- Author : Vidwan Sagri Raghavendra Upadhyaya
- Translation : Prabhanjana Kalya Hyderabad
Whenever a mention of śāntipāṭha is made, śaṁ nō mitraḥ śaṁ varuṇaḥ… stated in the Taittirīyōpaniṣat is what usually comes to mind. It is commonplace to find the usage of this śāntipāṭha across all the branches of the vēda. However, since the Taittirīyōpaniṣat is a part of the kr̥ṣṇayajurvēda, it ought to be used exclusively during the recitation or study of related treatises only. During the study of literature related to the R̥gvēda, one should use the śāntipāṭha from the aitarēyōpaniṣat.
That śāntipāṭha which adds luminosity to our contemplation is a follows
Vāṅ mē manasi pratiṣṭhitā | manō mē vāci pratiṣṭhitam | āvirāvīrma ēdhi | vēdasya ma āṇīstha śrutaṁ mē mā prahāsīḥ | anēnādhītēnāhōrātrān sandadhāmi | r̥taṁ vadiṣyāmi | satyaṁ vadiṣyāmi | tanmāmavatu | tad vaktāramavatu | avatu māṁ | avatu vaktāraṁ avatu vaktāram ||
Let our speech be filled with the Almighty: The śāntipāṭha begins with the study, the words of the teacher and the disciple involved in the study must be filled with the Lord. During the course of the lecture-discourse, the speech must be solely about the Lord with no indirect digressions either. It prescribes the rules of speech for those engaged in tutoring and learning.
At the outset, although it appears to mean ‘my speech is consecrated in my mind’, śrīmadhvācārya explains, the interdependency between mind and speech is obvious and it is unnecessary to explicitly spread the apparent message. As manaḥ is derived using the root manu avabōdhana, śrīmadhvācārya expounds the meaning of manaḥ as the Almighty who is the avabōdhasvarūpi and continues to explain the true meaning of vān me manasi pratiṣthita | manō me vāchi pratiṣthitam || as “The Almighty is in my speech and my speech is ordained towards Him”. This also clearly shows the correlation between the Almighty and speech. More importantly, in the context of lecture-discourse, the harmony of mind and speech is sought earnestly.
Suffixing the verb ‘bhavatu’ to pratiṣṭhitā and pratiṣṭhitaṁ, one should consider this as a prayer to the goddess who controls our mind (vāg abhimāni) and the supreme Lord (parabrahma) as well.
Manifest abundantly in my understanding: Continuing the prayer, directed towards viṣṇu who is present in Lord vāyu, the one known as āṇī, the establisher of the vēdas, it says, manifest clearly in my vedic studies and the study of its supporting scriptures. Āvirāvīrma ēdhi vēdasya ma āṇīstha …, to emphasize the purport, āvīḥ is incanted twice as āvirāvīḥ and to stress upon manifesting clearly, the long accent in āvīḥ has been used.
Do not leave from the knowledge imbibed: Śrutaṁ mē mā prahāsīḥ – do not leave the knowledge that I have obtained through hearing; meaning through the knowledge thus acquired continue to be perceptible to me.
The remarkable insight of ’vēdasya āṇīstha’: Thus, while praying the Almighty to manifest in our study and be ever present in our learning, the prayer is addressed towards the Lord who is dwells in Lord prāṇa known as āṇī.
Addressing Him as vēdasya āṇīstha’, it is a prayer to the Almighty to be ever present in our learning through Lord prāṇa as it is Lord prāṇa who instills the knowledge of vēdas and other related study in seekers. Therefore, it is an appeal to the Almighty to permanently manifest in our learning through the medium of Lord prāṇa.
Learning about You throughout life: Anēnādhītēnāhōrātrān sandadhāmi – the study I have carried out as a student, I shall continue through all the ensuing days and nights. I shall pursue my learning about You throughout life.
I shall glorify You as being the epitome of righteousness and the absolute truth: Besides my continual study, I shall also sincerely propagate the tenets of my learning amongst other seekers. r̥taṁ vadiṣyāmi, satyaṁ vadiṣyāmi – I shall preach to my students with utmost sincerity, my learning about You, without any distortions. I shall also enunciate You as being filled with all auspicious attributes and as the controller of the entire creation.
Let the One propounded by the vēdas protect us: tad mā avatu – here the word tat refers to vēdōktarūpō̕nupacārataśca as imparted in the r̥gvēdakhila (gī.Bhā.17-23) i.e. the Almighty who is primarily propounded by the vēdas. The inner meaning of tanmāmavatu is, may the Almighty who is the protagonist of the vēdas, as I have prayed hitherto manifest abundantly in my study of the vēdas, ensure that I am never distanced from learning, enable me to disseminate my learning throughout my life, enable me to propagate to my students through the teaching of the vēdas – the qualities of the Almighty as being the epitome of righteousness and the absolute truth and may He bestow His protection.
As prayed earlier tad vaktāramavatu means, “Make me the dissipater and protect me”. It also extends to mean, “In a similar manner, also protect my teacher.” The verbal root ava can mean protection as well as to enter. Therefore, the prayer may also be interpreted as, “By entering me and my teacher, may the Almighty who is the protagonist of the vēdas and is known as tat, fructify this prayer of mine.”
Purport in every word: By incanting avatu vaktāraṁ avatu vaktāram twice, it is not only a prayer to protect the teacher but also signifies purport to every part of the prayer.
Complete framework: The three forms of the Almighty that are invoked through the citation of ōṁ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ for relieving us of distress at the end of the śāntipāṭha of yajurvēda is not present in this śāntipāṭha. However, it could also be included here.
For a student who embarks upon learning, the framework and the system applicable to such learning is all included in this śāntipāṭha and hence it is the most appropriate.
Awards remedy from obstacles: śrīmadhvācārya who has explained this śāntipāṭha beautifully in his aitarēyabhāṣya, in the epilogue, through vāṅma ityādikaṁ khaṇḍaṁ….. states that this section which is a prayer to Lord viṣṇu has been revealed by the Almighty for his disciples and avighnatvamabhīpsūnāṁ….. for those who seek remedy from obstacles in the study of the vēdas. By mentioning so, śrīmadhvācārya has indicated at the benefits.
I am very glad that, I read this Article.