Medha Suktam

Suktam - Sa + Uktam = Sa - which is good; Uktam - spoken

Suktam means well spoken or said

Medha suktam is a prayer for Medha - retentive power or concentration. Medha shakti influences the brain functions such as memory, concentration and intelligence. It is not just the retention capacity of the brain, it also refers to the capacity of our mind to hold a topic in consideration and to hold all the facets related to the topic simultaneously and being able to look at it from all angles. It is also the capacity needed to hold on to the topic as long as it is needed without getting distracted, tired and losing interest.

All these together constitute Medha shakti, an essential ingredient for Vedantic thought / analysis.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Medha Suktam

Medha suktam is from Yajur Veda. It is also there in Rig and Atharvana veda.

The mantra starts with verses from Taittiriya Upanishad. This is a prayer for one who wants intelligence and initiation in the search of Brahman.

S.NO	VERSE /CHANT	Word to word meaning	Meaning	Veda pushpanjali meaning
1	Om Yaschandasam rsabho visvarupah	Om - Pranava mantra Yah - that which (i.e. that Om) Chandasam - of the Vedic mantras Rsabhah - is exalted Visva-rupah - in the form of the Universe	That Om, the symbol for the Lord in the form of the Universe, which is the most exalted of the Veda mantras.	He who is the most excellent in the Hymns of the Vedas, whose form is manifold, and who has sprung up in all splendor from the sacred Hymns, may He, the Supreme Lord, cheer me with intellectual vigour. O Lord, may I be the possessor of immortal elevation. May 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). You are teh sheath of Supreme being. Pray, preserve my learning.
2	Chandobhyo dhyamratah sambabhuva	Chandobhyah - from the Vedas Adhi - essence Amrtat - from the timeless Sam-babhuva - emerged from	(That Om) which has emerged from the Vedas as their essence.
3	Sah mendro medhaya sprnotu	Sah - that Me - me Indrah - indra, Lord, Om Medhaya - with intelligence / wisdom Sprnotu - may (he) bless	May that Om, the Lord Indra, bless me. ......................................................... May that Om, sound symbol of the universe, most exalted of Veda mantras, which has emerged from the Vedas as their essence, bless me with the power of intelligence.
4	Amrtasya devadharano bhuyasam	Amrtasya - of immortality (here to be read in the context of a prayer for wisdom, so means nectar of knowledge that frees me from mortality) Deva - O effulgent Lord (here, Om) Dharanah - possessor, holder Bhuyasam - may I become	O Lord, May I become endowed with the nectar of wisdom that free me from mortality.
5	Shariram me vicarsanam	Sariram - body Me - my Vicarsanam - fit, healthy, strong (Bhuyat) - may become (Understood, implied)	May my body become strong, healthy and fit
6	Jihva me madhumattama	Jihva - tongue Me - my Madhu-mat-tama - that whihc is sweetest (madhu - sweet ; mat - that which is sweet ; tama - that which is sweetest) (bhuyat- may become (understood, implied))	May my tongue become the sweetest, i.e., always speak what is sweet, not hurtful and true.
7	Karnaabhyam bhurivisruvam	Karnabhyam - with my ears Bhuri - abundantly, much Visruvam - may i hear	May I listen to the sastras (and good things) as often as possible with my ears.
8	Brahmana koso'si medhaya pihitah	Brahmana - of Brahman Kosah - the sheath Asi -you are Medhaya - worldly intelligence (i.e., limited) Pihitah - covered	O Omkara, you cover Brahman like a sheath and you are covered by worldly intelligence. (sheath i.e., by dwelling on you we can arrive at the nature of Reality, which cannot be accessed directly) Om covers Brahman Worldly intelligence covers Om
9	Srutam me gopaya	Srutam - what has been heard (i.e., sastra) Me - for me Gopaya - for protection (Protect me)	May the sastra that has been heard by me be for my protection.
10	Aum shanti shanti shanti	Shanti - peace	May there be peace
11	Medhadevi jusamana na aagaad visvachi bhadra sumanasyamana	Madha devi - Goddess (devi) of intellection (Medha) Jusamana - blessing Na - us (nah) Aagaad - let her come Visvaci - all knowing (i.e., by which alone one becomes all knowing) Bhadra - auspicious (i.e., through clarity of thinking, perceptions, purpose) - (Brings auspiciousness through clarity) Sumanasyamana - 'please-minded' (i.e., our actions, being dharmic, do not disturb the order)	Letting Medha Devi come May Medha Devi, the power of intellection, who bestows all-knowingness, who brings auspiciousness through clarity, whose mind is pleased - undisturbed by our actions which are righteous - come, blessing us. (Implied prayer  - please bless me with the knowledge and strength to live a life of dharma)	May the all -penetrating goddess of intellect who is beneficial, favorably disposed to, and delighting in us, visit us. O goddess, may we, who were delighting in futile speech before thy visit, now as a result of thy delight in us, become enlightened and also capable of expressing the supreme truth along with our heroic sons and disciples.
12	Tvaya justa nudamana durujtan bruhad vadema vidate suvirah	Tvaya - by you Justa - (we who are) blessed Nudamana - giving up (pushing aside) Duruktan - unwanted, vile speech (that distracts from living dharma) Brhad - of Brahman Vadema - may we speak Vidathe - having understood Suvirah - good children (i.e., who understand the value of dharma and are committed to a life of dharma	Being blessed by you, may we, having understood and having given up all harsh words, speak about Brahman and have children that appreciate the value of a life of dharma. (Here, Understood means knowing Purushartha nishchaya - ·         knowing the value of knowledge (connected with Moksha), ·         knowing the importance of pramaana.knowing the shastra as Pramaana ·         learning with right teacher ·         Having shraddha Thereby understanding what Brahman is and remaining in contemplation of Brahman.
13	Tvaya justa rishir bhavati Devi tvaya brahmagatasri ruta tvaya	Tvaya - by you Justa - (one who is) blessed Risir - a rishi (seer of reality, a knower of Brahman) Bhavati - becomes Devi - O Goddess Tvaya - by you Brahma - Brahman (bhavati) Agastasrir - wealthy (bhavati) Uta - and Tvaya - by you	O Goddess, blessed by you one becomes a knower of Brahman, one becomes Braahman, one becomes wealthy.	O goddess of intellect, favored by thee, one becomes seer; one becomes a brahmana or knower of brahman. Favored by thee one obtains manifold wealth. Being such, o goddess of intellect, delight in us and confer on us wealth.
14	Tvaya justas citram vindate Vasu sa no jusasva dravinoona medhe	Tvaya - by you Justas - (one who is) blessed Citram - different forms of (Vasu) Vindate - attains Vasu - wealth Sa - such a one (Medha devi) No - us (nah) Jusasva -may you bless Dravinoona - with wealth (dravinena) (prosperity) Medhe - power of intellection	May such a One as you, O Medha Devi, blessed by whom one attains all varieties of wealth. Bless us with prosperity (both material and subtle, upto Moksha).
15	Madham ma indro dadatu Medham devi sarasvati	Medham - intellection Ma - me Indro - by indra Dadatu - may he give (bless) Medham - intellection Devi - goddess Sarasvati - Sarasvati (Goddess / power of knowledge, intellect, music and wisdom)	May Indra (shakti of the physical body) grant me good stamina and health (for unhindered functioning of the intellect) and may Goddess Sarasvati grant me the power of intellection. Indra - Shakti to body Saraswati - power of intellection.	May Indra grand me intelligence. May goddess Saraswati grant me intelligence. May the two Ashvins wearing garlands of lotus flowers, awaken the intelligence in us.
16	Medham me ashvina ubhav adhattam pushkarasraja	Medham - intellection Me - me Ashvina - ashvinau - the twin ashvins, deities of nostrils, the divine physicians. Ubhav - (ubhau) - both Adhattam - infuse / place Pushkarasraja - lotus (puskara) garlanded (sraja)	May the twin Ashvins, garlanded with lotuses, bless me with the power of intellection (by giving me good health, on which it depends)
17	Apsarasu ca ya medha gandharvesu ca yan manah	Apsarasu - heavenly damsels Ca - and Ya - that which (yad) Medha - intellection Gandharvesu - celestial musicians Ca - and Yan - that which Manah - intellect (the mind - mind, is regarded here. Generically as intellect.)	That which is enjoyed as the subtle intelligence of heavenly damsels and the intelligence of celestial musicians May we be blessed with ·         The intelligence of Apsaras ·         The intelligence and knowledge of Gandharvas	Hail the intelligence! May that intelligence favor me that which is possessed by Apsaras and Gandharvas (celestial minstrels) that intelligence expressed as the divine vedic lore and that intelligence which spreads like fragrance.
18	Daivim medha sarasvati saa maam medha surabhir jusatagh svahaa	Daivim - divine Medha - intellection Sarasvati - Goddess of knowledge, intellect, music and wisdom Sa - that Maam - me Medha - power of intellection Surabhir - celestial wish fulfilling cow (Symbolizing wisdom and knowledge) Jusatam - may bless	May Sarasvati, manifest as Surabhi, bless me with the intellection which is that Divine intelligence. (May Sarasvati, fulfiller of all wishes*, bless me with the power of intellection which is that subtle divine intelligence enjoyed by heavenly damsels and celestial musicians) (* through the power of intellection, One gets to know all. Results in no more desires to be attained. All wishes are fulfilled as it were)
19	Aamaam medha Surabhir visvarupa hiranya garbha jagati jagamya	Aa - Coming Maam - (to) me Medha - intellection Surabhir - celestial cow Visvarupa - one who is in the form of Universe (Medha devi is in the form of all disciplines of knowledge that are known to the mind) Hiranyavarna - One with golden complextion. (Medha devi is in the form of brilliance of intellect which flashes as presence of mind) Jagati - Universe (Medha devi is in the form of intelligence backing the order behind the functions in all life forms in the Universe) Jagamya - accessible (She is in the form of the intelligence which is worth gaining)	Coming to me, (may She), by whom one gains self-knowledge, who manifests as all forms of knowledge, who flashes as presence of mind, who manifests as the intelligence behind the order involved in the functions in all life forms, who is worth possessing	May the goddess of intelligence, come to me with a joyful face and favor me - That goddess of intelligence who is pervasive like fragrance, who is capable of examining all objects, who possesses golden letters in the shape of the suyllables of the vedas (or who is wholesome and charming), who is continuously present, who is fit to be resorted to by the seekers of the values of life again and again, who possesses flavor and strength and who nourishes me with milk and other wealth.
20	Urjasvati payasa pinvamana saa maam medha supratika jusantam	Urjasvati - powerful (here, gain strength in me) Payasa - milk of boons (here, it means knowledge) Pinvamana - showering Saa - she Maam - me Medha - intellection Supratika - Auspicious beginning (to study the scripture) Jusantam - may bless	May she bless to gain strength in me, shower me with knowledge. May Medha Devi bless me with auspicious beginning to the study of scriptures. ......................................................... May that Medha Devi By whom one gains self- knowledge Who is the intelligence behind disciplines known to the mind Who flashes as presence of mind in any situation Who manifests as the intelligent order behind the functions in all life forms Who is worth possessing Come to me, Grow in me Shower me with knowledge Bless me with an auspicious beginning to my study of scripture.
21	Mayi medham mayi prajam mayagnistejo dadhatu	Mayi - in me Medham - intellection Mayi - in me Prajam - progeny Mayi -in me Agnistejo - the Lord in the form of fire (agni) and strength (tejas) Dadhatu - place, infuse	May Agni, deity of speech, infuse me with strength and intelligence and bless me with good progeny Lord Agni bless me with Tejas, strength of intellection and progeny	May Agni render in me intelligence, continuity of progeny and splendor born of vedic study May Indra render in me intelligence, continuity of progeny and virility May Surya render in me intelligence, continuity of progeny and prowess that strikes fear in the hearts of enemies.
22	Mayi medham mayi prajam mayi indra indriyam dadhatu	Mayi - in me Medham - intellection Mayi - in me Prajam - progeny Mayi - in me Indra - indra Indriyam - virility ( quality of having strength, energy and manliness) Dadhatu - place, infuse	May Indra, deity of power of action, infuse me with virility and intelligence and bless me with good progeny. May Lord Indra bless me with energy, manliness, strength of intelligence and progeny.
23	Mayi medham Mayi prajam mayi suryo brajo dadhatu	Mayi - in me Medham - intellection Mayi -in me Prajam - progeny Mayi - in me Suryo - the sun Bhrajo - brilliance Dadhatu - place, infuse	May Surya, deity of seeing, who inspires our thoughts, infuse me with brilliance and intelligence and bless me with good progeny. May Lord Surya bless me with brilliance (of Sun)with intellection and progeny.
24	Hamsa hamsaya vidhmahe parama hamsaya dhemahi Tanno hamsa prachodayaat	Hamsa - swan Vidhmahe - may we know Dheemahi - may we meditate Tannah - (Tat + NaH) Tat - in that meditation; Nah - us Prachodayat - may impell	May we realize Hamsa that is our Self as swan. Let us meditate on that Paramahamsa, the Supreme Self. May Hamsa illumine us. ............................................. Hamsa in Vedic literature is found in various places Constant repetition of 'Hamsa' changes it to 'Soham', which means 'That I am', which means (I am he, God is inside me). Hamsa is a symbol of purity. As per Vedas, Hamsa has a great quality of differentiation between good and bad and choosing the good. Other attributes of Hamsa are attached to ·         Knowledge ·         Prana (Cosmic breath) ·         Spiritual accomplishment ·         Getting rid of enemies (bad qualities).etc

SAIRAM