Translated by Dr. A. G. Krishna Warrier Published by The Theosophical Publishing House, Chennai
Om ! May He protect us both together; may He nourish us both together; May we work conjointly with great energy, May our study be vigorous and effective; May we not mutually dispute (or may we not hate any). Om ! Let there be Peace in me ! Let there be Peace in my environment ! Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !
1. The sages, verily, with due reverence, asked the holy Asvalayana: How is that knowledge won which illumines the content of the word Tat ? Tell us that, Holy Sir, by meditation on which you know the Truth.
2. Best of Sages ! I won supreme perfection by exalting Sarasvati with the reciting of the ten verses on Her, as also the Ric stanzas with the ‘seed-syllables’.
3. The sages said: How, by what meditation, Sage of Dedicated Life, is the truth of Sarasvati won ? What pleases the great and sacred goddess Sarasvati ? Speak.
4. Asvalayana then spoke: Of this great mantra of the ten verse on Sarasvati, I, Asvalayana, am the seer. The eight-syllabled Anustubh is the metre; the holy Vagisvari, the divinity; ‘yadvak’ is the seed; ‘devim vacham’ the power; ‘pra no devi’ the lynch-pin; the application (of the mantra) is for pleasing Her; the consecration of limbs is by (invoking) faith, intelligence, wisdom, memory, the goddess of speech and Mahasarasvati.
5. To win plenitude of speech, in my heart I salute the goddess Sarasvati, who shines like snow, pearls, camphor and the moon; who confers auspicious blessing; is decked with garlands of golden Champaka blossoms; and charms the mind by her figure with the lofty, rounded bosom.
6. Of this mantra (pra no devi), Bharadvaja is the seer; Gayatri, the metre; Sri Sarasvati, the divinity; OM, the seed, power and lynch-pin; its application is for gaining whatever is desired; consecration is with the mantra.
7. Her nature the essence of Vedanta’s sense, She the Supreme Sovereign, Manifest as name and form – May Sarasvati guard me !
8. OM ! May the goddess Sarasvati, Dispenser of nourishment, Guardian of thoughts, Protect us ever !
9. Of this mantra (a no divah), Atri is the seer; Tristubh, the metre; Sarasvati, the divinity; HRIM, the seed, power and lynch-pin; its application is for gaining whatever is desired; its application is for gaining whatever is desired; consecration of limbs is with the mantra.
10. The only one extolled in Vedas four And their ancillaries; the non-dual Potency of Brahman – May She, divine Sarasvati, protect me !
11. HRIM From heaven, from the giant clouds, Let holy Sarasvati come To our sacrifice; listening Kindly to the call, may the Queen Of Waters gladly hear our sweet words !
12. Of this mantra (pavaka nah), Madhucchandas is the seer; Gayatri, is the metre; Sarasvati, the divinity; SRIM, the seed, power and lynch-pin; its application is for gaining whatever is desired; consecration is with the mantra.
13. Existing solely in the form of sense, Of sentence, word and letter, Without beginning and without end – May She, infinite Sarasvati, protect me !
14. SRIM The purifier Sarasvati, Dispenser of nourishment, Treasure of intelligence – May She accept our sacrifice !
15. Of this mantra (chodayitri), Madhucchandas is the seer; Gayatri, the metre; Sarasvati, the divinity; BLUM, the seed, power and lynch-pin; consecration is with the mantra.
16. In the self, among the gods, The Sovereign Mistress of the gods Dwells inwardly, forth uttering – May Sarasvati protect me !
17. BLUM Inspirer of truthful words, Awakener of noble minds, Sarasvati receives worship.
18. Of this mantra (maho arnah), Madhucchandas is the seer; Gayatri, the metre; Sarasvati, the divinity; SAUH, the seed, power and lynch-pin; consecration is with the mantra.
19. She as the inner controller Rules over all in the three worlds, Dwells as Rudra, the Sun and others – May that Sarasvati protect me !
20. SAUH Sarasvati shines splendidly – Vast sheet of water – who confers Wisdom and vivifies all thought.
21. Of this mantra (chatvari vak), the seer is Uchathyaputra; Tristubh, the metre; Sarasvati, the divinity; AIM, the seed, power and lynch-pin; consecration is with the mantra.
22. Being manifested, She is experienced By sages looking inwardly; Pervasive, one, form of awareness, May Sarasvati protect me !
23. AIM Speech is confined to four groups of words. These, intelligent Brahmans know. Hidden in the cave, the three do not stir -- The fourth group men speak forth.
24. Of this mantra (yadvak), the seer is Bhargava; Tristubh, the metre; Sarasvati, the divinity; KLIM, the seed, power and lynch-pin; consecration is with the mantra.
25. Being conceived in eightfold form Of names, general and the like, She as the integral is manifest – May She, Sarasvati, protect me !
26. KLIM She is the word of inert things; The Queen of gods dwells silently; Power milks four energy-streams; Whither has fled Her supreme form ?
27. Of this mantra (devim vacham), the seer is Bhargava; Tristubh, the metre; Sarasvati, the divinity; SAUH, the seed, power and lynch-pin; consecration is with the mantra.
28. Whom the Vedas and all others Of distinct or indistinct speech Speak forth – the cow that yields all desires, May that Sarasvati protect me !
29. SAUH The gods, divine Speech engendered ! Her, beasts of all forms speak; The cow that yields sweet drink and vigour – To us may lauded Speech appear !
30. Of this mantra (uta tvah), the seer is Brihaspati; Tristubh, the metre; Sarasvati, the divinity; SAM, the seed, power and lynch-pin; consecration is with the mantra.
31. Knowing whom all bonds are cut; Along all paths the knower hies; To that supreme abode – (Freedom) – May She, Sarasvati, protect me !
32. SAM Though seeing, one does nor behold Speech; though hearing one does not hear; To one She does reveal Herself, As does a well-robed wife in love Unto her lord.
33. Of this mantra (ambitame), Gritsamada is the seer; Anustubh, the metre; Sarasvati, the divinity; AIM, the seed, power and lynch-pin; consecration is with the mantra.
34. Vesting things of name and form In Her, meditate they on Her, Of whom the form is the One Brahman, May that Sarasvati protect me !
35. AIM Dearest mother ! Best of rivers ! Greatest goddess ! Sarasvati ! Unbelauded are we, almost – Mother ! Make for us great name !
36. Female swan amidst the cluster Of the faces of the four-faced god – May the all-white Sarasvati Sport for ever in my mind !
37. Bowing to Thee, Sarada ! Dweller in Kashmir’s city, The I petition for ever – Grant me the gift of right knowledge !
38. Holding in Thy hands the string Of beads, the goad, the noose, the book, Wearing the necklace of pearls, Reside Thou ever in my speech !
39. Thy neck is as the conch; thy lip Deep red; decked with all ornaments Art thou, goddess Sarasvati ! Great One ! reside on my tongue-tip !
40. Faith, grasp, intelligence Thou art, Goddess of Speech, spouse of Brahma; Thy home, the tongue-tip of devout Souls; Thou the giver of virtues, Such as restraint of mind’s movements.
41. Obeisance to Thee, O Bhavani ! Whose tresses deck the crescent moon. Thou art the stream of nectar that Extinguishes samsara’s heat.
42. Whoso the gift of faultless poesy, And enjoyment and Freedom seeks, With these ten verses, worshipping ever, Bestows rich praise on Sarasvati,
43. To him who thus unfailingly Worships and lauds Sarasvati, Who has both faith and devotion, Conviction comes in six brief months.
44. From him streams forth Sarasvati Spontaneous, lovely-lettered, In sounds of poetry and prose Of import true and unmeasured.
45. A text unheard the poet grasps; Sarasvati’s being he shares.
46. Sarasvati thus spake: Through Me even Brahma won Self-knowledge eternal; Ever being Truth, Knowledge, Bliss, Mine is perpetual Brahmanhood, Without let or hindrance.
47. Thence through equilibrium Of qualities, Sattva, Rajas, Tamas, become I Prakriti; in Me Chit’s semblance shines, As reflection in mirror fair.
48. Once more, Prakriti shines Threefoldwise, through that Reflection of the Chit; And as determined by Prakriti, am I Purusha too verily.
49. The Unborn, in Maya In which pure Sattva reigns, Is reflected; Maya, Prakriti is, that has Sattva dominant.
50. That Maya is adjunct, Wholly subordinate To all-knowing Ishwara; For, His alone oneness, Over Maya lordship, and Omniscience are, in truth.
51. Being of Sattva made, In essence collective, Of worlds the spectator, He is God who holds power To make, unmake or otherwise Make the universe; He Has virtues like all-knowingness.
52. Maya has forces two; one projection, The other, concealment: the first projects The world – all that is subtle and all gross.
53. The second veils, within, the gulf Between the Seer and seen; without, The gulf between creation and Brahman. Maya causes endless cosmic flux.
54. Nescience appears in Witness-light, To subtle body conjoined, Spirit and mind co-dwelling there Become jiva phenomenal.
55. His Jivahood, Through ascription shines forth, also, In Witness-light; together with The fall of what conceals, and so, The shining forth of distinction, That (Jivahood) disappears, too.
56. So also, through subservience Of Brahman to the Power which Veils Its difference from cosmos, Brahman shines forth in mutations.
57. Here, too, the difference that holds Between Brahman and the cosmos Shows not, once Maya’s power which Conceals falls low; their difference Is in creation; in Brahman never.
58. Five factors are there here; being, Shining, loving, form, and name, too; The first three to Brahman pertain; Two others constitute the world.
59. Leave aside the last two factors, Be intent on the former three; Either in the heart, or without, Practise always concentration. 60-63. Twofold is concentration In the human heart: with or without Aspects; that with aspects is, then, Twofold, conforming to ‘word’ And ‘object’; desire and its train Are objects of the mind; of them, As spectator, meditate on Consciousness: that concentration Conforms to objects. ‘I without Taints am; being, knowing, loving I am; self-shining, devoid of Duality’: to ‘word’ conforms. Thus concentration with aspects. Abandoning ‘objects’ and ‘words’ For joy of deep Self-experience, One wins concentration without Aspects: a flame in windless spot.
64. Like to concentration In the heart, outside too, in some Object twofold concentration Takes place with discrimination Of name and form from pure Being.
65. The third, as said above, takes place When taste of bliss to silence leads; Time may, without a break, be spent In these six concentrations well.
66. With conceit in body gone, And Supreme Self realized, Wherever the mind may roam There rests immortality. The knot of heart is cut asunder And all doubts are slain;
67. All modes of action dwindle away When the Supreme Self is seen.
68. A finite soul, the supreme God – These notions are to Me imputed. They are not real – who knows this, In truth, is free – doubt is there none. This is the secret wisdom.
Om ! May He protect us both together; may He nourish us both together; May we work conjointly with great energy, May our study be vigorous and effective; May we not mutually dispute (or may we not hate any). Om ! Let there be Peace in me ! Let there be Peace in my environment ! Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me ! Here ends the Sarasvati-Rahasyopanishad, included in the Krishna-Yajur-Veda.