Kaivalya Upanishad – Invocation   «   »

Kaivalya Upanishad – Invocation   «   »

ॐ भद्रं कर्णेभिः शृणुयाम देवा भद्रं पश्येमाक्षभिर्यजत्राः।
स्थिरैरङ्गैस्तुष्टुवासस्तनूभिर्व्यशेम देवहितं यदायुः॥
स्वस्ति न इन्द्रो वृद्धश्रवाः स्वस्ति नः पूषा विश्ववेदाः।
स्वस्ति नस्तार्क्ष्यो अरिष्टनेमिः स्वस्ति नो बृहस्पतिर्दधातु॥
ॐ शान्तिः! शान्तिः!! शान्तिः!!!
om bhadraṁ karṇebhiḥ śṛṇuyāma devā
bhadraṁ paśyemākṣabhir-yajatrāḥ,
sthirair-aṅgais-tuṣṭuvām̐-sas-tanūbhir-vyaśema
devahitaṁ yadāyuḥ.
svasti na indro vṛddha-śravāḥ svasti naḥ pūṣā viśvavedāḥ,
svasti nas-tārkṣyo ariṣṭanemiḥ svasti no bṛhaspatir-dadhātu.
om śāntiḥ! śāntiḥ!! śāntiḥ!!!
Oṃ, O Gods, may we hear auspicious things with our ears, may we see auspicious things with our eyes, O worship-worthy ones. With strong limbs and bodies, may we spend our life praising the divine, and may we enjoy the full span of life dedicated to the service of the Gods.
May Indra of great fame bestow well-being upon us. May the omniscient Pūṣā (sun) bless us. May the protector, Tārkṣya (Garuda), guard us from harm. May Bṛhaspati grant us well-being. Oṃ, peace, peace, peace.

Word Meaning

  • ॐ (oṃ) – The sacred syllable representing the essence of the ultimate reality.
  • भद्रं (bhadraṃ) – Auspicious, good, or blessed.
  • कर्णेभिः (karṇebhiḥ) – With our ears.
  • शृणुयाम (śṛṇuyāma) – May we hear.
  • देवाः (devāḥ) – O Devas (Gods).
  • भद्रं (bhadraṃ) – Auspicious, good, or blessed.
  • पश्येम (paśyema) – May we see.
  • अक्षभिः (akṣabhiḥ) – With our eyes.
  • यजत्राः (yajatrāḥ) – O worshipful ones, worthy of reverence.
  • स्थिरैः (sthiraiḥ) – With firm or stable.
  • अङ्गैः (aṅgaiḥ) – Limbs or bodies.
  • तुष्टुवांसः (tuṣṭuvāmsaḥ) – Praising.
  • तनूभिः (tanūbhiḥ) – With our bodies.
  • व्यशेम (vyaśema) – May we live or pass.
  • देवहितं (devahitaṃ) – That which is beneficial for the Gods.
  • यदायूः (yadāyūḥ) – As long as life exists.
  • स्वस्ति (svasti) – Well-being or auspiciousness.
  • नः (naḥ) – For us.
  • इन्द्रः (indraḥ) – Indra, the king of Gods.
  • वृद्धश्रवाः (vṛddhaśravāḥ) – Of great fame, renowned.
  • पूषा (pūṣā) – Pushan, the nourisher and protector.
  • विश्ववेदाः (viśvavedāḥ) – Knower of all, omniscient.
  • तार्क्ष्य (tārkṣya) – Tarksya, the celestial eagle, a protector.
  • अरिष्टनेमिः (ariṣṭanemiḥ) – With unbroken or flawless motion.
  • बृहस्पतिः (bṛhaspatiḥ) – Brihaspati, the teacher of the Gods.
  • दधातु (dadhātu) – May he bestow.
  • ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः (oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ) – Oṃ peace, peace, peace (at all levels).
    • 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.

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