The Religion of the Veda: The Ancient Religion of India (from Rig-Veda to Upanishads) c11.56

c11.56

The *ātmans*, or breaths, are finally conceived as coming from a single *ātman*, the universal breath, or self, or *ego*. A Brāhmana text declares: "Ten (kinds of) breath dwell in man; the universal *ātman* is the eleventh: all the breaths are contained in him." That is, the *ātman*, after its supreme place in the own self has been permanently fixed, is transferred on exactly the same terms to the universe outside of man. The *ātman*, the lord of breaths, is at the same time the lord of the gods, the creator of all beings; all the worlds are an emanation of his great universal self: finally the *ātman* is the all.