This is one of the few Upanishads whose author is known to us, Rishi Maheedasa Aitareya. Not much is known about his life. Sayana in his 14th cent CE commentary on Vedas narrates an interesting anecdote. The Rishi’s mother was Itara, which means “the other one.” She was probably the ‘other’ wife of Rishi Vishaala. When he was 5 years old Maheedasa was not allowed to sit on his father’s lap during a ceremony. This disturbed the mother, a potter-woman, who then prayed to Mother Earth. The boy became a great Rishi, with the name ‘Maheedasa’ – “servant of Mother Earth.”
This Upanishad has special appeal to the common person. It advises ‘charaiveti’ – keep moving, a practical logic.
“A moving person finds honey, a moving person tastes delicious fruits. Look at the sun’s effort, tirelessly moving every day without a hint of laziness. Therefore, keep moving, keep moving.”
The Upanishad has great prestige as it is attached to the Rig Veda and has 33 mantras. The mahavakya, “Prajnanam Brahma” i.e. Consciousness is Brahman, is from Aitareya Upanishad.
Source: Swami Gurubhaktananda, ‘Aitareya Upanishad’, Sandeepany Sadhanalaya. The picture shows a Charaiveti T Shirt from Amazon, testimony to its popular appeal.
This is one of the few Upanishads whose author is known to us, Rishi Maheedasa Aitareya. Not much is known about his life. Sayana in his 14th cent CE commentary on Vedas narrates an interesting anecdote. The Rishi’s mother was Itara, which means “the other one.” She was probably the ‘other’ wife of Rishi Vishaala. When he was 5 years old Maheedasa was not allowed to sit on his father’s lap during a ceremony. This disturbed the mother, a potter-woman, who then prayed to Mother Earth. The boy became a great Rishi, with the name ‘Maheedasa’ – “servant of Mother Earth.”
This Upanishad has special appeal to the common person. It advises ‘charaiveti’ – keep moving, a practical logic.
“A moving person finds honey, a moving person tastes delicious fruits. Look at the sun’s effort, tirelessly moving every day without a hint of laziness. Therefore, keep moving, keep moving.”
The Upanishad has great prestige as it is attached to the Rig Veda and has 33 mantras. The mahavakya, “Prajnanam Brahma” i.e. Consciousness is Brahman, is from Aitareya Upanishad.
Source: Swami Gurubhaktananda, ‘Aitareya Upanishad’, Sandeepany Sadhanalaya. The picture shows a Charaiveti T Shirt from Amazon, testimony to its popular appeal.