Lesson XII - Thanks Giving

^[1]

In the Eleventh Lesson the master’s exhortation to the pupil has been given. So far it has been taught that there exist upāsanas and works which are remote aids to the right knowledge of Brahman. In the Twelfth Lesson the śruti gives the peace-chant which should be recited on reading the texts treating of these external aids, on studying their meaning, and on observing the acts thus enjoined.

शं नो मित्रः शं वरुणः । शं नो भवत्वर्यमा । शं न इन्द्रो बृहस्पतिः । शं नो विष्णुरुरुक्रमः । नमो ब्रह्मणे । नमस्ते वायो । त्वमेव प्रत्यक्षं ब्रह्मासि । त्वामेव प्रत्यक्षं ब्रह्मावादिषम् । ऋतमवादिषम् । सत्यमवादिषम् । तन्मामावीत् । तद्वक्तारमावीत् । आवीन्माम् । आवीद्वक्तारम् । ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥ १ ॥

śaṃ no mitraḥ śaṃ varuṇaḥ | śaṃ no bhavatvaryamā | śaṃ na indro bṛhaspatiḥ | śaṃ no viṣṇururukramaḥ | namo brahmaṇe | namaste vāyo | tvameva pratyakṣaṃ brahmāsi | tvāmeva pratyakṣaṃ brahmāvādiṣam | ṛtamavādiṣam | satyamavādiṣam | tanmāmāvīt | tadvaktāramāvīt | āvīnmām | āvīdvaktāram | oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ || 1 ||

1. Om! May Mitra be propitious to us, and Varuṇa propitious be; may Aryaman propitious be to us; propitious be Indra and Bṛhaspati to us; to us propitious may Viṣṇu of vast extent be. Bow to Brahman, Bow to Thee, Vāyu! Thou art indeed Brahman perceptible. Thee indeed have I declared Brahman perceptible. The right have I declared; and I have declared the true. That has protected me, That has protected the teacher; aye, That has protected me, That has protected the teacher. Om! Peace! Peace! Peace!

This lesson should be construed in the same way as the First Lesson. In the First Lesson, the words ‘I will declare Brahman’ are used because Brahman has not been taught already. Similarly, since the removal of obstacles has to be sought for, the words “May That protect me” are used; whereas at the end the words “I have declared Brahman,” “That has protected me,” are used inasmuch as Brahman, has already been spoken of, and all obstacles have been removed. The disciple refers to the removal of obstacles which has been already effected, with a view to shew that he is not ungrateful. Otherwise, if the seeker of mokṣa does not remember the good done by Indra, Varuṇa and other Gods, it would seem that he is ungrateful; but it is not proper to be ungrateful, inasmuch as the smṛti says,

“In the case of brāhmanicide, an expiation is seen, but there is no expiation for ingratitude.”

Even when the prescribed acts have been performed, their fruition may be obstructed by the sin of ingratitude. It is to avoid this sin that the pupil brings back to mind the good done by the Devas by way of having removed all obstacles arising from within and without the body.
 

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

According to Śaṅkavāchārya, this Lesson should go along with the Brahmavallī.—(Tr)