā asya dviṣan pāpmā bhrātṛvyaḥ.
parāsya dviṣan pāpmā bhrātṛvyo bhavati, ya evaṃ veda \
tā ahiṃsantaivāham uktham asmy aham u/ktham asmīti \
tā abruvan, hantedaṃ punaḥ śarīraṃ praviśāma.
tad yasmin naḥ prapanna idaṃ śarīram utthāsyati, tad ukthaṃ bhaviṣyatīti \
vāk prāviśa/d.
aśayad eva \
cakṣuḥ prāviśad.
aśayad eva \
śrotraṃ prāviśad.
aśayad eva \
manaḥ prāviśad.
aśayad eva \
prāṇaḥ prāviśat.
tat prāṇe prapanna udatiṣṭha/t.
tad uktham abhavat \
tad etad ukthā3ṁ prāṇa eva \
prāṇa uktham ity eva vidyāt \
taṃ devā abruvaṃs.
tvam uktham iti.
tvam idaṃ sarvam asi.
tava vayaṃ smas.
tvam asmākam asīti \
tad apy etad ṛṣiṇoktam \
tvam asmākaṃ tava smasi- (RV VIII 92,32c) -iti \\ 4 \\

Brahman (in the shape of prâna, breath) entered into that man by the tips of his feet, and because Brahman entered (prâpadyata) into that man by the tips of his feet, therefore people call them the tips of the feet (prapada), but hoofs and claws in other animals.

Then Brahman crept up higher, and therefore they were (called) the thighs (ûrû).

Then he said: 'Grasp wide,' and that was (called) the belly (udara).

Then he said: 'Make room for me,' and that was (called) the chest (uras).

The Sârkarâkshyas meditate on the belly as Brahman, the Ârunis on the heart. Both (these places) are Brahman indeed.

But Brahman crept upwards and came to the head, and because he came to the head, therefore the head is called head.

Then these delights alighted in the head, sight, hearing, mind, speech, breath.

Delights alight on him who thus knows, why the head is called head.

These (five delights or senses) strove together, saying: 'I am the uktha (hymn), I am the uktha.' 'Well,' they said, 'let us all go out from this body; then on whose departure this body shall fall, he shall be the uktha among us.'

Speech went out, yet the body without speaking remained, eating and drinking.
Sight went out, yet the body without seeing remained, eating and drinking.
Hearing went out, yet the body without hearing remained, eating and drinking.
Mind went out, yet the body, as if blinking, remained, eating and drinking.
Breath went out, then when breath was gone out, the body fell.

It was decayed, and because people said, it decayed, therefore it was (called) body (sarîra). That is the reason of its name.

If a man knows this, then the evil enemy who hates him decays, or the evil enemy who hates him is defeated.

They strove again, saying: 'I am the uktha, I am the uktha.' 'Well,' they said, 'let us enter that body again; then on whose entrance this body shall rise again, he shall be the uktha among us.'

Speech entered, but the body lay still. Sight entered, but the body lay still. Hearing entered, but the body lay still. Mind entered, but the body lay still. Breath entered, and when breath had entered, the body rose, and it became the uktha.

Therefore breath alone is the uktha.

Let people know that breath is the uktha indeed.

The Devas (the other senses) said to breath: 'Thou art the uktha, thou art all this, we are thine, thou art ours.'

This has also been said by a Rishi (Rv. VIII, 92, 32): 'Thou art ours, we are thine.'