Taittiriya Upanishad (Brahmānanda Valli, Chapter 2, Verse 1)
“तस्माद्वा एतस्मादात्मन आकाशः सम्भूतः । आकाशाद्वायुः ।
वायोरग्निः । अग्नेरापः । अद्भ्यः पृथिवी ।
पृथिव्या ओषधयः । ओषधीभ्योन्नम् । अन्नात्पुरुषः ।
स वा एष पुरुषोऽन्नरसमयः । तस्येदमेव शिरः ।
अयं दक्षिणः पक्षः । अयमुत्तरः पक्षः ।
अयमात्मा । इदं पुच्छं प्रतिष्ठा ।
तदप्येष श्लोको भवति ॥ १॥ इति प्रथमोऽनुवाकः ॥”
Transliteration
“tasmādvā etasmādātmana ākāśaḥ sambhūtaḥ | ākāśād vāyuḥ |
vāyor agniḥ | agner āpaḥ | adbhyaḥ pṛthivī |
pṛthivyā oṣadhayaḥ | oṣadhībhyo annam | annāt puruṣaḥ |
sa vā eṣa puruṣo ‘nnarasamayaḥ | tasyedam eva śiraḥ |
ayaṃ dakṣiṇaḥ pakṣaḥ | ayam uttaraḥ pakṣaḥ |
ayam ātmā | idaṃ pucchaṃ pratiṣṭhā |
tad apy eṣa ślokah bhavati | 1 | iti prathamo ‘nuvākaḥ |”
Word-by-word Translation
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tasmāt – From that (Brahman)
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vā – Indeed
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etasmat – From this (particular)
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ātmanā – Self (Brahman, the Supreme Reality)
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ākāśaḥ – Space (ether)
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sambhūtaḥ – Originated (came into being)
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ākāśāt – From space
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vāyuḥ – Air (wind)
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vāyor – Of the air
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agniḥ – Fire
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agner – Of fire
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āpaḥ – Water
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adbhyaḥ – From water
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pṛthivī – Earth
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pṛthivyāḥ – Of the earth
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oṣadhayaḥ – Herbs (plants)
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oṣadhībhyo annam – From plants, food
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annāt – From food
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puruṣaḥ – Life, or human being (person)
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saḥ – He (the person)
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vā – Indeed
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eṣaḥ – This
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puruṣaḥ – The person
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‘nnarasamayaḥ – Made of food essence (food becomes the essence of the person)
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tasyā – His
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idam – This
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eva – Indeed
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śiraḥ – Head
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ayaṃ – This
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dakṣiṇaḥ – Right
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pakṣaḥ – Wing (part)
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ayam – This
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uttaraḥ – Left
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pakṣaḥ – Wing (part)
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ayam – This
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ātma – Soul (Self)
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idaṃ – This
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pucchaṃ – Tail
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pratiṣṭhā – Support (foundation)
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tad – That
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apy – Also
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eṣaḥ – This
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ślokaḥ – Verse
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bhavati – Becomes
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1 – (Verse number)
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iti – Thus
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prathamaḥ – First
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anuvākaḥ – Section
Full English Translation
“From that (Brahman) came space. From space came air; from air, fire; from fire, water; from water, earth; from earth, plants; from plants, food. From food came the human being (person). This person is made of the essence of food. His head is the essence of the food, the right wing represents the south, the left wing represents the north, the soul is in the center, and the tail represents the support. This is the structure of the person, which is symbolized in this verse. Thus, this is the first section (of the teachings).”
This verse describes the creation process and the structure of the individual, showing the connection between the cosmos and the human body, representing it metaphorically through elements and directions. The person is seen as a reflection of the entire universe.