Medha Suktam played by the raaga player below
is from RigVeda , but the Suktam lyrics and the Suktam played by Youtube is from Tittiriya Upanishad .
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Courtesy : http://www.arshavidya.org.uk
Medhá Súktam
Om yaéchandasám àêabho viévarupá
chandobhyo’dhyamàtáth-sambabhúva
sa mendro medhayá spànotu
amàtasya devadhárano bhúyásam
éarîram me vicarêaÃam
jivhá me madhumattamá
karÃábhyám bhúriviéruvam
brahmaÃa koéo’si medhayá pihitaä
érutam me gopáya
Om éántiä éántiä éántiä
Om Medhá Devî juêamáÃá na ágád
viévácî bhadrá sumanasyamáná
tvayá juêOEá nudamáná duruktán
bàhad vadema vidathe suvîráä
tvayá juêOEa àêir bhavati devî
tvayá brahmáágataérîr uta tvayá
tvayá juêOEaé citram vindate vasu
sá no juêasva draviÃona Medhe
medhám ma indro dadátu medhám devî sarasvatî
medhám me aévináv ubhav ádhattám puêkarasrajá
apsarásu ca yá medhá gandharveêu ca yan manaä
daivîm medhá Sarasvatî sá mám Medhá Surabhir juêatám
á mám medhá surabhir viévarúpá hiraÃyavarÃá jagatî jagamyá
úrjasvatî payasá pinvamáná sá mám Medhá supratîká juêantám
mayi medhám mayi prajám mayi agnistejo dadhátu
mayi medhám mayi prajám mayi indra indriyam dadhátu
mayi medhám mayi prajám mayi súryo bhrájo dadhátu
Om éántiä éántiä éántiä
Medhá – Intellection: understanding, retaining and assimilating what is heard/read.
Súktam – A vedic hymn (lit: “well said”) that invokes either a devatá or Bhagaván
We start with a mantra from the Taittiriya Upaniêad (I.iv.1) which is a prayer for one who wantsintelligence. The second verse of the mantra goes on to ask for wealth, but as this is sounded with theMedhá súktam, which is concerned with wisdom, we do not include the second verse.
Om yaéchandasám àêabho viévarupah
Om – (pratîka) sound symbol that stands for the Lord (i.e. a (pratîka symbol, one that has no
human features like the Siva lingam, unlike Ganesha who has a hands and legs, called a pratîma symbol)
yaä – that which (i.e. that Om)
chandasám – of the Vedic mantras
àêabhaä – is exalted (lit. like a bull, i.e. “that which is the bull among Vedic mantras”)
viéva-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…
chandobhyo’dhyamàtáth-sambabhúva
chandobhyaä – from the Vedas
adhi – essence (lit. ‘pertaining to’, here to be read with sambabúva to carry sense of ‘essence’)
amàtát – from the timeless
sam-babhúva – emerged from (with adhi – adhi sam-babhúva – means “emerged as the essence”)
(That Om) which has emerged from the Vedas as their essence…
sa mendro medhayá spànotu
saä – that
me – me
indraä – Indra, Lord, Om
medhayá – with intelligence/wisdom
spànotu – may (he) bless
May that Om, the Lord Indra, bless me with intelligence.
My that Om, sound symbol for the Lord Indra in the form of the universe, most exalted
of Veda mantras, which has emerged from the Vedas as their essence, bless me with the power of intelligence.
amàtasya devadhárano bhúyásam
amàtasya – 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 (i.e. Om)
dháranaä – possessor, holder
bhúyásam – may I become
O Lord, may I become endowed with the nectar of wisdom that frees me from mortality.
éaîram me vicarêaÃam
éaîram – body
me – my
vicarêaÃam – fit, healthy, strong
(bhúyát) – may become (understood, implied)
May my body become strong, healthy and fit
jivhá me madhumattamá
jivhá – tongue
me – my
madhu-mat-tamá – that which is sweetest (madhu = sweet + mat = that which is sweet + tama =
that which is sweetest)
(bhúyát) – may become (understood, implied)
May my tongue become the sweetest, i.e. always speak what is sweet, not-hurtful, true.
karÃábhyám bhúriviéruvam
karÃábhyám – with my ears
bhúri – abundantly, much
viéruvam – may I hear
May I listen to the éástras as often as possible with my ears.
brahmaÃa koéo’si medhayá pihitaä
brahmaÃa – of Brahman
koéaä – the sheath
asi – you are
medhayá – worldly intelligence (i.e. limited)
pihitaä – covered
O Omkára, 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.)
érutam me gopáya
érutam – what has been heard (i.e. éástra)
me – for me
gopáya – for protection (i.e. 4th case)
(bhúyát) – may become (understood, implied)
May the éástra that has been heard by me be for my protection.
Om éántiä éántiä éántiä
Om Medhá Devî - O goddess (devî) of intellection (Medhá)
juêamáÃá** - blessing
na - us (naä)
ágád - let her come
viévácî - all-knowing (i.e. by which alone one becomes all-knowing)
bhadrá – auspicious (i.e. through clarity of thinking, perception, purpose)
sumanasyamáná - pleased-minded* (i.e. our actions, being dharmic, do not disturb the order)
May Medhá Devî, 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.)
(**m|n| máná. creates present participles eg. átmanepada verbs, jushate – blesses, jushamáná – is blessing;
bháshate – he speaks, bháshamáná – he is speaking; ucchate – is spoken, ucchamáná – is being spoken)
tvayá - by you
juêOEá - (we who are) blessed
nudamáná - giving up (pushing aside)
duruktán - unwanted, vile speech (that distracts from living dharma)
bàhad - of Brahman
vadema - may we speak
vidathe - having understood*
suvîráä - 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.
* understood = having purushartha nishchaya, knowing the value of knowledge (i.e. connected with
moksha), knowing the importance of pramaana, knowing the shastra as pramaana, learning with a right
teacher, having shraddha, thereby understanding what Brahman is and remaining in contemplation.
tvayá - by you
juêOEa - (one who is) blessed
àêir - a rishi (a seer of reality, a knower of Brahman) (àêiä)
bhavati - becomes
devî – O goddess
tvayá - by you
brahmá – Brahman (the word “bhavati”- becomes, is understood)
ágataérîr – wealthy (lit. one to whom wealth has come) (ágataérîä) (“bhavati” is understood)
uta - and
tvayá - by you (rhythmic filler)
O Goddess, blessed by you one becomes a knower of Brahman, one becomes Brahman,one becomes wealthy.
tvayá - by you
juêOEaé - (one who is) blessed
citram - different forms of
vindate - attains
vasu - wealth
sá - such a one (Medhá Devî)
no - us (naä)
juêasva - may you bless
draviÃona - with wealth (= draviÃena)
Medhe - O power of intellection (voc. of Medhá)
May such a One as you, O Medhá Devî, blessed by whom one attains all varieties of
wealth, bless us with prosperity (both material and subtle, up to moksha).
———————
medhám - intellection
ma - me
indro - by Indra
dadátu - may he give (bless)
medhám - intellection
devî - goddess
sarasvatî - Sarasvatî (goddess/power of knowledge, intellect, music and wisdom)
May Indra (éakti of the physical body) grant me good stamina and health (for
unhindered functioning of the intellect) and may Goddess Sarasvatî grant me the power
of intellection.
medhám - intellection
me - to me
Aévináv (=Aévinau) – the twin Ashvins, deities of the nostrils, the divine physicians
ubhav (=ubhau) – both
ádhattám - infuse/place
puêkarasrajá - lotus (puêkara) garlanded (srajá)
May the twin Ashvins, garlanded with lotuses, bless me with the power of intellection
(by giving me good health, on which it depends).
apsarásu - heavenly damsels
ca - and
yá - that which (yad f.) (co-relative of sá in following statement)
medhá - intellection
gandharveêu - celestial musicians
ca - and
yan - that which (yad n.) (co-relative of sá in the following statement)
manaä - intellect (the mind – manas – regarded here, generically, as the intellect)
That which is enjoyed as the subtle intelligence of heavenly damsels and the intelligence of celestial
musicians…
daivîm - divine
medhá - intellection
Sarasvatî - Sarasvatî (goddess/power of knowledge, intellect, music and wisdom)
sá - that (co-relative of yá in previous statement)
mám - me
Medhá - power of intellection
Surabhir - celestial wish-fulfilling cow (symbolizing wisdom and self-knowledge)
juêatám - may bless
… may Sarasvatî, manifest as Surabhi, bless me with the intellection which is that Divine intelligence…
May Sarasvatî, fulfiller of all wishes*, bless me with the power of intellection which is
that subtle Divine intelligence enjoyed by heavenly damsels and celestial musicians.
(* When, through the power of intellection, all is known, no more desires remain to be attained, i.e. all
wishes are fulfilled as it were.)
———————
á - coming mám – (to) me
medhá - intellection
surabhir - lit. wish-fulfilling cow (i.e. Surabhir Medhá = that Medhá Devi by which one gets self
knowledge)
viévarúpá - lit. one who is in the form of the universe (i.e. viévarúpá Medhá = that Medhá Devi
in the form of all disciplines of knowledge that are known to the mind)
hiraÃyavarÃá – lit. one of golden complexion (i.e. hiraÃyavarÃá Medhá = that Medhá Devi in
the form of brilliance of intellect which flashes as ‘presence of mind’.)
jagatî - lit. the universe (i.e. jagatî Medhá = that Medhá Devi in the form of the intelligence backing
the order behind the functions in all life forms)
jagamyá - lit. accessible (i.e. jagamyá Medhá = that Medhá Devi 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, …
úrjasvatî – lit. powerful (i.e. gain strength in me)
payasá – lit. with milk of boons (i.e. with knowledge)
pinvamáná - showering
sá - she
mám - me
Medhá - intellection
supratîká - auspicious beginning (to study of scripture)
juêantám - may (he/she/it) bless
… gain strength in me, shower me with knowledge, may that Medhá Devî bless me with an auspicious
beginning to the study of scriptures.
May that Medhá Devî,
by whom one gains self-knowledge,
who is the intelligence behind all 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.
——————–
mayi - in me
medhám - intellection
mayi - in me
prajám - progeny
mayi - in me
agnistejo - the Lord in the form of fire (agni devatá) and strength (tejas)
dadhátu - place, infuse
May Agni, deity of speech, infuse me with strength and intelligence and bless me with good progeny.
mayi - in me
medhám - intellection
mayi - in me
prajám - progeny
mayi - in me
indra - Indra
indriyam - virility
dadhátu - place, infuse
May Indra, deity of the power of action, infuse me with virility and intelligence and
bless me with good progeny.
mayi - in me
medhám - intellection
mayi - in me
prajám - progeny
mayi - in me
súryo - the sun
bhrájo - brilliance
dadhátu - place, infuse
May Súrya, deity of seeing, who inspires our thoughts, infuse me with brilliance and
intelligence and bless me with good progeny.
Om éántiä éántiä éántiä
Om peace, peace, peace
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