6. The Psychological aspects in the Aitareyopaniṣad

The Aitareya-upaniṣad contains the famous mahavakya, ‘prajñānaṃ brahmā’. As per the Upaniṣad the heart and the mind are the same. The knowledge of imagination, memory, understanding, resolution, insight etc are the names of consciousness or prajñā.^[1]

It is the merging of heart, mind and consciousness. This is pure consciousness or highest self. All these functions or mental activities are the different manifestations of Atman. There are various phenomena of nature starting from the Brahman and coming down to the immovable objects. This Upaniṣad describes the guidance of intelligence that assumes in different functions in the human mind. These functions come under cognition, affection and will. Consciousness, judgment, ideation, wisdom, insight, opinion, thoughtfulness, volition etc come under cognitive functions. Impulse, purpose and desire are under affection. Steadfastness, memory, purpose and self-control are under will.