Chandogya Upanishad Invocation

Chandogya Upanishad – Invocation « »

ॐ आप्यायन्तु ममाङ्गानि वाक्प्राणश्चक्षुः
श्रोत्रमथो बलमिन्द्रियाणि च सर्वाणि ।
सर्वं ब्रह्मौपनिषदं माहं ब्रह्म निराकुर्यां मा मा ब्रह्म
निराकरोदनिराकरणमस्त्वनिराकरणंं मेऽस्तु ।
तदात्मनि निरते य उपनिषत्सु धर्मास्ते
मयि सन्तु ते मयि सन्तु ॥
॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

oṃ āpyāyantu mamāṅgāni vākprāṇaścakṣuḥ
śrotramatho balamindriyāṇi ca sarvāṇi .
sarvaṃ brahmaupaniṣadaṃ māhaṃ brahma nirākuryāṃ mā mā brahma
nirākarodanirākaraṇamastvanirākaraṇaṃṃ me’stu .
tadātmani nirate ya upaniṣatsu dharmāste
mayi santu te mayi santu ..
.. oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ..

Oṃ! May my organs and limbs, my speech, my breath, my strength and my sense organs like the ear, the eyes etc., be well nourished.
Everything is Brahman as propounded clearly in the Upanishads.
May I never deny Brahman. May Brahman never deny me. Let there be no denial at all (of Brahman). Let there be no denial for me (of Brahman).
May I also pray that the virtues (as described in the Upanishads) of those wise men who dwell in the Ātma (or the Soul) become part of me and reside in me.
Oṃ, peace, peace, peace.

Word Meaning

ॐ (oṃ) – The sacred syllable.

आप्यायन्तु (āpyāyantu) – May they be nourished and strong.

ममाङ्गानि (mamāṅgāni) – My limbs, my parts of the body.

वाक् प्राणः चक्षुः (vāk prāṇaḥ cakṣuḥ) – Speech, prāṇa (life force), and eyes.

श्रोत्रम् अथः बलम् (śrotram athaḥ balam) – Ears and strength.

इन्द्रियाणि च सर्वाणि (indriyāṇi ca sarvāṇi) – All my senses.

सर्वं ब्रह्म उपनिषदं (sarvam brahma upaniṣadaṃ) – All this is in the essence of Brahman found in the Upaniṣads.

माऽहं ब्रह्म निराकुर्यां (mā’haṃ brahma nirākuryāṃ) – May I never deny Brahman.

मा मा ब्रह्म निराकरोद् (mā mā brahma nirākarod) – May Brahman never deny me.

अनिराकरणम् अस्तु (anirākaraṇam astu) – Let there be no denial at all (of Brahman).

अनिराकरणं मे अस्तु (anirākaraṇam me astu) – Let there be no denial in/for me (of Brahman).

तत् आत्मनि (tat ātmani) – In that Self.

निरते (nirate) – Those who are engaged or absorbed.

यः उपनिषत्सु धर्माः (yaḥ upaniṣatsu dharmāḥ) – The virtues found in the Upaniṣads.

मयि सन्तु (mayi santu) – May they be realised in me.

ते मयि सन्तु (te mayi santu) – May they be fully realised in me. (Repeated for emphasis)

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः (oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ) – Oṃ peace, peace, peace (at all levels).

Table of Contents

This luminous Shanti mantra from the Upanishads is a profound prayer that recognises how our entire being needs to be aligned with the divine purpose. The mantra opens by seeking divine grace for our faculties of perception – that our ears may hear what elevates us spiritually, and our eyes witness that which is noble and sacred (bhadraṃ). It then extends beyond mere perception to our entire physical existence – praying for strength and stability in our limbs, not for personal comfort, but so that our very being (tanūbhiḥ) becomes an instrument of divine work (devahitaṃ). The prayer acknowledges that our lifespan (ayuh) itself is a sacred gift, to be dedicated to that which serves the higher purpose.
The subsequent verses invoke specific deities, seeking their unique blessings (svasti): from Indra, of great renown (vṛddhaśravāḥ), we seek well-being; from Pusha, the all-knowing (viśvavedāḥ), we seek the nourishing light of wisdom; from Tarkshya, whose wheel is unharmed (ariṣṭanemiḥ), we pray for protection from obstacles; and from Brihaspati, the guru of the Gods and the source of all knowledge, we seek the well-being that comes with wisdom.
The mantra culminates in the invocation of peace to pervade our inner being, our relationship with the world and with divine forces.

Links
Chandogya Upanishad Chapters 6-7-8 Commentary by Swami Paramarthananda
Chandogya Upanishad Chapters 5-6-7 Commentary by Swami Krishananda

Chandogya Upanishad – Invocation – Chandogya Upanishad Invocation – In Sanskrit with English Transliteration, Meaning, Audio and Commentary – Chandogya-Invocation