Prayer to medhaa devii 1/3

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Peace invocation:

 

OM yashchhanda\'saamR^iSha\`bho vi\`shvaruu\'paH.

chhando\`bhyo.adhya\`mR^itaa\"thsaMba\`bhuuva\'.

sa mendro\' me\`dhayaa\" spR^iNotu. a\`mR^ita\'sya deva\`dhaara\'No

bhuuyaasam.

sharii\'raM me\` vica\'rShaNam. ji\`hvaa me\` madhu\'mattamaa.

karNaa\"bhyaa\`M bhuuri\`vishru\'vam. brahma\'NaH ko\`sho\'.asi me\`dhayaa

pi\'hitaH.

shru\`taM me\' gopaaya. OM shanti\`H shanti\`H shanti\'H ..

 

Salutations to praNava, which is the best [part] of veda-s, which is all

pervading, and which arose from the immortal veda-s. May that praNava

bestow us wisom and unite us with it. May we become a knowers of brahman.

Let there be good health in our bodies. Let our tongues speak only sweet

words, and may our ears hear only good things. praNava is the seat of

brahman and it is hidden by knowledge [worldly knowledge*1]. May that

praNava protect and help us remember all that we have learnt.

 

 

Verse 1:

 

OM me\`dhaade\`vii ju\`shhamaa\'Naa na\` aagaa\"dvi\`shvaacii\' bha\`draa

su\'mana\`syamaa\'naa.

tvayaa\` jushhTaa\' nu\`damaa\'naa du\`ruktaa\"n bR^i\`hadva\'dema

vi\`dathe\' su\`viiraa\"H ..

 

O medhaa devii, one who is ever pleased and happy*2, one who is all

pervading, one who bestows auspiciousness, and one who is good-willed

towards all beings (and does only good to them), please come to us. In the

past we wasted our precious time in useless chatter and found fleeting

pleasures in those. Now, O devii, by your blessings we attained wisdom and

speak wise and noble words to our couragious offsprings and associates*3.

 

Verse 2:

 

tvayaa\` jushhTa\' R^i\`shhirbha\'vati devi\` tvayaa\`

brahmaa\'.a.aga\`tashrii\'ru\`ta tvayaa\".

tvayaa\` jushhTa\'shci\`traM vi\'ndate vasu\` saano\' jushhasva\` dravi\'No

na medhe..

 

By your grace, O medhaa devii, one becomes a R^ishhi. By your grace one

becomes a brahma jnAni. Through your blessings one attains wealth. Through

your blessings, one attains various kinds of wealth. O medha devii, bless us

with all wealth.

 

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*1 Refer to the beautiful verse by maraththai maRaiththathu maamatha yaanai

of Saint Thirumular

http://www.escribe.com/religion/advaita/m5689.html

http://www.escribe.com/religion/advaita/m34.html

 

 

*2 This verse is very tricky with complex words and which opens itself to

various interpretations. The word jushhamaaNa is translated as one who is

happy in Tamil text I have. It derives from the root "jushh", but it can

interpreted in a different way also. See the following link for a totally

different translation.

 

bhakti-list/message/16373?source=1

 

The word jushhTa as derives from the same. Depending on the context, it can

be taken as blessings or grace.

 

*3 Above also translates the last part of verse 1 as a prayer. And suviraaH

is also translated differently. That is "May we speak wise words like

bR^ihaspati."

 

 

 

 

Reference:

 

1. Above translation is based my limited understanding of the Tamil

translation of Swami Ashutoshananda, "veda manthirangaL" (tamil), RK Mutt,

Chennai, India. This is a beautiful book t=with original in devAnagari with

swara markings, followed by a word by word meaning in Tamil and cogent

translation.

 

2. http://sanskrit.gde.to/doc_veda/medhasukta.itx has the original text.

Sanskrit site also has the files in various formats.