Chandogya Upanishad (Ch.6,7 & 8) – 1

Introduction & Shanthi Mantra

            The Chandogya Upanishad belongs to Sama Veda and is a big Upanishad consisting of 627 Mantras spread over eight chapters. Of these eight chapters the first five chapters deal with Saguna Iswara Upasanas and the last three chapters deal with Nirguna Iswara Jnanam.  So we are skipping the first five chapters and studying only the last three chapters i.e. chapters 6,7 and 8 in this series of blogs. The Chandogya Upanishad is considered an important Upanishad as Vyasacharya takes up a number of Mantras from this Upanishad for analysis in Brahmasutra.  This Upanishad lends itself to chanting with svaras, like Isavasya and Taittriya Upanishads.  This Upanishad starts with a Shanthi Mantra which belongs to the Sama Veda, and let us study the Mantra before taking up Chapter 6.  The 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            

This Shanthi Mantra is 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 Shanthi Mantra, 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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