Prayers for the protection of the Mind
with English translations of Pt. Usharbudh Arya
The Shiva Sankalpam Sukta consists of six verses and is from the 34th chapter of the Yajur Veda.
The Shivasankalpam sukta infer a special संकल्प (Sankalpa = desire/intent). Everyone has intents and desires, which can easily become an obsession. However, when a Sankalpa (a specific intent) is backed by purity of thought/mind, it is shiva-like. An intent that is not harmful to the self or to others is inherently good. It becomes focused, meditative, benevolent, auspicious and powerful – and yet with detachment. Shiva Sankalpa allows desires and intent to be noble and not yoked or attached to the person.
Desires can easily overcome us to the extent that we become what we desire. With this Sukta, we empower our own mind so that it can be under our control (instead of the mind controlling us, we control the mind). These mantras also soothe, calm and protect the mind from negative influences and from obsession and habit-creation. Many mental challenges like depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, lack of sleep, lack of self-control etc., are eased and managed by meditation with these verses. As a family, we chant these before sleeping so that the mind is in a positive state during sleep. The English translations (in green) are quoted from Pt. Usharbudh Arya.
यज्जाग्रतो दूरमुदैति दैवं
तदु सुप्तस्य तथैवैति।
दूरङ्गमं ज्योतिषां ज्योतिरेकं
तन्मे मनः शिवसंकल्पमस्तु ॥1
Yaj-jaagrato dooram-udaiti daivam
tadu suptasya tathai-vaiti.
Door-aṅgamam2 jyotiṣhaam jyotir-ekam3
tan-me manah shiva-sankalpam-astu.
That far-going light of all lights that flies to distances in one’s wakeful state, and even so in one’s sleep, may that, my mind, be filled with beautiful and benevolent thoughts.
Notwithstanding all of its daivam divine qualities, the manah mind dooram udaiti travels far and wide while we jaagratah are awake. Tadu It behaves in tathai similar manner suptasya while asleep by doorangamam moving about and going afar. May tat that me manah my mind, jyotishaam jyotirekam be inspired and illuminated with shivasankalpam astu noble intent.
येन कर्माण्यपसो मनीषिणो
यज्ञेकृण्वन्ति विदथेषु धीराः।
यदपूर्वं यक्षमन्तः प्रजानां
तन्मे मनः शिवसंकल्पमस्तु ॥4
Yena kar-maaṇ-ya-paso maneeṣhiṇo
yajye-kriṇvanti vida-theṣhu dheeraah.
Yada-poorvam yaksham-antah prajaa-naam
tan-me manah shiva-sankalpam-astu.
That by which the wise ones perform their sacred deeds in the yajyas, and the patient ones go into the battle-field of life, that which is the unique, mysterious light hidden in the innermost recesses of all beings, may that, my mind, be filled with beautiful and benevolent thoughts.
The mind karmaani causes the performance of good deeds with apasah integrity. It has manisheenah discipline in yajye worship and krinvanti act of vidatheshu sharing knowledge with dheerah wise persons. Yadapoorvam unique, yakshamantah internally diverse prajaanaam all-encompassing: tan me manah may that my mind, shivasankalpam astu with noble intent.
यत्प्रज्ञानमुतचेतो धृतिश्च
यज्ज्योतिरन्तरमृतं प्रजासु ।
यस्मान्नऋते किञ्चन कर्मक्रियते
तन्मे मनः शिवसंकल्पमस्तु ॥5
Yat-prajyaa-nam-uta-cheto dṛitish-cha
yaj-jyotir-antar-amṛitam prajaasu.
Yasmaan-na-ṛite kin-chana karma-kriyate
tan-me manah shiva-sankalpam-astu.
That which is awareness in itself, that which is consciousness; that which is patience, sustenance and memory. That which is amrita-jyoti, the deathless light present amongst all creatures, that without which no action is performed, may that, my mind, be filled with beautiful and benevolent thoughts.
That prajaanaam repository of knowledge, that cheta source of memory and consciousness, driti patience and courage yat which is jyotir antar internally illuminated and amritam free from being annihilated, that which prajaasu exists in everyone and yasmaan rite without which kinchan no karma action or work kriyate can be performed; tan me manah shivasankalpamastu may that my mind be filled with noble intent.
येनेदं भूतं भुवनं भविष्यत्
परिगृहीतममृतेन सर्वम्।
येन यज्ञस्तायते सप्तहोता
तन्मे मनः शिवसंकल्पमस्तु ॥6
Yenedam bhootam bhuvanam bhaviṣh-yat
pari-gṛiheetam-amṛitena sarvam.
Yena yajyas-taayate sapta-hotaa
tan-me manah shiva-sankalpam-astu.
That amrita, the deathless one, by which is held all the past, the present and the future. That which presides over my intellect, O Lord, may that, my mind, be filled with beautiful and benevolent thoughts.
That in which the bhootam past, bhoovanam present and bhavishyat future parigrihitena is comprehended, that which is amritena indestructible, sarvam is present in everyone; yena that with which yajyasya worship and selfless sacrifice taayate is accomplished, that which saptahotaa7 interacts with the seven organs (2 eyes, 2 ears, 2 nostrils, mouth), tan me manah shivasankalpamastu may that my mind be filled with noble intent.
यस्मिन्नृचः साम यजूंषि
यस्मिन् प्रतिष्ठिता रथनाभाविवाराः।
यस्मिश्चित्तं सर्वमोतं प्रजानां
तन्मे मनः शिवसंकल्पमस्तु ॥8
Yasminn-ṛichah saama yajoon-ṣhi
yasmin pratiṣh-ṭhitaa rathanaa-bhaa-vivaaraah.
Yasminsh-chittam sarvam-otam prajaanaam
tan-me manah shiva-sankalpam-astu.
That by which is sustained the knowledge of the Rig, the music of the Saama, and the sacred deeds of the Yajur like the spokes in the hub of a wheel; that into which is woven and interwoven all the chitta and consciousness of all beings, may that, my mind, be filled with beautiful and benevolent thoughts.
That yasmin within which exists the richah saama yajoonshi Rigveda, Saama Veda and Yajurveda like prathishthaah are present rathanaabhaavivaaraah like spokes in a wheel; that yasmin within which chittam sarvamotam prajaanaam knowledge is complete and full like the thread through a necklace tan me manah shivasankalpamastu may that my mind be filled with noble intent.
सुसारथिरश्वानिव यन्मनुष्यान्
नेनीयतेऽभीशुभिर्वाजिन इव।
हृत्प्रतिष्ठं यदजिरं जविष्ठं
तन्मे मनः शिवसंकल्पमस्तु ॥9
Suṣhaa-rathir-ashvaan-iva yan-manuṣh-yaan
ne-nee-yate-bheeshubhir-vaa-jina iva.
Hṛit-pratiṣhṭham yad-ajiram javiṣhṭham
tan-me manah shiva-sankalpam-astu.
That which, like an expert charioteer controlling the horses with reins held fast, ever leads men. That which is heart-abiding, ever-moving, and speediest of all forces, may that, my mind, be filled with beautiful and benevolent thoughts.
O yan manushyaan you with a mind, be Sushaarathirashvaan iva like a skilled driver of his vehicle who neneeyate forcibly maintains abhishubhi control of its speed and vaajinah power. The mind is hrit pratishtham at your very centre, yat ajiram restless but immune from decay and javishtam of immeasurable speed – tan me manah shivasankalpamastu may that my mind be filled with noble intent.
- Yajur Veda 34.1
- Doorangaman could also refer to the limbs and sense organs
- Jyotishaam jyoti also refers to the power of those senses, thus the mind is the controller of the doorangamam senses.
- Yajur Veda 34.2
- Yajur Veda 34.3
- Yajur Veda 34.4
- Saptahotaa refers to multiple things: 7 hotas (performers) of the yajya. Also, the 7 senses that combine to make a perfect worship(Yajya): taste, breath, sight, hearing, feeling, intellect, and soul. The number 7 is also symbolical to: 7 days in a week
- Yajur Veda 34.5
- Yajur Veda 34.6