Incantation
Sanskrit singing is more charged with incense and Hinduism. Nevertheless, it is certainly and at the very least charged with sensations...
Putting this in order, years ago I removed the incantation prescribed by my school and replaced it with this one, which was less loaded.
The first sound or word is nonetheless a heavy one, even if it's harmless to us. Many translations of this incantation use the 3rd person singular (May he protect us", slipping in a little Brahman or other deity at the source of the imprecation... I preferred the 1st person singular. [(See also the "word for word" translation, from the same source as the above translation]
SHANTI PATHA
The road to peace... A program...
ॐ सह नावतु। Aum, may we all be protected
सह नौ भुनक्तु। May we all be nourished
सह वीर्यं करवावहै। May we work together with great energy
तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु May our intellect be refined (may our study be effective)
मा विद्विषावहै। Let there be no animosity among us
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥ Aum, peace, peace, peace
Why?
We'll keep only the hygienized part of it: this sound(s) will help us enter into a different attitude: it's the signal for the beginning of a new way of paying attention to what we're doing.
Moreover, the "vibration" aspect (also used in "drone" breathing) is also very interesting: here's another device that opens a door (the first one added being breathing), little considered in our countries.
The question I'll leave hanging here is, "Will you arrive at a different state of being when, alone, you close your eyes, and intone this sound [AUM], a dozen times?"
As for me: sensational!
Origin?
Extract from "Taittirīya Upanishad", sub-section "the "black" Yajurveda, with the term "black" implying "the un-arranged", another reason for my preference...
The Taittirīya Upanishad (Devanagari: तैत्तिरीय उपनिषद्) is a Vedic era Sanskrit text, embedded as three chapters (adhyāya) of the Yajurveda. It is a mukhya (primary, principal) Upanishad, and likely composed about 6th century BC .
It lists as number 7 in the Muktika canon of 108 Upanishads. The Taittirīya Upanishad is the seventh, eighth and ninth chapters of Taittirīya Āraṇyaka, which are also called, respectively, the Śikṣāvallī, the Ānandavallīand the Bhṛguvallī.
This Upanishad is classified as part of the "black" Yajurveda, with the term "black" implying "the un-arranged, motley collection" of verses in Yajurveda, in contrast to the "white" (well arranged) Yajurveda where Brihadaranyaka Upanishad and Isha Upanishad are embedded.
The Upanishad includes verses that are partly prayers and benedictions, partly instruction on phonetics and praxis, partly advice on ethics and morals given to graduating students from ancient Vedic gurukula-s (schools), partly a treatise on allegory, and partly philosophical instruction.
Translation? What the hell are you singing there?
Let's take a closer look at the translation above and compare it with the word by word. Below, we'll go down a notch and see the translation of each word... Take heart! (And for the persistent, next a word about the context (origin) of this text...)
Oṁ Saha nāvavatu
Om=supreme god; saha=together; nau=both/ all; avatu=may he protect
saha nau bhunaktu
saha=together; nau=both/ all;bhunaktu= be nourished/ energized
Saha vīryam karavāvahai
saha=together;vīryam=energy; karavāvahai=work(kara=hand; avahai=bringing into use)
Tejasvi nāvadhītamastu
tejaswi = having great energy;nau = both ; adhi = intellect/ study; tama = higher degree; astu=so be it
Mā vidviṣāvahai
Mā=not be; vidvis=animosity; avahai=bring/ have
Om Sahana Vavatu Shanti Mantra With Lyrics And Meaning Mantra From The Upanishad.mp3
I tried, poor kindergarten Sanskritist, to check this translation...
avatu: "may he protect"? je retiendrai "Protège nous"- third person singular present imperative class 1 parasmaipada "av" -
av cl.1 P. /avati- (Imper. 2. sg. avatāt- , parasmE-pada /avat-; imperfect tense /āvat-,2. sg. 1. /āvaḥ-[for 2. /āvaḥ-See vṛ-]; perf. 3. sg. āva-,2. plural āv/a- , 2. sg. /āvitha-; Aorist /avit-,2. sg. āvīs-, avīs-and aviṣas-, Imper. aviṣṭu-,2. sg. aviḍḍh/i-[once ] or aviḍḍhi-[six times in ], 2. dual number aviṣṭam-,3. dual number,2. plural aviṣṭ/anā- preceding 3. sg. avyās-, infinitive mood /avitave- ;Ved. ind.p. āvyā- )to drive, impel, animate (as a car or horse) ; Ved. to promote, favour, (chiefly Vedic or Veda) to satisfy, refresh ; to offer (as a hymn to the gods) ; to lead or bring to (dative case : ūt/aye-, v/āja-sātaye-, kṣatr/āya-, svast/aye-) ; (said of the gods) to be pleased with, like, accept favourably (as sacrifices, prayers or hymns) , (chiefly said of kings or princes) to guard, defend, protect, govern etc.: Causal (only imperfect tense avayat-,2. sg. āvayas-) to consume, devour ([ confer, compare Greek Latin aveo?]) .
Bhunaktu: "be nourished/ energized"? - Go for "nourished
third person singular present imperative class 7 parasmaipada bhuj.
भुज् a 1 (At the end of comp.) Eating, enjoying, suffering, ruling, governing; स्वधाभुज्, हुतभुज्, पाप˚, क्षिति˚, मही˚ &c. -2 Useful, serviceable. -f. 1 Enjoyment. -2 Profit, advantage.
भुज् I. 6 P. (भुजति, भुग्न) 1 To bend. -2 To curve, make crooked. -II. 7 U. (भुनक्ति-भुङ्क्ते, भुक्त) 1 To eat, devour, consume (Ātm.); शयनस्थो न भुञ्जीत Ms.4.74;3.146; Bk. 14.92; हत्वार्थकामांस्तु गुरूनिहैव भुञ्जीय भोगान् रुधिरप्रदिग्धान् Bg. 2.5. -2 To enjoy, use, possess (property, land &c.); संप्रीत्या भुज्यमानानि न नश्यन्ति कदाचन Ms.8.146;Y.2.24. -3 To enjoy carnally (Ātm.); सदयं बुभुजे महाभुजः R.8.7; 4.7;15.1;18.4; सुरूपं वा कुरूपं वा पुमानित्येव भुञ्जते Ms. 9.14. -4 To rule, govern, protect, guard (Paras.); राज्यं न्यासमिवाभुनक् R.12.18; एकः कृत्स्नां (धरित्रीं) नगरपरिघ- प्रांशुबाहुर्भुनक्ति Ś2.16. -5 To suffer, endure, experience; वृद्धो नरो दुःखशतानि भुङ्क्ते Sk. -6 To pass, live through (as time). -7 (In astr.) To pass through, fulfil. -Pass. 1 To be enjoyed or eaten. -2 To be possessed. -3 To be brought under the influence of. -Caus. (भोजयति-ते) To cause to eat, feed with. -Desid. (बुभुक्षति-ते) To wish to eat &c.
Viryam: "energy"? - Not sure: I'd prefer "heroism, prowess" or "vigour, strength".
वीर्यम् [वीर्-यत्, वीरस्य भावो यत् वा] 1 Heroism, prowess, valour; वीर्यावदानेषु कृतावमर्षः Ki.3.43; R.2.4, 3.62;11.72; Ve.3.3. -2 Vigour, strength. -3 Virility; वीर्यशौर्याभ्यां च पिता ऋषभ इतीदं नाम चकार Bhāg.5.4.2. -4 Energy, firmness, courage. -5 Power, potency; जाने तपसो वीर्यम् Ś.3.2. -6 Efficacy (of medicines); अतिवीर्यवतीव भेषजे बहुरल्पीयसि दृश्यते गुणः Ki.2.4; Ku.2. 48. -7 Semen virile; अमी हि वीर्यप्रभवं भवस्य Ku.3.15; वसोर्वीर्योत्पन्नामभजत मुनिर्मत्स्यतनयाम् Pt.4.5. -8 Splendour, lustre. -9 The seed of plants. -1 Dignity, consequence. -11 Poison. -12 Gold (हिरण्य); अन्नं वीर्यं ग्रहीतव्यं प्रेतकर्मण्य- पातिते Mb.12.165.39. -Comp. -आधानम् impregnation. -करः marrow. -जः a son. -प्रपातः seminal effusion, discharge of semen. -शालिन् a. strong. -शुल्क a. purchased by valour. -हीन a. 1 cowardly, pusilanimous. -2 seedless. -3 impotent.
tejaswi: "having great energy"? : ok
Tejasvī (तेजस्वी) [Also spelled tejsvi]:-(a) brilliant, luminous, glowing; impressive, imposing. Source
adhītam: (adhī: "above, besides" not immediately "intellect/ study" - preverb - far too many variations for my poor faculties: for the courrieu.ses.x see the 12 pages here): so the combination adhītam: "adhi = intellect/ study; tama = higher degree;"? OK
adhītam
learning
SB 7.5.23-24
adhītam
studied
CC Madhya 9.259-260
adhītam
the knowledge obtained
SB 1.5.4
yathā-adhītam yathā-mati
as far as my realization
SB 1.3.44
mat-adhītam
what has been taught by me
SB 12.6.63
mat-adhītam
what has been taught by me
SB 12.6.63
yathā-adhītam yathā-mati
as far as my realization
SB 1.3.44
svadhītam
studied
SB 4.30.39-40
svadhītam
well learned
SB 7.5.22