Aitareya Āraṇyaka 2.4

2.4.1

ātmā vā idam eka evāgra āsīn, nānyat kiñ cana miṣat \
sa īkṣata \
lokān nu sṛjā iti \
sa imāṁl lokān asṛjata \ ambho marīcīr maram āpaḥ \
ado 'mbhaḥ.
pareṇa divaṃ.
dyauḥ pratiṣṭhā-.
-antarikṣaṃ marīcayaḥ.
pṛthivī maro.
yā adhastāt, tā āpaḥ \
sa īkṣata-.
-ime nu lokā.
lokapālān nu sṛjā iti \
so 'dbhya eva puruṣaṃ samuddhṛtyā/mūrchayat \
tam abhyatapat.
tasyābhitaptasya mukhaṃ nirabhidyata yathāṇḍaṃ , mukhād vāg, vāco 'gniḥ \
nāsike nirabhidyetāṃ, nāsikābhyāṃ prāṇaḥ, prāṇād vāyuḥ \
akṣiṇī nirabhidyetām, akṣībhyāṃ cakṣuś, cakṣuṣa ādityaḥ \
karṇau nirabhidyetāṃ, karṇābhyāṃ śrotraṃ, śrotrād diśaḥ \
tvaṅ nirabhidyata, tvacā lomāni, lomabhya oṣadhivanaspatayaḥ \
hṛdayaṃ nirabhidyata, hṛdayān mano, manasaś candramāḥ \
nābhir nirabhidyata, nābhyā apāno, 'pānān mṛtyuḥ \
śiśnaṃ nirabhidyata, śiśnād reto, retasa āpaḥ \\ 1 \\

Verily, in the beginning all this was Self, one only; there was nothing else blinking whatsoever.

He thought: 'Shall I send forth worlds?' (1) He sent forth these worlds,

Ambhas (water), Marîki (light), Mara (mortal), and Ap (water).

That Ambhas (water) is above the heaven, and it is heaven, the support. The Marîkis (the lights) are the sky. The Mara (mortal) is the earth, and the waters under the earth are the Ap world. (2)

He thought: 'There are these worlds; shall I send forth guardians of the worlds?'
He then formed the Purusha (the person), taking him forth from the water. (3)

He brooded on him, and when that person had thus been brooded on, a mouth burst forth like an egg. From the mouth proceeded speech, from speech Agni (fire).
Nostrils burst forth. From the nostrils proceeded scent (prâna), from scent Vâyu (air).
Eyes burst forth. From the eyes proceeded sight, from sight Âditya (sun).
Ears burst forth. From the ears proceeded hearing, from hearing the Dis (quarters of the world),
Skin burst forth. From the skin proceeded hairs (sense of touch), from the hairs shrubs and trees.
The heart burst forth. From the heart proceeded mind, from mind Kandramas (moon).
The navel burst forth. From the navel proceeded the Apâna (the down-breathing), from Apâna death.
The generative organ burst forth. From the organ proceeded seed, from seed water. (4)

2.4.2

tā etā devatāḥ sṛṣṭā asmin mahaty arṇave prāpataṃs.
tam aśanāpipā/sābhyām anvavārjat \
tā enam abruvann.
āyatanaṃ naḥ prajānīhi, yasmi/n pratiṣṭhitā annam adāmeti \
tābhyo gām ānayat.
tā abruvan.
na vai no 'yam alam iti \
tābhyo 'śvam ānayat.
tā abruvan.
na vai no 'yam a/lam iti \
tābhyaḥ puruṣam ānayat.
tā abruvan.
sukṛtaṃ vateti.
puruṣo vāva sukṛtaṃ \
tā abravīd.
yathāyatanaṃ praviśateti \
agnir vāg bhūtvā mukhaṃ prāviśad.
vāyuḥ prāṇo bhūtvā nāsike prāviśad.
ādityaś cakṣu/r bhūtvākṣiṇī prāviśad.
diśaḥ śrotraṃ bhūtvā karṇau prāviśann.
oṣadhivana/spatayo lomāni bhūtvā tvacaṃ prāviśaṃś.
candramā mano bhūtvā hṛdayaṃ prāviśan.
mṛtyur apāno bhūtvā nābhiṃ prāviśad.
āpo reto bhūtvā śiśnaṃ prāviśan \
tam aśanāpipāse abrūtām.
āvābhyām abhiprajānīhīti.
te abravīd.
etāsv eva vāṃ devatāsv ābhajāmy.
etāsu bhāginyau karomīti \
tasmād yasyai kasyai ca devatāyai havir gṛhyate, bhāginyāv evāsyām aśa/nāpipāse bhavataḥ \\ 2 \\

Those deities (devatâ), Agni and the rest, after they had been sent forth, fell into this great ocean.
Then he (the Self) besieged him, (the person) with hunger and thirst.

The deities then (tormented by hunger and thirst) spoke to him (the Self): 'Allow us a place in which we may rest and eat food.' (1)
He led a cow towards them (the deities). They said: 'This is not enough.' He led a horse towards them. They said: 'This is not enough.' (2)
He led man towards them. Then they said: 'Well done, indeed.' Therefore man is well done.

He said to them: 'Enter, each according to his place.' (3)

Then Agni (fire), having become speech, entered the mouth. Vâyu (air), having become scent, entered the nostrils. Âditya (sun), having become sight, entered the eyes. The Dis (regions), having become hearing, entered the ears. The shrubs and trees, having become hairs, entered the skin. Kandramas (the moon), having become mind, entered the heart. Death, having become down-breathing, entered the navel. The waters, having become seed, entered the generative organ. (4)

Then Hunger and Thirst spoke to him (the Self): 'Allow us two (a place).' He said to them: 'I assign you to those very deities there, I make you co-partners with them.' Therefore to whatever deity an oblation is offered, hunger and thirst are co-partners in it. (5)

2.4.3

sa īkṣata-.
-ime nu lokāś ca lokapālāś ca-
-annam ebhyaḥ sṛjā iti \
so 'po 'bhyatapat.
tābhyo 'bhitaptābhyo mūrtir ajāyata \
yā vai sā mūrtir ajāyatānnaṃ vai tat \
tad enat sṛṣṭaṃ parāṅ atyajigāṃsat .
tad vācāji/ghṛkṣat.
tan nāśaknod vācā grahītum \
sa yad dhainad vācāgrahaiṣyad, abhivyāhṛtya haivānnam atrapsyat \
tat prāṇenājighṛkṣat.
tan nāśaknot prāṇena grahītum \
sa yad dhainat prāṇenāgrahaiṣyad, abhiprāṇya haivānnam atrapsyat \
tac cakṣuṣāji/ghṛkṣat.
tan nāśaknoc cakṣuṣā grahītum \
sa yad dhainac cakṣuṣāgrahaiṣyad, dṛṣṭvā haivā/nnam atrapsyat \
tac chrotreṇājighṛkṣat.
tan nāśaknoc chrotreṇa grahītum \
sa yad dhainac chrotreṇāgrahaiṣyac , chrutvā haivānnam atrapsyat \
tat tvacājighṛkṣat.
ta/n nāśaknot tvacā grahītum \
sa yad dhainat tvacāgrahaiṣyat, spṛṣṭvā haivānna/m atrapsyat \
tan manasājighṛkṣat.
tan nāśaknon manasā grahītum \
sa yad dhainan manasāgrahaiṣyad, dhyātvā haivānnam atrapsyat \
tac chiśnenājighṛkṣa/t.
tan nāśaknoc chiśnena grahītum \
sa yad dhainac chiśnenāgrahaiṣyad, visṛjya haivānnam atrapsyat \
tad apānenājighṛkṣat.
tad āvayat \
saiṣo 'nnasya graho, yad vāyur.
annāyur vā eṣa, yad vāyuḥ \
sa īkṣata.
kathaṃ nv idaṃ madṛte syād iti \
sa īkṣata.
katareṇa prapadyā iti \
sa īkṣata.
yadi vācābhivyāhṛtaṃ, yadi prāṇenābhiprāṇitaṃ, yadi cakṣuṣā dṛṣṭaṃ, yadi śrotreṇa śrutaṃ, yadi tvacā spṛṣṭaṃ, yadi manasā dhyātaṃ, yady apānenā/bhyapānitaṃ, yadi śiśnena visṛṣṭam, atha ko 'ham iti \
sa etam eva sīmānaṃ vidāryaitayā dvārā prāpadyata \
saiṣā vidṛtir nāma dvās.
ta/d etan nāndanam \
tasya traya āvasathās, trayaḥ svapnā, ayam āvasatho 'yam āvasatho 'yam āvasatha iti \
sa jāto bhūtāny abhivyaikṣa/t. (T, Röer, Böhtlingk, rest; Delbrück; Böhtlingk)
kim ihānyaṃ vāvadiṣad iti \
sa etam eva puruṣaṃ brahma tatamam apa/śyat \
idam adarśam itī3ṁ \
tasmād idaṃdro nāma-.
-idaṃdro ha vai nāma.
tam idaṃdraṃ santam indra ity ācakṣate parokṣeṇa \
parokṣapriyā iva hi devāḥ \ parokṣapriyā iva hi devāḥ \\ 3 \\
\\ ity aitareyadvitīyāraṇyake caturtho 'dhyāyaḥ \\

He thought: 'There are these worlds and the guardians of the worlds. Let me send forth food for them.' (1)
He brooded over the water. From the water thus brooded on, matter (mûrti) was born. And that matter which was born, that verily was food. (2)

When this food (the object matter) had thus been sent forth, it wished to flee, crying and turning away. He (the subject) tried to grasp it by speech. He could not grasp it by speech. If he had grasped it by speech, man would be satisfied by naming food. (3)
He tried to grasp it by scent (breath). He could not grasp it by scent. If he had grasped it by scent, man would be satisfied by smelling food. (4)
He tried to grasp it by the eye. He could not grasp it by the eye. If he had grasped it by the eye, man would be satisfied by seeing food. (5)
He tried to grasp it by the ear. He could not grasp it by the ear. If he had grasped it by the ear, man would be satisfied by hearing food. (6)
He tried to grasp it by the skin. He could not grasp it by the skin. If he had grasped it by the skin, man would be satisfied by touching food. (7)
He tried to grasp it by the mind. He could not grasp it by the mind. If he had grasped it by the mind, man would be satisfied by thinking food. (8)
He tried to grasp it by the generative organ. He could not grasp it by the organ. If he had grasped it by the organ, man would be satisfied by sending forth food. (9)
He tried to grasp it by the down-breathing (the breath which helps to swallow food through the mouth and to carry it off through the rectum, the pâyvindriya). He got it.

Thus it is Vâyu (the getter) who lays hold of food, and the Vâyu is verily Annâyu (he who gives life or who lives by food). (10)

He thought: 'How can all this be without me?'

And then he thought: 'By what way shall I get there?'

And then he thought: 'If speech names, if scent smells, if the eye sees, if the ear hears, if the skin feels, if the mind thinks, if the off-breathing digests, if the organ sends forth, then what am I?' (11)

Then opening the suture of the skull, he got in by that door.

That door is called the Vidriti (tearing asunder), the Nândana (the place of bliss).

There are three dwelling-places for him, three dreams; this dwelling-place (the eye), this dwelling-place (the throat), this dwelling-place (the heart). (12)

When born (when the Highest Self had entered the body) he looked through all things, in order to see whether anything wished to proclaim here another (Self). He saw this person only (himself) as the widely spread Brahman. 'I saw it,' thus he said; (13)
Therefore he was Idam-dra (seeing this).

Being Idamdra by name, they call him Indra mysteriously. For the Devas love mystery, yea, they love mystery. (14)