Kenopanishad - 1

Shanti mantras

Kenopanishad is a small Upanishad belonging to Sama Veda. It has a total of 35 Mantras, spread over four chapters, called Kandas. It derives its name from the opening verse, which starts with the word Kena. It is also called as Talavakaropanishad, as it forms the ninth chapter of the Talavakara Branch in Sama Veda. Though small it has a powerful direct teaching, Upadesa, aimed at uttama adhikari and madhyama adhikari and a story and Aadesa, teaching through Upamana, aimed at a mandha adhikari to benefit from the teaching.  The Upanishad is in guru-sishya-samvadha form, only the guru and sishya are not named. They are to be inferred from the nature of question and answer format.  There appears to be also more than one sishya, from the mode of teaching. This Upanishad has two peace invocations.  The first one is the same as in Kathopanishad.  In view of its importance, we shall see a brief summary of it.  The Shanthi Mantra is:

Om saha naavavatu I saha nau bhunaktu I saha veeryam karavaavahai I

tejaswi naavadheetamastu maa vidvishaavahai I Om shanti, shanti, shanti II

This is a general prayer, through which the sishya seeks the protection of  Brahman, for both the guru and sishya in their pursuit of BrahmaVidya studies and also Brahman’s blessings for the studies to be thorough and fruitful.  He also prays that there should not be any misunderstanding between them in their joint efforts and they should be able to reap the fruits of this knowledge. The invocation ends with the traditional appeal for peace from the three types of obstacles i.e. obstacles arising from natural forces, external environments and internal problems. In short, through this the student prays for unobstructed assimilation of the knowledge with total shraddha in guru and scriptures.

The second Shanthi Mantra is

Om. aapyaayantu mamangaani, vaak praanah chakshuh srotramatho balam indriyaani cha sarvaani. I sarvam Brahmaupanishadam, ma’ham Brahma niraakuryam maa maa Brahma niraakarod  aniraakaranam astu, aniraakaranam me astu I tad aatmani nirate ya upanishatsu dharmah, te mayi santu, te mayi santu. I Om shanti shanti shanti II

May my limbs, speech, Prana, eye, ear and power of all my senses grow vigorous.  All is Brahman of the Upanishads. May I never deny Brahman; may Brahman never spurn me. May there be no denial of Brahman; may there be no spurning by Brahman; may I take delight in that Athma;  May the virtues recited in the Upanishads repose in me; may they repose in me I  Om Peace, Peace, Peace II

While the earlier Mantra stressed the team-spirit, this Shanthi Mantra is more personal in nature and prays for an integrated personality where the physical, psychological and spiritual aspects are harmoniously developed.  Let us see the meaning of individual phrases in this Shanthi Mantra,

Om - stands for Brahman

aapyaayantu mamangaani, vaak praanah chakshuh srotramatho balam indriyaani cha sarvaani.  - May my limbs, speech, prana, eye, ear, and all my senses grow strong and vigorous.

sarvam Brahmaupanishadam -  Everything existing is the Brahman of Upanishads

ma’ham Brahma niraakuryam maa maa Brahma niraakarod  aniraakaranam astu, aniraakaranam me astu -  May I never deny Brahman, May Brahman never deny me, May I never spurn Brahman, May Brahman never spurn me

tad aatmani nirate ya upanishatsu dharmaah, te mayi santu -  May the virtues given in the Upanishads reside in me who is devoted to the Athma

Through this the sishya seeks a sound sthula, sukshma sareera that will enable him to absorb the teaching and pursue studies without interference of physical and mental problems.   Particular mention is made of speech, prana, eye and ear among other limbs.  Speech implying communication skill is important in Mananam for conveying the doubts to guru seeking clarification.  Prana is important for general health and vitality for concentration in studies without distraction.   Eye should be problem-free to study the Sastras. The importance of ear in Sravanam needs no emphasis. The essence of Vedanta is stated in the invocation with the affirmation that everything is only the Brahman of Upanishads.  For there is only Brahman without a second in the Universe as stated clearly in Mundaka Upanishad (2-2-11)

“That immortal Brahman alone is before, that Brahman is behind, that Brahman is to the right and left. Brahman alone pervades everything above and below; this universe is that Supreme Brahman alone.”

And this advaitic Brahman can be known through Upanishads only as stated in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (3-9-26) where Brahman is referred to as ‘aupanishadam Purusha’.  Sishya prays that neither his faith in Brahman nor the grace of Brahman should desert him at any time, and repeats it for emphasis.  He also seeks as a devoted student of AthmaJnanam all the qualification required for BrahmaVidya studies namely sadhana chathushtaya sampathi, i.e. the fourfold discipline of discrimination, dispassion, sixfold discipline, and the intense desire for moksha purushartha.   The invocation ends with the traditional prayer for peace from the three types of obstacles, also called tapatrayam, as given below:

1. Adhyathmikam – Obstacles arising from within oneself like one’s personal ill-health, negative mood etc.  i.e. obstacles arising from oneself.
2. Aadhi bauthikam – Obstacles arising from other known sources or external situations like ill-health of a family member, noisy neighbourhood etc. i.e. obstacles arising from one’s environs.
3. Aadhi daivikam – obstacles arising from unseen sources like floods, storm etc. obstacles arising from nature

In short, this is more of a personal prayer where the student prays for sareera yogyatha, jnana yogyatha, and Iswara kripa, through this peace invocation.

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