Aitareya Upanishad

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The Aitareya Upanishad is one of the older, "primary" Upanishads commented upon by Shankara. It is a Mukhya Upanishad, associated with the Rigveda. It figures as number 8 in the Muktika canon of 108 Upanishads.

The Aitareya Upanishad is a short prose text in three chapters and contains 33 verses in total. It comprises 4-6 chapters of the second book of the older vedic text, Aitareya Aranyaka.

In the first chapter of the text, atman, the inner self, is portrayed as a divine creator. In the second chapter, the three births of the atman are described.

The third chapter deals with the qualities of the Self or Brahman. It contains one of the most famous expressions of the Vedanta, "pragnanam Brahma," which is one of the Mahavakyas.


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