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2. शीक्षावल्ली

ॐ शं नो मित्रः शं वरुणः । शं नो भवत्वर्यमा । शं न इन्द्रो बृहस्पतिः । शं नो विष्णुरुरुक्रमः । नमो ब्रह्मणे । नमस्ते वायो । त्वमेव प्रत्यक्षं ब्रह्मासि । त्वामेव प्रत्यक्षं ब्रह्म वदिष्यामि । ऋतं वदिष्यामि । 1/2

3. सत्यं वदिष्यामि । तन्मामवतु । तद्वक्तारमवतु । अवतु माम् । अवतु वक्तारम् ॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥ १ ॥ 2/2

4.
मित्रः - Mitra
न: - to us (lit. happiness, bliss)
(न: to us)
शं - propitious
(भवतु - may be).
उरुक्रमः - wide-stretching , all-pervading
विष्णुः - VishNu,
(न: - to us)
शं - propitious
(भवतु - may be.)
ब्रह्मणे - to Brahman
नम: - I bow down.

5.
( हे) वायो - 0 Vayu
ते - to thee
नम: - I bow down.
त्वम् - thou
एव - verily
प्रत्यक्षं - visible
ब्रह्म - Brahman
आसि - art.
त्वम् - thee
एव - verily
प्रत्यक्षं - perceptible
ब्रह्म - Brahman
वदिष्यामि - I shall declare.

6.
त्वाम् - thee
एव - verily
ऋतं - the right
वदिष्यामि - 1 shall declare.
त्वाम् - thee
एव - verily
सत्यं - the true and the good
वदिष्यामि - I shall declare.
तत् - that (Brahman)
माम् - me
अवतु - may protect.

7.
तत् - that (Brahman)
वक्तारम् - teacher
अवतु - may protect.
अवतु - may protect
माम् - me.
अवतु - may protect
वक्तारम् - teacher.
ॐ - om
शान्तिः peace शान्तिः peace शान्तिः peace.

8. May Mitra, VaruNa, Aryaman, Indra, Brhaspati, and all-pervading VishNu be propitious to us and grant us welfare and bliss. I bow down to Brahman in loving reverence. O Vaayu, I bow down to Thee in adoration. Thou verily art Brahman perceptible.

9. I shall declare: Thou art the right; Thou art the true and the good. May that Universal Being entitled Vaayu preserve me. May He preserve the teacher. Me, may Brahman protect; my teacher, may He protect.

Om Peace, Peace, Peace.

10. [Notes — The original place of the first invocatory verse is in the Rigveda, I.90.9. The deities invoked here may be regarded as the delegates among whom the Supreme distributes some of His powers.

11. They might also be conceived as manifestations of the One who lives behind them. Rigveda, L 164.46 declares that Indra, Mitra, VaruNa, and the rest are but modes of the One, named variously by the sages.

12. Mitra, VaruNa, and Aryaman are 3 of the Adityas or deities of the heavenly sphere mentioned in Rigveda. Mitra is the guardian spirit of the praaNaavrtti, or the in-breathing and the day. He calls men to activity, sustains earth and sky, and beholds all with unwinking eyes.

13. VaruNa governs the night and the breathing out. He is commonly associated with Mitra, and is celebrated as the king of gods and the lord of the universe.

14. In the hymns several grand attributes and functions are ascribed to him, such as presiding over the waters in the firmament and the sea, upholding heaven and earth, possessing extraordinary power and wisdom,

15. hating falsehood, seizing transgressors with his pasha (noose), pardoning sin, and bestowing immortality. Aryaman is the regent of the sun and the eyes.

16. He is the chief of the Pitrs {manes) and the Milky Way is called his path; he is the ruling deity in the sun as well as in the eyes.

17. Indra is the governor of the atmosphere and the upper regions; he presides over the gods. A vanquisher of the demons of darkness and a benefactor of man, his power and energy are devoutly praised in the Vedas, and he is most frequently invoked.

18. Brhaspati is the deity in whom piety and religion are personified, and also the god of wisdom and eloquence. He is therefore deemed appropriately the genius of speech and intellect, while Indra is considered that of strength, of the hands.

19. VishNu is often invoked with Indra. He is the personification of the light and the sun, especially in his striding over heaven in three steps, ‘explained as denoting the three-fold manifestation of light in the form of fire, lightning,
and the sun,

20. or as designating the three daily stations of the sun in his rising, culminating, and setting. He is also considered the chief of the Adityas and the guardian
spirit of the feet; and finally he is identified with the supreme all-pervading Reality.

21. Just as man is looked upon as a universe in epitome, the deities that rule over the cosmic functions are also conceived to have their corresponding rulership in the personality of man.

22. Hence it is appropriate that these gods are propitiated so that by their grace physical health is attained without which strenuous effort for the attainment of the highest wisdom is not possible.

23. Note 1. Be propitious etc, — The various gods and manes are believed to thwart the attempts of an ignorant man to gain Self-knowledge.

24. The Mahabharata, XIV.22.59 says that the gods do not like that mortals should surpass them. Brhadaranyaka, 1.4.10 has it that as long as one has not realized the Atman one is like an animal to the gods; for he worships them like a servant and contributes to their enjoyment.

25. Adi Shakara remarks incommenting on this passage: ‘…as men try to save animals from being seized by tigers etc. so the gods seek to prevent men from attaining the knowledge of Brahman lest they should cease to be their objects of enjoyment.

26. Gods bestow faith and other necessary virtues upon those whom they wish to set free and incline others, whom they do not favour, to scepticism and the like.

27. Therefore a seeker of liberation should worship and obey gods and be full of faith and loving adoration.’ The peace invocations are meant to win the blessings of the gods and HiraNyagarbha to make the course of the Saadhaka smooth and easy.

28. Note 2. Thou verily art Brahman — From Brhadaranyaka, III.7.2 it is made clear that Vaayu stands for PraaNa or Sutratman, known also as Prajapati or Hiranyagarbha — the first manifestation of Brahman conditioned by time and space.

29. The conscious and unconscious activity of the entire universe, styled as cosmic mind and cosmic life, is represented by PraNa which has its counterpart in the individual as consciousness and vital activity.

30. Hiranyagarbha is endowed with Gnanashakti and Kriya- shakti, power of intelligence and movement. He is eulogized as perceptible, because he can be grasped by mind and senses.

31. Note 3. Om Peace, Peace, Peace — Om is the symbol and representative of Brahman. It is uttered for securing all-round auspiciousness.

32. The word Peace is then uttered thrice to ward of all internal, external, and heavenly causes of trouble —Adhyatmika, Adhidaivika, and Adhi-bhautika Duhkha.

33. I will continue with Lesson II tomorrow.

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35. ॐ शीक्षां व्याख्यास्यामः । वर्णः स्वरः । मात्रा बलम् । साम सन्तानः । इत्युक्तः शीक्षाध्यायः ॥

36.
ॐ - Om.
शीक्षां - principles of correct articulation and pronunciation (the science of phonetics)
व्याख्यास्यामः - we shall explain.
वर्णः - speech-sound
स्वरः - accent or tone
मात्रा - quantity
बलम् - power or force of articulation

37. साम: - modulation or proper proportion of sound
सन्तानः - conjunction or close sequence of sounds,
इति - thus
शीक्षाध्यायः - the chapter on phonetics
उक्त: - has been stated.

38. We proceed to explain the science of phonetics. It deals with vocalic sounds, accent or pitch, quantity, force required for articulation, modulation, and the conjunction of the letters.

39. [Notes — In this Lesson we get the earliest systematic treatment of the science of phonetics. Vargas or speech-sounds are the primary element in the structure of the language.

40. They form themselves into syllables and words. A vowel sound is present in every syllable determining its accent and quantity.

41. There are three important ‘Svaras’ (accents or tones) falling on vowels, known as ‘Udatta’ or accute, ‘Anudatta’ or grave, and ‘Svarita’ or circumflex; these determine the rhythm of the text.

42. The vowels are short, long, or prolated in quantity or length of time required to pronounce them.

43. The correct time taken to pronounce a short vowel (Hrasva) is one prosodial instant, to pronounce a long vowel (Dirgha) is two, and a prolated or Pluta vowel is three prosodial instants.

44. A prosodial instant or mora is called a Matra. When articulate sounds are uttered, a certain force is to be exerted over the vocal organs in order to make the speech intelligible and effective; this is what is implied by ‘Bala’.

45. The term ‘Saama’, literally meaning likeness or similarity, denotes the regular pace to which the voice should be adjusted. Conjunction or ‘Santana’ means successive flow of the various juxtaposed vocalic sounds.

46. In the study of the Veda attention should be bestowed upon all these. Failure to observe these principles renders pronunciation defective and robs from the effect of the text studied.

47. For it is believed that the relation between word and its sense is eternal.

48. The story of Tvashtar, occurring in the Taittiriya-samhita, II.4.12 is often cited as an example to illustrate how the utterance of the word Indrashatru with the Udatta accent on the first member instead of on the last produced fatal result quite against Tvashtar‘s wish.

49. Panini's Siksha Verse 52 and Patanjali’s Mahabhasya first Aahnika deal with the point in question.]

50. This lesson has been rather short. So we end the vyaakyaanam here and will continue with the next lesson tomorrow.

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52. सह नौ यशः । सह नौ ब्रह्मवर्चसम् । अथातः सं हिताया उपनिषदं व्याख्यास्यामः । पञ्चस्वधिकरणेषु । अधिलोकमधिज्यौतिषमधिविद्यमधिप्रजमध्यात्मम् । ता महासं हिता इत्याचक्षते । अथाधििलोकम् । पृथिवी पूर्वरूपम् । द्यौरुत्तररूपम् । आकाशः सन्धिः ॥ वायुः सन्धानम् । इत्यधिलोकम् ।

53. अथाधिज्यौतिषम् । अग्निः पूर्वरूपम् । आदित्य उत्तररूपम् । आपः सन्धिः । वैद्युतः सन्धानम् । इत्यधिज्यौतिषम् । अथाधिविद्यम् । आचार्यः पूर्वरूपम् ॥ अन्तेवास्युत्तररूपम् । विद्या सन्धिः । प्रवचनं सन्धानम् । इत्यधिविद्यम् । अथाधिप्रजम् । माता पूर्वरूपम् । पितोत्तररूपम् ।

54. प्रजा सन्धिः । प्रजननं सन्धानम् । इत्यधिप्रजम् ॥ अथाध्यात्मम् । अधरा हनुः पूर्वरूपम् । उत्तरा हनुरुत्तररूपम् । वाक्सन्धिः । जिह्वा सन्धानम् । इत्यध्यात्मम् । इतीमा महासं हिताः ।

55. य एवमेता महासं हिता व्याख्याता वेद । सन्धीयते प्रजया पशुभिः । ब्रह्मवर्चसेनान्नाद्येन सुवर्गेण लोकेन ॥

56. नौ - for us
यशः - glory
सह - conjointly
(अस्तु - let there be).
नौ - for us
ब्रह्मवर्चसम् - refulgence born of holy life and study
सह - conjointly
अस्तु - let there be).

57. May we both, teacher and disciple, have glory (see Note 1) and refulgence (See Note 2) born of holy life and study.

58. [Notes — 1, Glory is the result of noble living and high thoughts. The prayer for it is the outcome of the longing for achieving moral and spiritual worth and not mere adulation among men.

59. Yashas, according to Adi Shankara, is दर्म-निमित्त कीर्तिः — renown accruing from righteousness (Bhagavadgita, X.5).

60. Note 2. Refulgence etc, — The term Brahman has the sense of the Vedas, the Supreme Reality, and devout austerity or Tapas, and Varcasa denotes power or refulgence.

61. The whole word therefore stands for the sanctity and pre-eminence which one achieves by a life devoted to sacred knowledge and realization of the Supreme Reality through Tapas.

62. Strictly speaking, this prayer becomes of the pupil alone, as the teacher has already achieved his aspirations.]

63.
अथ: - now (in order)
अतः - henceforth
पञ्चसु - in five
अधिकरणेषु - objects
संहिताया - of conjunction
उपनिषदं - sacred doctrine we shall expound
अधिलोकम् - concerning the universe
अधिज्यौतिषम् - concerning light
अधिविद्यम्concerning learning

64.
अधिप्रजम् - concerning progeny
अध्यात्मम् - regarding the body,
ताः - they
महासंहिता - the great combinations
इति - thus
आचक्षते - they declare.

65. Now we shall expound in order the sacred doctrine of conjunction (See Note 1) based on the five perceptible objects — universe, light, learning, progeny, and self. The observations on these five objects are together called ‘the great combinations.’

66. [Notes — 1. Conjunction etc. — The term ‘संहिता’ means conjunction or union, especially the combination of letters according to euphonic rules.

67. The philosophical observations presented in this Lesson are based on this linguistic phenomenon; but to distinguish the philosophical application from the linguistic usage the designation 'महासंहिता: i.e. ‘the great combinations’ is given here.

68. Samhita in grammar is closely connected with the science of phonetics about which the immediately preceding Lesson has been dealing.

69. The Vedic student who has committed to memory the sacred text has to analyze the words and letters of the sentence material for deriving the meaning and for making sure the correct understanding of it.

70. In order to recite the text with proper flow he has also to combine the various sentence elements.

71. During this process, which involves greater penetration and subtlety of thought than in the mere learning of the Veda by rote, the learner cannot fail take note of the terminal letter of the first word, the initial letter of the second word, 1/2

72. a third cementing element (a euphonic augment) in some cases, and the whole act of uniting.

73. For instance, in a combined group of juxtaposed words like (‘इषेत्वोर्जे त्वा ‘),‘इ’ in ‘इषे’ is the terminal letter of the first word, ‘त्’ in round brackets is the cementing element, 1/n

74. ‘त्’ next to it, is the initial letter of the second word and the act of joining them in connected speech is the combination; these four factors of Samhita are called here Purvarupa, Sandhana, Uttararupa, and Sandhi, respectively. n/n

75. This is a matter of common experience to the Vedic student, and so with the help of the principle underlying it, some greater relations that exist between objects of universal importance are adduced to assist him in subtle thinking on a large scale.]

76. 76. We will continue the bhaashyam on this lesson of Taittiriyopanishad tomorrow

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78. अथ - now
अधिलोकम् - on the universe
पृथिवी - the earth
पूर्वरूपम् - prior form or character,
द्यौ - firmament
उत्तरररूपम् - posterior form,
आकाशः - atmosphere
सन्धिः - junction,
वायुः - Air
सन्धानम् - means of joining,
इति - thus
अधिलोकम् - on the universe

79. (ध्यायेत् - one should meditate).

80. The teaching concerning the universe is this: The earth is the prior form, the firmament is the posterior form, the atmosphere is the junction, and air is the means of joining.

81. One should meditate on the universe bearing in mind these interior relations.

82. [Notes — The annotator states that the earth and the rest stand for the Devatas or geniuses of those elements.

83. The whole meditation helps to contemplate the Cosmic immensities as an inter-related whole including all existence in a grand whole. By doing so the mind goes beyond trifling preoccupations and attunes itself to the inhnite.]

84. अथ - after
अधिज्यौतिषम् - on the light
अग्निः - fire
पूर्वरूपम् - prior form,
आदित्य: - the sun
उत्तरररूपम् - posterior form,
आपः - water
सन्धिः - junction,
वैद्युतः - lightning
सन्धानम् - means of joining,
इति - thus
अधिज्यौतिषम् upon the light

85. (ध्यायेत् - one should meditate).

86. The teaching on the light is as follows: Fire is the prior form, the sun is the posterior form, water is the junction, and lightning is the means of joining, — thus one should meditate upon light.

87. [Notes-— The Vedic seers looked upon light as a single entity, but appearing on earth as fire, in the intermediate region as lightning, and in heaven as the sun.

88. This contemplation helps to steady the mind by dwelling on a unifying principle of cosmic magnitude, namely light, which has much resemblance with the ultimate Divine Principle to which the Upanishad ultimately
points.]

89. अथ - now
अधिविद्यम - on learning
आचार्यः - teacher
पूर्वरूपम् - prior form,
अन्तेव:सी - pupil
उत्तरररूपम् - posterior form,
विद्या - learning
सन्धिः - junction,
प्रवचनं - instruction
सन्धानम् - the means of joining,
इति - thus
अधिविद्यम् on learning

90. (ध्यायेत् - one should contemplate).

91. What now follows is the observation on learning. The teacher is the prior form, the pupil is the posterior form, learning is the junction, and the imparting of instruction is the means of joining.

92. This is how one should meditate upon learning.

93. [Notes — The Upanishadic seer must have chosen the process of learning as a theme for meditation because of the close relation existing between the Guru and the disciple, who, 1/2

94. according to the Vedic conception, should live like an object and its shadow for deriving the full benefit of learning. There is nothing greater or holier than knowledge: hence its propagation and the factors involved therein deserve reverent meditation.]

95. अथ - next
अधिप्रजम् - concerning birth
माता mother
पूर्वरूपम् - prior form,
पिता - father
उत्तरररूपम् - posterior form,
प्रजा - progeny
सन्धिः - junction,
प्रजननं - procreation
सन्धानम् - means of joining,
इति - thus
अधिप्रजम् - regarding progeny

96. (ध्यायेत् - one should contemplate).

Next the observation on progeny is given: Mother is the prior form, father is the posterior form, progeny is the junction, and procreation is the means of joining — thus one should meditate on progeny.

97. [Notes — Bhagavadgeeta, x.28 records Sri Krishna’s words that sexual union with the motive of progeny is a divine attribute, and as such sages have deemed it worthy of holy reflection.]

98.
अथ - now
अध्यात्मम् - regarding the self:—
अधरा - lower
हनुः - jaw
पूर्वरूपम् - prior form,
उत्तरा - upper
हनुः – jaw
उत्तरररूपम् - posterior form,
वाक् – speech
सन्धिः – junction
जिह्वा – the tongue
सन्धानम् - means of union
इति - thus
अध्यात्मम् – on the self

99. (ध्यायेत् - one should contemplate).

100. What follows is concerning the self: The lower jaw is the prior form, the upper jaw is the posterior form, speech or the vocal organs are the junction, and the tongue is the means of union,

101. — thus one should meditate on the self (see Note 1).

[Notes — 1. By ‘self’ the whole physical aspect and psychical aspect of the personality are meant here.]

102. इमा - these
महासंहिताः - great conjunctions
इति - thus
(उच्यन्ते - are said).
एताः - these
व्याख्याता - expounded
महासंहिता - great combinations
य: - who
वेद - meditates upon
(स: - he)
प्रजया - with progeny
पशुभिः - with wealth in cattle

103. ब्रह्मवर्चसेन - with holy lustre with food and the like
सुवर्गेण लोकेन - with heavenly worlds is united.

These are called the great combinations.

104. He who meditates on these great conjunctions, as expounded above, will attain progeny, wealth in cattle, food and the like, and the happy abode of Heaven.

105. [Notes — 1. Meditates on etc . — The original word ‘veda’ from Vid = to know has the secondary sense of Upasana or devout meditation. Upasana or devotion implies an uninterrupted flow of thought on an object recommended by the scripture.

106. The word Upasana, when used in connection with service of a King or Guru,
implies constant attention or intentness. This notion is implied in religious meditation also.

107. The Vedantasutras, IV.1, suggest that no rule regarding time and place need be observed by the Upasaka (aspirant) except in so far as the choice is based on facility for meditation and agree- ableness.

108. It is, however, necessary that the aspirant should be seated while contemplating, as otherwise the mind will wander away if the body is in motion.

109. If more than one meditations are given in different texts having one main purport, suitable attributes may be combined. All meditations, except that on the Paramatman, are symbolic.

110. The devotee, in the first case, meditates on a visible or visualized object outside his own Innermost Self and exalts it as a great Deity or Brahman Itself.

111. Self-realization being not the aim of all symbolic meditations, the objects of such meditations may vary successively as in the Upasana of Mahasamhita given above; for the spiritual effect generated by the first meditation is not cancelled by the second, but 1/n

112. only enhanced. Moreover in such Upasanas the result promised, such as objects of enjoyment, will accrue only if all the meditations are performed flawlessly and in order. n/n

113. The meditations laid down with the purpose of helping Self-realization, on the other hand, do not allow any shifting; after having made the choice, one has to adhere to it till the objective is gained, constantly repeating the same process.

114. The same meditation for which rewards are specified may be performed without any eye upon them for engendering purity of the soul needed for liberating knowledge.

115. We will take up Lesson 4 tomorrow.

116.
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117. यश्छन्दसामृषभो विश्वरूपः । छन्दोभ्योऽध्यमृतात्सम्बभूव । स मेन्द्रो मेधया स्पृणोतु । अमृतस्य देव धारणो भूयासम् । शरीरं मे विचर्षणम् । जिह्वा मे मधुमत्तमा । कर्णाभ्यां भूरि विश्रुवम् । ब्रह्मणः कोशोऽसि मेधया पिहितः । श्रुतं मे गोपाय । आवहन्ती वितन्वाना ॥ १ ॥

118. छन्दसाम् - of the sacred hymns
ऋषभ: - most excellent(lit. male animal or bull)
विश्वरूपः - manifold or appearing in various forms
यः - who
अम्रुतात् - from the immortal
छन्दोभ्य: - from the sacred hymns of the Vedas
अधि - above or over

119. सम्बभूव - arose, was produced,
स: - that
इन्द्र - Supreme Lord (who grants all wishes)
मा - me
मेधया - with mental power, intelligence
स्पृणोतु - gladden or invigorate.
हे O God,
अमृतस्य - of immortality
धारण: - possessor (lit. receptacle)
भूयासम् - I should be.

120. मे - my
शरीरं - body
विचर्षणम् - able and active,
मे - mine
जिह्वा - tongue
मधुमत्तमा - possessing sweetness to the highest degree, highly agreeable
च - and
(भूयात् - may be).
कर्णाभ्यां - with the ears
भूरि - abundantly
विश्रुवम् - may I listen (and learn).

121.
मेधया - by intelligence
पिहितः - concealed
ब्रह्मणः - of the Supreme Being
कोश: - sheath or cover
असि - Thou art.
मे - mine
श्रुतं - learning
गोपाय guard, preserve.

122. He (See Note 1) who is the most excellent in the Hymns of the Vedas, whose form is manifold, and who has sprung up in all splendour from the sacred Hymns, — may he, the Supreme Lord, cheer me with intellectual (See Note 2) vigour.

123. O Lord, may I be the possessor of the immortal (See Note 3) ‘Revelation; may (See Note 4) I be able and active in body; may my speech be sweet and agreeable to the highest degree; and may I, with my ears, listen abundantly (so that I may learn).

124. Thou art the sheath (See Note 5) of the Supreme Being. Pray, preserve my learning.

[Notes — This is a prayer addressed to the Supreme Being, the grantor of all wishes, asking for mental power and physical fitness without which knowledge of Brahman is not possible.

125. Note 1. He who etc . — The epithet ऋषभ, according to traditional Advaitic interpretation, refers to Om, the symbol and designation of Brahman.

126. The whole formulary may also be taken as a supplication to God, viewed from the theistic standpoint, in which case the descriptions are to be taken as those of the attributes of God.

127. The mystic syllable Om is set forth in the Upanishads as the object of profound meditation and the highest spiritual efficacy is attributed to it.

128. The Chandogyopanishad, II.23 states that this sacred exclamation was discovered by Prajapati through meditation for the benefit of the world; that it is the quintessence of the Veda; and that the entire speech is comprehended by it just as a leaf is spread over by the ribs.

129. As ideas and things are inseparable, by including all ideas through speech it also includes all objects; hence it is said to possess a manifold or universal form.

130. The Kathopanisad, II.15-17, extolls Om as the highest Goal of all religious striving by affirming it to be the imperishable support and best means for resting the mind.

131. The Prashnopanisad, V.2-7 identifies it with the a-cosmic and cosmic Reality, Para- and Apara-Brahma, and considers it as the only (eva) ayatana (resting-place or support) to attain either of the two above aspects of Brahman.

132. Further it is stated there that he who meditates with the help of it till departure is relieved of his sins just as a snake is relieved of its slough, and is lifted to the Highest.

133. Brhadaranyaka, V.1.1 marks Om as identical with ether-Brahman to serve as a means of meditation.

134. Mupdakopanisad, II.2.6 asks to meditate upon the Atman as Om, while the same text allegorically considers it as a bow (II.24) from which the arrow, i.e., the soul, is sent to its mark; namely. Brahman.

135. The unique exaltation of Om is entered in the Madukyopanishad, where it is identified with the -All — the abstract being described by Kant as ens realissimum.

136. It contains not only the three Matras (morae) but the mora-less part corresponding to the transcendent Reality, Turiya.

137. The Bhagavadgita, from all that has gone before, states that the Lord Himself is Om in all the Vedas (VII.8 & IX.17), that this monosyllabic Brahman should be uttered by a dying man for attaining the highest destiny (VIII. 13), 1/2

138. and that it is the designation of Brahman (XVII.23). He who knows the sense of Om knows the Veda, says Manu, XI.266. The Greek concept of logos borrowed by Christianity has some resemblance with this Hindu symbol. 2/2

139. There is no other holy formula so full of sacred potency or so short and
easy to be uttered even by a dying man, except this great Mantra.

140. Note 2. Intellectual vigour. — Medha means intelligence and
mental power, especially a tenacious memory. The seeker after Brahmavidya must be able to concentrate his thought on a given object and keep it uninterruptedly in the field of attention.

141. In fact this power of attention is the essence of all education. The mind should be gripped by a single aim and it should once for all cease to wander among manifold and endless thoughts.

142. Study of the Vedas is an auxiliary means to the direct intuition of Reality, though concentration is a direct aid to it.

143. One who is a bankrupt in mental power, and has only a poor memory can neither concentrate his thought or retain what has been learnt. Hence the prayer is very appropriate at the very outset.

144. Note 3. Amrta literally means immortal or what confers immortality. Here it stands for the Vedas which are a means to immortality.

145. Note 4. May I be etc. — The Upanisads declare often the need of strength, physical, moral, and spiritual, for realizing our highest destiny. The word विचर्षण is an altered form of विचक्षण.

146. 5. Om is the cover or sheath of Brahman. This figure is employed only to suggest that the Highest Reality which is the immediate and innermost Self of man can be objectified for the purpose of worship only through a Pratlka, a symbol.

147. All worship except that of identity with the Self is symbolic and that of Om
is the best.

148. We will continue with lesson 4 tomorrow.

149. .@Archies__ @nityamanityam @microrao @neha_aks @RituRathaur @kanimozhi @akhivis Let me continue with my tweeting on TAITTIRlYOPANISAD - LESSON FOUR (2)

150. कुर्वाणाचीरमात्मनः । वासांसि मम गावश्च । अन्नपाने च सर्वदा । ततो मे श्रियमावह । लोमशां पशुभिः सह स्वाहा । आमायन्तु ब्रह्मचारिणः स्वाहा । विमायन्तु ब्रह्मचारिणः स्वाहा । प्रमायन्तु ब्रह्मचारिणः स्वाहा । दमायन्तु ब्रह्मचारिणः स्वाहा । शमायन्तु ब्रह्मचारिणः स्वाहा ॥ २ ॥

151. हे देव - O God
ततः - after (having endowed me with intelligence and fitness) for मे - me
पशुभिः सह - along with cattle
लोमशम् consisting in wooly animals
श्रियम् - prosperity, fortune
आवह् - fetch; (या - which श्रि: - fortune)
मम - to my
आत्मनः - self

152. अन्नपाने - food and drink
वासांसि clothes
गाव:(= गा:) - cows
च - and
सर्वदा - for all time
अचीरम् (or अचिरम्)- without delay or for all the time
कुर्वाणा - producing
वितन्वाना - increasing
आवहन्ती - fetching
च - and

153. (भवतु - let it be).
स्वाहा - may blessing rest on this oblation
ब्रह्मचारिणः - celebate students of Brahmavidyaa
मा - me
आ - towards (or all through)
यन्तु - come. Svaha.
ब्रह्मचारिणः - celebate students
मा - me
वि - from different directions or away