Our previous edition marked the beginning of a contemplative journey into the Upanishadic depths of the ‘Shri Ganapati Atharvashirsha’. This issue brings you the second flower in that garland of reflections. Before we dive deeper into the actual meaning of the hymn, we must reflect on what our perspective towards it should be, and what meaning and conviction we should hold in our minds when reciting it. This is essential so that we may receive the full measure of what this hymn intends to bestow upon us. Otherwise, there is a strong possibility of getting weighed down by the number of recitations and losing the core essence in the casual chatter that follows during the distribution of prasad.
We have been reciting the Atharvashirsha since childhood; however, just as a student’s backpack and studies evolve with their academic progress, shouldn’t there be a corresponding progression in our actions and thoughts? The hymn remains the same – it is we who must evolve! As we saw in the previous edition, ‘Atharvashirsha is an Upanishad.’ Consequently, our contemplation must reflect the philosophical altitude, rigor, and profound gravity that the study of an Upanishad demands. It is on us to accord that reverence to it. For that, we must first comprehend the precise meaning of the word ‘UpaniṢad’. Expounding on the etymology of this word, Shrimad Adi Shankaracharya states in his UpadeshaSahasri:
सदेरुपानिपूर्वस्य विक्षेपचोपनिषद् भवेत । मन्दीकरण भावाच्य गभदिः शातनात्तथा ॥ (उ.सा. पद्यबंध उपोद्घात १.२६)
The word ‘Upanishad’ is formed by adding the suffix ‘kvip’ to the root verb ‘sad,’ preceded by the prefixes ‘upa’ and ‘ni.’ That which weakens or loosens the grip of the cycle of birth and death, or destroys it altogether, is the Upanishad. Acharya’s commentary on the Kathopanishad also echoes the very same definition. There, Acharya instructs: ‘संसारबीजस्य विशरण’— meaning, that which destroys the very seed (possibility) of one’s worldly existence through deep contemplation, is the Upanishad.
To illustrate this, let’s look at an anecdote: An elderly woman once visited Sadguru Doctor Kaka as a patient. She had been suffering from chronic asthma for many years. Highly agitated and frustrated, she asked, ‘But Doctor, why did I have to suffer from this asthma in the first place?’ Param Pujya Kaka calmly replied, ‘You got asthma simply because you took birth! If you wish to be free from such suffering hereafter, then ensure that you are never born again!’ What a stunning response! Now, one may wonder, “how do I ensure that?” The answer is simple: ‘Dedicate yourself to the study of the Upanishads!’ This perfectly echoes the profound declaration that we explored earlier: मन्दीकरण भावाच्य गभदिः शातनात्तथा!
Acharya provides a third profound meaning for the root verb ‘Sad’: to grant ‘Gati’ (progression). Naturally, this meaning raises some questions: Progression from where to where? For whom is this progression? And what is its ultimate purpose? The essence is captured in:
असतो मा सद्गमय । तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय । मृत्योमामृतं गमय ॥ (बृह १.३.२८)
- From the Unreal (Asat) to the Real (Sat): Progression from all the perishable objects that are either seen, perceived, felt or experienced, towards the principle of Absolute and Indestructible Existence.
- From Darkness/Ignorance (Tamas) to Light/Knowledge (Jyoti): Progression from the constant experience of ignorance towards a state of Pure Knowledge (Jnanarupata)
- From Death (Mrutyu) to Immortality (Amrutatva): Progression from the realm of death—which is the nature of the unreal (Asat) and ignorance (Tamas)— towards Immortality, the essential nature of Truth (Sat) and Pure Knowledge (Jñana).
In summary, the very term ‘Upanishad’ proves that through the rightful contemplation of the Atharvashirsha—done with the necessary spiritual authority—one attains such progression (Gati). If I merely chant the Atharvashirsha without grasping this entire scope, it is akin to using a mighty sword merely to chop vegetables! Arthanatar (Shifting context) – from the literal meaning (Vachyartha) to the intended, deeper meaning (Lakshyartha) – is the very nature of true contemplation.
For example – The refrain (Dhruvapad) of the Ganapati Aarti is: “दर्शनमात्रे मन कामनापूर्ति” What does the straight, literal meaning (Vachyartha) suggest to us? It suggests that as soon as I take Darshan of Ganapati (behold Him), all the desires within my heart get fulfilled.
However, the deeper, intended meaning (Lakshyartha) tells me that when I have the ‘true Darshan’ of that Ganapati, ‘all desires find cessation’ (they simply cease to be). The Ganapati who comes and goes, and whom we ceremonially immerse (Visarjan), has a true nature that is ‘Nirguna Nirakara’ (Attributeless and Formless). There is no space where He is not, and no time in which He does not exist. He is everywhere (Sarvatra), eternally (Sada), and equally (Sama). It is not as if He is more present in one place and less in another. Echoing this precise truth, Samartha Ramdas Swami declares: ‘रिता ठाव या राघवेवीण नाही’ (‘There is not even an iota of space left where Raghava (God) is absent.’). Sant Tukaram Maharaj sings: ‘त्रिभुवन संचले विठ्ठलेगा।’ (‘Vitthala has permeated all the three worlds.’). Jnaneshwar Maharaj proclaims: ‘भरला घनदाट हरी दिसे ।’ (‘Hari is seen (experienced) filled everywhere, dense and pervasive.’). The Ishavasya Upanishad (Mantra 5) describes this very Reality as:
तदेजति तन्नैजति । तदूरे तद्वन्तिके । तदन्तरस्य सर्वस्य । तदु सर्वस्यास्य बाह्यातः ॥ (ईश ५)
(‘That is far, yet It is near; It moves, and yet It moves not; It is within all this, yet It exists outside of all this.’)
The Logical Consistency of Thought: Desires (Kamana) are for the sake of happiness. An individual (Jiva) lives under the illusion that the fulfillment of a desire will lead to the attainment of happiness. However, Ganapati is the very embodiment of ‘Sat-Chit-Ananda’ (Truth-Consciousness-Bliss). His ‘true vision’ (Darshan) is the realization of absolute oneness! ‘He is I’ − Sah Aham − ‘So’ham!’ When I experience the Darshan of Ganapati in this way, I too become ‘Bliss-incarnate’ (Ananda-rupa), just like Him. My pursuit of external happiness will then come to a halt, because I will have directly experienced that the very source from which the urge for happiness arises—the Blissful Ganapati—is ‘Me!’ Naturally, at that point, all my desires find a complete full stop (total cessation).
When initiating the actual contemplation or recitation of the Atharvashirsha, the very first verse that we invoke is the peace invocation (Shanti Mantra): ‘ॐ भद्रं कर्णेभिः शृणुयाम देवाः ।’ (ॐ, O Gods, may we hear what is auspicious with our ears). This is also referred to as the Shantipatha. The ten principal Upanishads upon which Acharya (Adi Shankaracharya) has written his commentary are widely recognized. Shantipatha is an integral part of every single one of these Upanishads.
For instance, in the Ishavasya Upanishad, the Shantipatha is: ‘ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पूर्णमुदच्यते । पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥’ (ॐ, That is infinite, and This is infinite. This infinite proceeds from That infinite. Realizing the infinitude of That Infinite, the Infinite alone remains.)
Similarly, in the Kathopanishad, the invocation is: ‘ॐ सह नाववतु । सह नौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै । तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ॥’ (ॐ, May He protect us both [teacher and student] together. May He nourish us both together. May we work together with great vigor. May our study be illuminating and fruitful. May there be no animosity or misunderstanding between us.)
As an Upanishad of the Atharva Veda, the Atharvashirsha shares its lineage and its specific Shantipatha with other seminal texts of that Veda, such as the Prashna, Mundaka, and Mandukya Upanishad. The Shantipatha for all of these is identical:
ॐ भद्रं कर्णेभिः शृणुयाम देवाः भद्रं पश्येमाक्षिभिर्यजत्राः । स्थिरैरंगैस्तुष्टुवांसतनूभिः व्यशेम देविहितं यदायुः ॥
(ॐ, O Gods, may our ears hear only that which is auspicious. O Worshipful Ones, may our eyes see only that which is auspicious. May we attain a life with able limbs and bodies, singing your praise and live the lifespan graciously granted to us by the Divine.)
In short, it is an established tradition of reciting the Shantipatha both before and after the study of an Upanishad. The Shantipatha primarily is an ‘aspiration of divine grace’. Therefore, it is chanted before as well as after the study, and an invocation to various deities is performed to seek their benevolence. The Shantipatha manifests as a ‘form of well-wishing’ (benediction) with the objective that our human life be elevated and advanced through the mutual harmony and development of our physical, mental, and spiritual powers, and that we all may be endowed with the strength to attain knowledge. This is the very purpose of the Shantipatha, and it is for this reason that it is chanted with deep faith and devotion!
The Shantipatha of the Atharvashirsha is as follows: ‘ॐ भद्रं कर्णेभिः शृणुयाम देवाः । भद्रं पश्येमाक्षिभिर्यजत्राः । स्थिरैरंगैस्तुष्टुवांसतनूभिः । व्यशेम देविहितं यदायुः ॥’ This Shantipatha commences with the sacred monosyllable ‘ॐ’. The Taittiriya Upanishad declares: ‘ओमिति ब्रह्म!’ (ॐ is Brahman!). Similarly, the Bhagavad Gita (8.13) affirms: ‘ॐ इत्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म’ (ॐ is the one-syllabled Brahman). This entire world that is experienced and perceptible to our senses is the very manifestation of Omkara. And since Omkara is Brahman, it naturally aligns with the great Upanishadic declaration: ‘सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म ।’ (All of this is indeed Brahman), as illuminated in the Chandogya Upanishad (3.14.1): ‘सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म । तजलानिति शान्त उपासीत ।’. This single-syllabled Omkara (ॐ) is the symbol of the Nirguna Nirakara Brahman (the attributeless, formless Reality). By beginning the Shantipatha with ॐ, a sacred invocation (Mangala) is performed through the remembrance of the Supreme Reality.
Let us examine the prose order (Anvaya) of this Shantipatha to grasp its deeper meaning. The term ‘देवाः’ translates to ‘O Gods!’—it is expressed in the vocative case. ‘कर्णेभिः भद्रं शृणुयाम’ means: may our ears hear only that which is auspicious and beneficial. ‘भद्रं पश्येम अक्षिभिः’ expresses: may I be blessed to see only pure, auspicious, and uplifting sights with my eyes. ‘स्थिरैः अंगैः’ refers to a healthy, disease-free body that has absolute steadiness and vitality. ‘स्तुष्टुवांसतनूभिः’ signifies continuously praising You with pleasing, reverential words and being in Your divine service. ‘यत् आयुः’ (यदायुः) means whatever life span we have been graciously granted. ‘देविहितं’ implies: for the Gods, or for the ultimate attainment of the Divine. ‘व्यशेम’ means may we spend or live in this very manner. This is the complete meaning of the verse.
However, as we delve into the deeper, implied meaning of this Shantipatha, ‘Bhadra’ is the most crucial word. In our daily worldly affairs, we are quite familiar with the word ‘Abhadra’ (inauspicious or impure), but rarely do we reflect on ‘Bhadra’! Bhadra represents the supremely auspicious, the absolute sacred—and whatever is not Bhadra, is naturally Abhadra.
One thing to note is that here, the text explicitly mentions only the ears and the eyes. Even though only the eyes and ears are named, the remaining three senses are inherently included. This style is known as ‘UpalakṢaṇa’ (a figure of speech where a part represents the whole). These two specific sense organs are highlighted here because they are our primary means of engagement and interaction in the world. Everything that I see or hear can be broadly classified into two distinct categories:
- That which is within my control
- That which is beyond my control
To a large extent, what I see and hear is within my control! Regarding that which is within my control: Samartha Ramdas Swami provides an exquisite guidance in his Manobodh (also known as Manache Shloka – Verses addressed to the mind) regarding the ideal start to one’s day:
प्रभाते मनी राम चिंतित जावा । पुढे वैखरी राम आधी वदावा । सदाचार हा थोर सांडू न येतो । जनी तोची तो मानवी धन्य होतो ॥ (म.बो. ३)
Every morning, one should contemplate on Lord Rama. Then, the speech should first utter His name. One must never abandon this righteous conduct. Such a human being is indeed blessed in the world.
However, in today’s times, our day begins with the mobile phone! We have become so habituated to it that referring to it as our ‘sixth limb’ would hardly be an exaggeration. The very moment we are awaken, this device instantly turns into a means of absorbing all the ‘garbage’ from the external world into our minds. Actually, during deep sleep, our mind attains a state of natural tranquility. Yet, the moment we wake up, we make arrangements to disturb that peace. One person may check WhatsApp, another one Facebook or Instagram, someone else their office emails, or the daily newspaper. And if someone happens to be a truly ‘exalted soul’, might even start watching a movie or a TV serial right away! We have cultivated the deeply detrimental habit of starting our day with stimuli that stir up the latent storehouse within us—Lust, Anger, Greed, Arrogance, Delusion, and Envy. Crucially, one has absolute control over all of this. Therefore, the onus is entirely upon me to consciously choose what is profoundly auspicious (Bhadra) and strictly avoid what is degrading and inauspicious (Abhadra).
The choice rests with us: Should we immerse ourselves in the wisdom of the Jnaneshwari and Dasbodh, or lose ourselves in the fleeting world of fictional novels? Should our ears be listening to spiritual discourses, or continue to indulge with film songs? One may naturally ask, how can I precisely discern between what is Bhadra and Abhadra? The answer is profound: if there is absolutely any entity in this entire universe that is supremely auspicious and unconditionally pure, it is that Supreme Reality (Brahman). Why? Because It is that only principle which remains absolutely untouched by Maya (the cosmic illusion). Samartha Ramdas Swami identifies this foundational Truth as the Sadguru, declaring:
आतां सदुरु वर्णिवेना । जेथें माया स्पर्शों सकेना । ते स्वरूप मज अज्ञाना । काये कळे ॥ (दासबोध १.४.१)
(I am incapable of describing the Sadguru. For it is a state where Maya cannot even touch. How then, can I, a mere ignorant being, ever comprehend His true nature?)
Things in our worldly dealings (Vyavahara) might be called auspicious or holy in a relative sense, but ultimately, they still fall within the realm of Maya. On this very point, we must look at a beautiful verse by Mauli in the Jnaneshwari (9.316):
स्वर्गां पुण्यात्मके पापें येइजे । पापात्मके पापें नरका जाइजे । मग मातें जेणें पाविजे । तें शुद्ध पुण्य ॥ (९.३१६)
(One reaches heaven through ‘merit’ which is essentially a form of bondage (golden shackles); one reaches hell through ‘sin.’ But that which leads one to Me (the Divine) is ‘Pure Merit’ (Shuddha Punya)) This is the ultimate definition of Pure Merit (Shuddha Punya). Any action that guides me directly towards the experience of my true nature, towards Self-realization, and towards the ultimate attainment of the Supreme Lord—that alone is termed Shuddha Punya. Therefore, ‘Bhadra’ refers to only that action which propels me toward that supremely auspicious and absolutely pure Supreme Reality (Brahman)! Even our daily obligatory duties, when performed with selfless detachment, lead to the purification of the mind, indirectly serving as a catalyst for Self-realization.
Without understanding all of this, and without making the necessary corrections in my life, if I continue to behave in an inauspicious (Abhadra) manner while reciting the Atharvashirsha mechanically for years, will that Ganapati look ‘at’ me (bestow His grace), or will He ‘look into’ me (deal with me)?
Now for the second aspect: how do we deal with those things that are entirely beyond our control? For instance, despite having absolutely no desire to do so, my eyes might inevitably witness many inauspicious things. Occasionally, I might be compelled to listen to words or encounter situations that are deeply impure and unholy. Numerous such events unfold in the natural course of life over which I exercise absolutely no control. The profound question then arises: In the midst of all such unavoidable circumstances, how am I to seek and behold the supremely auspicious (Bhadra)?
In our every action, ‘knowing’ (awareness) is the common element. We know by seeing, we know by hearing, we know by touch, and so on. Through the five sense organs, I am constantly taking things in; while the objects of the senses vary, they all ultimately resolve into ‘knowing.’ Generally, all our dealings happen in the light, yet I also ‘know’ the darkness! I ‘know’ my dreams as well. In short, ‘knowing’ is of utmost importance. But what enables this ‘knowing’? On this aspect, the following Śruti from the Kena Upanishad offers an insightful guidance:
प्रतिबोधविदितं मतममृतत्वं हि विन्दते । आत्मना विन्दते वीर्यं विद्यया विन्दतेऽमृतम् ॥ (केन २.४)
Meaning: The Self is truly known only when It is realized as the witness in and through every single act of cognition – be it every sight seen or every sound heard. In this awareness, one finds Immortality. Through the Self, one gains spiritual strength (Virya), and through this Sacred Knowledge (Vidya), one attains the Eternal.
The secret to beholding the auspicious (Bhadra) even amidst the inauspicious (Abhadra) lies in anchoring our awareness upon the true Self; the very Light by which all is known and to disregard the illusory realm of Maya. This alone is the true essence of praying: ‘ॐ भद्रं कर्णेभिः शृणुयाम देवाः । भद्रं पश्येमाक्षिभिर्यजत्राः ।’ When I live my life in this manner, the Shanti Mantra attains its true significance.
In the forthcoming issue, we shall contemplate the remaining verses of this Shanti Mantra. This second blossom of reflection is offered at the lotus feet of the Sadguru, in deep reverence.
॥ Shri Sadgurunath Maharaj ki Jai ॥
