Medha Suktam

A translation by Raghav Venkatraman and Vaishnavi Shankar

In the Vedic tradition, the core of self-knowledge is the realization that collective human consciousness is complete, objective, and is eternal happiness (satchidananda). Seeking self-knowledge allows one to contemplate the nature of knowledge and intellect, known in Sanskrit as Medha. Art, such as prose or poems, is often used as a medium for such contemplation.

One such poem is the Medha Suktam, a set of six verses from the Hindu scripture Yajur Veda (यजुर्वेद). A number of variants exist in the tradition, but in its most common form it is a prayer that is recited by a group of students in pursuit of knowledge.

The earliest forms of divinity have historically been through feminine nature. The Sanskrit/ Samskrutam (संस्‍कृतं = सं + कृतं) language likewise adapts its structure to venerate attributes of an ideal self through feminine annotations. Similarly, the Medha Suktam personifies and venerates मेधा as the benevolent Goddess Medha Devi (मेधादेवी) whose fruits represent the ultimate desire of a seeker – self knowledge. Written in Sanskrit, the word Suktam (सूक्‍तं = सु उक्‍तं) literally translates to “that which is well spoken”. It is a collection of short verses that describe various aspects of self-knowing and knowledge.

The Sanskrit language has two salient features that give it its majestic stature: (a) an impeccable grammar that allows for words to be decomposed into constituent roots, offering the possibility to essentially construct the implied meaning of the word, and (b) an tonal character that exacts this grammar into a sublime musical mold.

As an example, Sanskrit carries with it the connotation of a work that is “well-prepared, pure and perfect, polished and sacred”. Another example, the alphabet in Sanskrit are referred to as Aksharas (अक्शराः= न क्शरन्‍ति इति), those which do not erode or decompose. About (b), in the tradition, the scriptures, i.e., the vedas and their appendices (from which the Medha Suktam is extracted), are examples of Shruthis (श्रुति), that is, hymns that were passed down orally by memorization and oral recitation from teacher to student down the lineage. For this reason, while reciting such suktas/ mantras, special attention must be paid to the intonation of the words. In the present article, we try to capture just on the meaning of this suktam, together with some context.

ओं मेधादेवी जुषमाणा न आगाद्विश्‍वाची भद्रा सुमनस्‍यमाना | त्‍वया जुष्‍टा नुदमाना दुरुक्‍तान्‍् बृहद्वदेम विदथे सुवीराः|

May the auspicious (भद्रा) pleasant-minded/equanimous (सुमनस्‍यमाना) and all pervasive (विश्‍वाची) Goddess Medha Devi (मेधादेवी) being pleased by us (जुषमाणा), come upon us (नः आगात्), and may we imbibe these attributes that reflect a state of knowledge. Blessed by you (त्‍वया जुष्‍टा), we, who were speaking foolishly (नुदमाना) or had difficulty with speech (दुरुक्‍तान्‍्), begin to reject anything that is wrong even at the level of thought (विदथे), and transform into intellectuals that are well-spoken (बृहद्वदेम). Blessed by you, even our progeny (सुवीराः) inherit this knowledge without our inhibitions. Here, progeny refers to our children, but also students, to whom we bring knowledge.

त्‍वया जुष्‍ट ऋषिर्भवति देवि त्‍वया ब्रह्माऽऽगतश्रीः उतत्वया | त्‍वया जुष्‍टश्वित्रं विन्दते वसु सानो जुषस्व द्रविणोन मेधे ॥

This verse asserts that with the blessings of Medha Devi, one becomes a seer (ऋषिर्भवति = ऋषिः भवति)– one who has vision of true knowledge and see patterns of the universe (ऋषति जानाति इति ऋषिः). It is said that Ramanujan was able to see complex identities in mathematics, and Mozart was able to see an entire symphony prior to composing it.

The second half of the first line of this verse has multiple interpretations. The first interpretation is that, blessed by Medha Devi (त्‍वया जुष्‍ट), one acquires knowledge of the Brahman (ब्रह्मन् + आगतः)– which, in the tradition, is considered the ultimate truth that is not separate from oneself, and is eternal happiness (सच्‍चिदानन्‍दः). The second interpretation captures the idea that, in the tradition, Brahma (ब्रह्मा + आगतः) is the creator credited for creating all things living or otherwise. Naturally, behind this creative force is his consort, Saraswati (सरस्वती), who is a form of Medha Devi. So, the suktam praises Medha Devi as unleashing the creative power of Brahma upon those that seek Medha.

This line concludes with उतत्वया श्रीः आगतः– Furthermore, blessed by you, one acquires abundance (द्रविणोन जुषस्व मेधे). Here, Shree (श्रीः) is synonymous with abundance (of various kinds (चित्रं वसु विन्दते) : – wealth, but also, prosperity, health, thoughts, relationships). This line is also said to convey a theme that occurs repeatedly in the tradition: that abundance resides where intellect is. A legendary story beautifully captures this idea: as a young boy, Adi Shankara was out seeking alms to prepare his lunch and happened upon the doorstep of a very poor woman. Having nothing edible in her home, the lady frantically searched her house, only to find a single gooseberry fruit, which she then offered to Shankara. Shankara was so moved by the incredible selflessness of this woman that he extemporaneously burst forth into poetry and sang 22 verses in praise of the Goddess Lakshmi. Pleased by the beauty and linguistic skill in the hymn, the goddess instantly showered the lady’s house with gooseberries made of pure gold. This shloka continues to be recited to this day: the Kanakadhara stotram (कनकधारा = कनकानाम् धारा = running stream of gold).

मेधां म इन्द्रो ददातु मेधां देवी सरस्वती । मेधां मे अश्विनावुभा-वाधत्तां पुष्करस्रजा। अप्सरासु च या मेधा गन्धर्वेषु च यन्मनः। दैवं मेधा सरस्वती सा मां मेधा सुरभिर्जुषताग् स्वाहा।।

Beginning this third verse, the seeker more directly asks for intellectual clarity in various forms. To begin, he asks, May Indra (इन्द्रो), the ruler of the heavens, give me intellect. It is said Medha is sought from Indra not because of his role as ruling the heavens, but because he possesses knowledge of the vedas, and in fact, expounds on them in his Kaushitaki upanishad. In addition, Indra’s weapon (आयुध) is Vajra (वज्र) or the thunderbold. Thus, the prayer here is for Indra to bless the seeker to dispel the darkness of ignorance and depression with the brilliance that is like thunder and lightning. In contrast, in the very next prayer, the seeker asks Medha from Saraswathi (सरस्वती) – the one who keeps flowing (सर). May Medha Devi bless me with intelligence that keeps flowing.

May the lotus-garlanded (पुष्करस्रजौ) celestial Ashwin horse twins (अश्विनौ) present me with Medha. Legend has it that the Ashwin twins are venerated for having introduced Ayurveda (आयुर्वेद) to the universe, and the prayer in this line is for the knowledge of how to stay in good health, necessary for the pursuit of knowledge. These twins appear in various contexts in the vedas, and one particular story from much later, in the puranas, is particularly interesting. The devas and the asuras were unusually collaborating on the massive project of churning the ocean (समुद्र मंथनं) with the promise of the nectar of immortality (अमृतं). The massive ocean that needs churning is said to be symbolic of the collective ignorance/unconsciousness of the beings. The churning rod is said to be the Mandara mountain, and the churning rope is the poisonous celestial snake Vasuki. The unlikely collaboration between the asuras and the devas (as a result of the promise of immortality (अमृतं)) naturally had a number of casualties, and this intense cosmic churning is said to have bequeathed a panoply of substances from the ocean, including the lethal Haalahala (हालाहल), capable of destroying the three worlds. Shiva is said to have gracefully swallowed the Haalahala in order to protect the devas and all creation, and his concerned consort Parvati is said to have held Shiva’s throat at this point, to prevent the poison from continuing to the rest of his body. It is for this reason Shiva acquires the name Neelakantha (नीलकण्‍ठः). Following the swallowing of the Haalahala by Shiva, the Ashvin twins are said to have emerged from the ocean with healing Ayurvedic balms to help the devas recover from this ordeal so they can enjoy their newly acquired amrutam: to heal the body and the mind so they can serve as a vehicle of self-knowledge, the vedas. The lotus garlands of the Ashvin twins, too, are said to be symbolic. Every part of the मेधा lotus plant is said to have medicinal value, more importantly, lotus grows from sludge and yet retains its beautiful glory– not unlike self-knowledge, which, in the tradition, is said to be untainted by samsara.

May Saraswathi bless me (जुषताम्) with that uninhibited mind (यत् मनः) with resplendent intelligence (सा मेधा) that is present in the celestial dancers (अप्सराः) and celestial musicians (गन्धर्वाः). May she bless me with intelligence that is fragrant (सुरभि) and spreads its presence widely. The word Surabhi (सुरभि) has another meaning: it is another name of the celestial wish-fulfilling cow (कामधेनु). This celestial cow is said to be benevolent to her wish-seekers, provided their wishes represent an active desire to spiritually grow and help others grow (शुभेच्छा); the interesting story of Vishwamithra who attempts to acquire Surabhi/Kamadhenu from Vashishta demonstrates the case-in-point. This prayer then seeks that Medha Devi blesses the seeker in the form of the celestial cow Surabhi.

आमां मेधा सुरभिर्विश्वरूपा हिरण्यवर्णा जगती जगम्या। ऊर्जस्वती पयसा पिन्वमाना सा मां मेधा सुप्रतीका जुषन्तां।।

Come (आ) to me (मां), O Medha, who is the wish-fulfilling cow Surabhi (सुरभिः) , of many and varied forms (विष्‍वरूपा), of a resplendent self-shining golden color (हिरण्यवर्णा; हिरण्यं = हितं च रमणीयं च यत् = that which is both good for you and beautiful at the same time, according to Shankaracharya Vidyaranya), residing in the form of the entire universe (जगती) in the form of intelligence in every living being (सत् चित्): for instance, think of how a newborn calf knows to nurse from his mother without being told how to do so. In addition, Medha is praised as being worthy of pursuing by those who have given up all other hope (जगम्या = जहतां गम्या सा).

May Medha Devi, having come to me (आ मां), with auspicious beginnings (सुप्रतीका), who is seen as being the wish-fulfilling, energetic and strong (ऊर्जस्वती) cow (Surabhi), showering (पिन्वमाना) with an abundance of nourishing milk (पयसा), may she bless me (सा मां जुषन्तां) with boons of intelligence and self-knowledge that have milk-like purity (मेधा).

मयि मेधां मयि प्रजां मय्यग्निस्तेजो दधातु

मयि मेधां मयि प्रजां मयीन्द्र इन्द्रियं दधातु

मयि मेधां मयि प्रजां मयि सूर्यो भ्राजो दधातु।।

O Medha, in the form of the lord of Fire (अग्‍निः), may intellect and your fiery brilliance (तेजः) prevail (दधातु) in me and my progeny (derived from praja (प्रजाः = परम्परात् जायन्ते इति = those that are born from the lineage). Here, progeny can refer to children, but also students from a teacher, or anyone else that maintain a certain continuity of passage of knowledge.

O Medha, in the form of lord Indra, the gatekeeper of the heavens (इन्द्रः), may your royal command over knowledge and intellect (इन्द्रियं) prevail in me and my progeny.

O Medha, in the form of Surya, the sun (सूर्यः), may the splendour (भ्राजः) of your knowledge prevail in me and my progeny. The connection between the radiance of the sun and intellectual brilliance is widely prevalent in a number of different prayers. The Gayathri mantra is an example of such a prayer which invokes the sun in the form of Savithr (सवितृ). Another popular example is the Aditya Hrudayam, dedicated to the Sun as representing objective intelligence in the face of dilemmas: (an excerpt for sample– तमोघ्नाय हिमघ्नाय शत्रुघ्नायामितात्मने कृतघ्नघ्नाय देवाय ज्योतिषां पतये नमः = salutations to the (intellect in the form of the) sun, who destroys ignorance, frigidity, enemies, and who is the limitless self, who destroys the ungrateful, and who showers limitless light upon all).

Expand on this and the ideas

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः।।

—–

मेधा सूक्‍तं / Medha Suktam

Since time immemorial, humans have had the unique ability to seek objective answers to deep questions about the self and the universe around us. This theme, and how one might think about it, is thoroughly explored in ancient scriptures, and Hindu scriptures are no different. A striking example is the following oft-quoted verse from the Vivekacudamani (विवेकचूढामणि):

दुर्लभं त्रयमेवैतद्येवानुग्रह हेतुकं।

मनुष्यत्वं मुमुक्षुत्वं महापुरुषसंश्रयः।।

This verse asserts that three things are incredibly difficult to attain and one can only attain these through divine grace: to be born human (मनुष्यत्वं), to be a seeker of self-knowledge (मुमुक्षुत्वं), and to have access to great teachers who can help learn such knowledge (महापुरुषसंश्रयः).

Within this school of thought, a natural topic when questioning the nature of self is to explore the nature of intellect, or Medha. One such exploration is the Medha Suktam, a set of six verses from the Hindu scripture Yajur Veda (यजुर्वेद). A number of variants exist in the tradition, but in its most common form, it is a collective prayer that is recited by a group of students that are in pursuit of knowledge.

We cannot discuss the concept of self-knowledge without the self. Such a person, with ideal attributes and abilities, we tend to put on a pedestal and look up with veneration, and within the theistic domain, with devotion to seek a similar self-aware status. Historically, such ideal personalities have been given a God or Goddess denotion, for example, Thoth from the Egyptian deities is a self-aware God of knowledge, who can impart the means to become similarly knowledgeable. Hinduism draws a parallel with the Medha (मेधा), or wisdom/objective intellectual clarity/knowledge, being personified as Medha Devi, a female Goddess with ideal attributes of self-knowledge. Seeking out to such an ideal personality, one hopes to become similarly self-aware.

Newsletter Version:

The pursuit of self – knowledge has historically been considered as a desirable path to tread in the South-Asian cultures. In seeking self-knowledge, directed thought is deemed to be a device that could take on multiple forms, such as the creation and experience of art or equivalently of what we may view today as an intellectual pursuit.

We cannot discuss the concept of self-knowledge without the subject – a knower of self-knowledge. Such a person, with ideal attributes and abilities, we tend to put on a pedestal and look up with veneration, and within the theistic domain, with devotion to seek a similar self-aware status. Historically, such ideal personalities have been given a God or Goddess denotion, for example, Thoth from the Egyptian deities is a self-aware God of knowledge, who can impart the means to become similarly knowledgeable. Hinduism draws a parallel with the Medha (मेधा), or wisdom/objective intellectual clarity/knowledge, being personified as Medha Devi, a female Goddess with ideal attributes of self-knowledge. Seeking out to such an ideal personality, one hopes to become similarly self-aware.

The earliest forms of divinity have historically been through a feminine form, and the Samskrutam language likewise adapts its structure to venerate attributes of an ideal self through female Goddesses. In describing the attributes of these female deities, and thereby aspects of self-knowledge, there exist multiple compositions in Sanskrit, in the form of Suktams. The word Suktam (सूक्‍तं = सु उक्‍तं) literally translates to “that which is well spoken”, and is a collection of short verses that describe various aspects of self-knowing and knowledge.

The Medha Suktam personifies and venerates मेधा as the benevolent Goddess Medha Devi (मेधादेवी) whose fruits represent the ultimate desire of a seeker – self knowledge. It is in the Sanskrit/Samskrutam (संस्‍कृतं) language, the ancient language of the vedas, and stands on two salient features that give the language a majestic stature: (a) an impeccable and pristine grammar, that allows for words to often be decomposed into constituent roots, offering the possibility to essentially construct the implied meaning of the word, and (b) its immaculate tonal character, which exacts this grammar into a kind of sublime musical mold. As an example, Sanskrit/ Samskrutam (संस्‍कृतं = सं + कृतं) carries with it the connotation of a work that is “well-prepared, pure and perfect, polished and sacred”. Another example, the alphabet in Samskrutam are referred to as Aksharas (अक्शराः= न क्शरन्‍ति इति), those which do not erode or decompose. About (b), in the tradition, the scriptures, i.e., the vedas and their appendices (from which the Medha Suktam is extracted), were examples of Shruthis (श्रुति), that is, hymns that were passed down orally by memorization and oral recitation from teacher to student down the lineage. For this reason, while reciting such sooktas/ mantras, special attention must be paid to the intonation of the words. In the present article, we try to capture just on the meaning of this Suktam, together with some context.

May the auspicious (भद्रा) pleasant-minded/equanimous (सुमनस्‍यमाना) and all pervasive (विश्‍वाची) Goddess Medha Devi (मेधादेवी) being pleased by us (जुषमाणा), come upon us (नः आगात्), and may we imbibe these attributes that reflect a state of knowledge. Blessed by you (त्‍वया जुष्‍टा), we, who were speaking foolishly (नुदमाना) or had difficulty with speech (दुरुक्‍तान्‍्), begin to reject anything that is wrong even at the level of thought (विदथे), and transform into intellectuals that are well-spoken (बृहद्वदेम). Blessed by you, even our progeny (सुवीराः) inherit this knowledge without our inhibitions. Here, progeny refer to our children, but also students, to whom we bring knowledge.

The second half of the first line of this verse has multiple interpretations. The first interpretation is that, blessed by Medha Devi (त्‍वया जुष्‍ट), one acquires knowledge of the Brahman (ब्रह्मन् + आगतः)– which, in the tradition, is considered the ultimate truth that is not separate from oneself, and is eternal happiness (सच्‍चिदानन्‍दः). The second interpretation captures the idea that, in the tradition, Brahma (ब्रह्मा + आगतः) is the creator credited for creating all things living or otherwise. Naturally, behind this creative force is his consort, Saraswati (सरस्वती), who is a form of Medha Devi. So, the Suktam praises Medha Devi as unleashing the creative power of Brahma upon those that seek Medha.

Beginning this third verse, the seeker more directly asks for intellectual clarity in various forms. To begin, he asks, May Indra (इन्द्रो), the ruler of the heavens, give me intellect. It is said Medha is sought from Indra not because of his role as ruling the heavens, but because he possesses knowledge of the vedas, and in fact, expounds on them in his Kaushitaki upanishad. In addition, Indra’s weapon (आयुध) is Vajra (वज्र) or the thunderbolt. Thus, the prayer here is for Indra to bless the seeker to dispel the darkness of ignorance and depression with the brilliance that is like thunder and lightning. In contrast, in the very next prayer, the seeker asks Medha from Saraswathi (सरस्वती) – the one who keeps flowing (सर). May Medha Devi bless me with intelligence that keeps flowing.