Medha Suktam is a prayer from the Rig- Veda, the most ancient and hallowed scripture of the Hindus. The subjugation of one's ego is a direct means to attain higher and subtler powers. They have been perceived and handed over by Rishis, men of realization. The psychology of prayer is actually this, that it helps a man to dilute his 'ego' that he holds tenaciously to; the 'ego' that he is the body. This enables him to open himself to higher forces of nature. We are not just the body surely! Sometimes the mind and sometimes we even identify ourselves with the intellect. We have many dimensions to our personality and body is just one of them. We see that men of finer interests such as poets, musicians, scientists, sculptors, philosophers, mathematicians etc. were less concerned about their appearance and much less about their body. Their focus was on the finer faculties where in they could produce ethereal expressions from mundane elements like sound, touch, smell, sight, thought and ideas. With the very things we were so accustomed to seeing as 'ordinary', they showed us the 'beyond'.
Medha Suktam is a prayer to the Supreme Being, God, who operates in this world as a feminine principle granting finer faculties to grasp higher truths of nature and higher expressions of the divine. The epithet to the God for this function is "Medha Devi". This development is a must for a being who wants to transcend his sense limitations. In other words, it is mandatory for them who want to evolve. One may wonder that there are finer men in other countries who did not know of this Suktam nor of the divinity. Yes, that is very true. Whether a person knows it or not he gets this power when he has purified himself by sacrificing himself for others. In Hinduism, we don't get these powers by chance but get there consciously, through prescribed methods. Here the methods are recorded and systematically handed over. Besides, singing hymns or peotry is a human way of adoring, seeking and thanking some one we love and depend upon. If so, doing it for God would be even more justified, since God is the soul of our soul, our very own!
The below translation of the suktam is taken from Mantrartha Manjari compiled at 'Probationers Training centre, Belur Math' (Sayana Bhashya) and "Vaidika Sukta Manjari" by Swami Tattvavidananda Saraswati. It is a simple translation for the ones who prefer to chant with the idea.
1. A. ॐ मेधा देवी जुषमाणा न आगाद्विश्वाची भद्रा सुमनस्यमाना ।
Medha Suktam is a prayer to the Supreme Being, God, who operates in this world as a feminine principle granting finer faculties to grasp higher truths of nature and higher expressions of the divine. The epithet to the God for this function is "Medha Devi". This development is a must for a being who wants to transcend his sense limitations. In other words, it is mandatory for them who want to evolve. One may wonder that there are finer men in other countries who did not know of this Suktam nor of the divinity. Yes, that is very true. Whether a person knows it or not he gets this power when he has purified himself by sacrificing himself for others. In Hinduism, we don't get these powers by chance but get there consciously, through prescribed methods. Here the methods are recorded and systematically handed over. Besides, singing hymns or peotry is a human way of adoring, seeking and thanking some one we love and depend upon. If so, doing it for God would be even more justified, since God is the soul of our soul, our very own!
The below translation of the suktam is taken from Mantrartha Manjari compiled at 'Probationers Training centre, Belur Math' (Sayana Bhashya) and "Vaidika Sukta Manjari" by Swami Tattvavidananda Saraswati. It is a simple translation for the ones who prefer to chant with the idea.
1. A. ॐ मेधा देवी जुषमाणा न आगाद्विश्वाची भद्रा सुमनस्यमाना ।
Key words: जुषमाणा- Blessings
सुमनस्यमाना- Being
pleased with us.
Meaning: May the all-knowing, all- auspicious Goddess
Medha be pleased with us and may she bless us.
B.
त्वया जुष्टा नु॒दमा॑ना दुरुक्तान् बृहद्वदेम विदथे सुवीराः ॥
Key words: - त्वया जुष्टा – Blessed by you
नु॒दमा॑ना दुरुक्तान् – Give up bad speech
Meaning: May we give up bad speech and by your blessings may we have
knowledge about God and also may we have more people following you.
2. A. त्वया
जुष्ट ऋषिर्भवति देवि त्वया ब्रह्माऽऽगतश्रीरुत त्वया ।
Key words: ऋषिर्भवति: Becomes a
rishi
ब्रह्मा: Scholar
Meaning: Blessed by you, one becomes a great Rishi or a spiritual scientist and
becomes a great scholar and gains fame and has good luck always.
B. त्वया
जुष्ट-श्चित्रं विन्दते वसु सानो जुषस्व द्रविणो न मेधे ॥
Keywords: श्चित्रं विन्दते- Gains
varieties of things.
द्रविणो- wealth.
Meaning: Blessed by you one attains varieties of wealth. O Mother Medha!
May you bless us with such wealth.
3.
A.
मेधां म इन्द्रो ददातु मेधां देवी सरस्वती। B. मेधां मे
अश्विनावुभावाधत्ताम् पुष्करस्रजा ।
Key words: ददातु- give us
मेधां- Wisdom
Meaning: May the Lord Indra and
Goddess Saraswati impart wisdom to me. May the twin gods Ashwins, wearing lotus
garlands, bless me.
4.
A. अप्सरासु च या मेधा
गन्धर्वेषु च यन्मनः। B. दैवीं मेधा सरस्वती
सा मां मेधा सुरभिर्जुषताँ स्वाहा॥
Key words: या मेधा- which
knowledge;
यन्मनः- which mind
सुरभि- The divine cow; Surabhi; मां- to me
Meaning: There is intelligence which is in the skillful
dancers, in the talented musicians of God. May Saraswati bless me with that
intelligence and fulfill all my wishes like the Divine cow Surabhi or
Kamadhenu.
5. A. आमां मेधा सुरभिर्विश्वरूपा हिरण्य़वर्णा जगती जगम्या।
Keywords: र्विश्वरूपा- grace
to understand her.
जगती- present
everywhere;
जगम्या:fit to be known by us
Meaning: The Goddess Medha is the wish-fulfilling cow
and is by nature sweet and loving, who is present in all living beings and She
is the greatest thing to be known. She gives us the grace to understand her
B. ऊर्जस्वती पयसा पिन्वमाना सामां मेधा सुप्रतीका जुषन्ताम्॥
Key words: ऊर्जस्वती- possessing
strength
पिन्वमाना- Showering
me
सुप्रतीका- Auspicious
beginning
Meaning: May that Goddess Medha possessing incredible
strength shower me with milk-like boons and make all by beginnings auspicious.
6. मयि मेधां मयि प्रजां मय्यग्निस्तेजो दधातु मयि मेधां मयि
प्रजां मयीन्द्र इन्द्रियं दधातु मयि मेधां मयि प्रजां मयि सूर्यो भ्राजो दधातु॥
Key words: मयि – on me; मेधां- intelligence; प्रजां- People to take
this great culture forward; मय्यग्निस्तेजो- Brightness of the fire; मयीन्द्र इन्द्रियं- Strength
of Indra;
सूर्यो भ्राजो- Sun’s Brilliance.
Meaning: Bestow on me (Give me) the intelligence, the
people to take this great culture forward, the brightness of the fire, the
strength and power of Indra, the brilliant power of Sun.
