This celebrated chant is from Anuvaka XI, Lesson (or Chapter) 11, from ‘Shikshavalli’, ‘On Contemplation’, of the Taittiriya Upanishad. It is often chanted at schools and universities at the completion of a course of study. Traditionally, the first part of an education in Ancient India was simply to learn the Vedas “as is”. But their true impact lies behind a mere recitation or knowledge of the words. The Upanishads is the collected lessons of those deeper explanations. The word ‘Upanishad’ is taken from the Sanskrit meaning ‘to be seated near’. This chant begins by saying that once the teacher has taught the Vedas, the students are drawn near and told that they are not yet finished. There is more to come and their education will continue. There is a still deeper secret to be learned. That secret is the true meaning of the Vedas. It is the underlying mystery of reality. In order to learn it there are still a few things that must de done, and the chant indicates what the students must do to set off on that path of deeper and fuller learning.
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ॐ वेदमनूच्याचार्योऽन्तेवासिनमनुशास्ति॥ सत्यं वद। धर्मं चर॥ स्वाध्यान्मा प्रमदः। आचर्याय प्रियं धनमाहृत्य प्रजातन्तुं मा व्यवच्छेत्सीः।। सत्यान्न प्रमदितव्यम्। धर्मान्न प्रमदितव्यम्। कुशलान्न प्रमदितव्यम्। भूत्यै न प्रमदितव्यम्। स्वाध्यायप्रवचनाभ्यां न प्रमदितव्यम्। देव पितृकर्याभ्यां न प्रमदितव्यम्॥ मातृदेवो भव। पितृदेवो भव। आचार्यदेवो भव। अतिथिदेवो भव॥ यान्यवद्यानि कर्मानि। तानि सेवितव्यानि। नो इतराणि॥ यान्यस्माकं सुचरितानि। तानि त्वयोपास्यानि। नो इतराणि॥ ये के चास्मच्छ्रेयाम्सो ब्राह्मणाः। तेषां त्वयाऽऽसने न प्रश्चसितव्यम्॥ श्रद्धया देयम्। अश्रद्धयाऽदेयम्। श्रिया देयम्। ह्रिया देयम्। भिया देयम्। संविदा देयम्॥ अथ यदि ते कर्माविचिकित्सा वा वृत्तविचिकित्सा वा स्यात्। ये तत्र ब्राह्मणाः सम्मर्शिनः। युक्ता आयुक्ताः। अलूक्षा धर्मकामाः स्युः। यथा ते तत्र वर्तेरन्। तथा तत्र वर्तेथाः॥ अथाभ्याख्यातेषु। ये तत्र ब्राह्मणाः सम्मर्शिनः। युक्ता आयुक्ताः। अलूक्षा धर्मकामाः स्युः। यथा ते तेषु वर्तेरन्। तथा तेषु वर्तेथाः॥ एष आदेशः। एष उपदेशः। एष वेदोपनिषत्। एतदनुशासनम्। एवमुपासितव्यम्। एवमुचैतदुपास्यम्॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥ Aum vedamanūcyācāryo’ntevāsinamanuśāsti satyaṁ vada dharmaṁ cara svādhyānmā pramadaḥ ācaryāya priyaṁ dhanamāhṛtya prajātantuṁ mā vyavacchetsīḥ satyānna pramaditavyam dharmānna pramaditavyam kuśalānna pramaditavyam bhūtyai na pramaditavyam svādhyāyapravacanābhyāṁ na pramaditavyam deva pitṛkaryābhyāṁ na pramaditavyam mātṛdevo bhava pitṛdevo bhava ācāryadevo bhava atithidevo bhava yānyavadyāni karmāni tāni sevitavyāni no itarāṇi yānyasmākaṁ sucaritāni tāni tvayopāsyāni no itarāṇi ye ke cāsmacchreyāmso brāhmaṇāḥ teṣāṁ tvayā’’sane na praścasitavyam śraddhayā deyam aśraddhayā’deyam śriyā deyam hriyā deyam bhiyā deyam saṁvidā deyam atha yadi te karmavicikitsā vā vṛttavicikitsā vā syāt ye tatra brāhmaṇāḥ sammarśinaḥ yuktā āyuktāḥ alūkṣā dharmakāmāḥ syuḥ yathā te tatra varteran tathā tatra vartethāḥ athābhyākhyāteṣu ye tatra brāhmaṇāḥ sammarśinaḥ yuktā āyuktāḥ alūkṣā dharmakāmāḥ syuḥ yathā te teṣu varteran tathā teṣu vartethāḥ eṣa ādeśaḥ eṣa upadeśaḥ eṣa vedopaniṣat etadanuśāsanam evamupāsitavyam evamucaitadupāsyam Aum śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ
Aum.
Having taught the Vedas, the preceptor then proceeds with the ‘post-instruction’.
Tell the truth.
Be ever righteous.
Never neglect your studies.
Having offered the desired fee to the teacher, do not cut off the thread of offspring.
Never be careless with Truth.
Never be negligent regarding what is Correct.
Never be negligent about your welfare.
Do not neglect your own prosperity.
Never forget to study and to disseminate.
Never forget your duties to the deities and the ancestors.
Become one who treats the mother as divine.
Become one who treats the father as a god.
Become one who treats the teacher as a god.
Become one who gives a guest the hospitality due to a divine being.
Those acts that are irreproachable.
They are to be undertaken.
Not any other kinds of acts.
Those acts of ours that are creditable.
They are to be performed by you.
Not any other kinds of acts.
And whoever may be more distinguished amongst the learned.
You are to render to them full hospitality—and then remain still.
Give with faith.
Do not give without faith.
Give with enthusiasm.
Give with humility.
Give with trepidation.
Give with sympathy.
Then if you ever have any doubts about your due actions or due conduct.
Behave—regarding those—as would behave the wise and the learned, of balanced judgement, of experience, objective, calm, given to good deeds, if they were present.
Then regarding those who have been wrongly accused.
If you ever have any doubts about your due actions or due conduct:
Then behave—regarding those—as would behave the wise and the learned, of balanced judgement, of experience, objective, calm, given to good deeds, if they were present.
This is the command.
This is the advice.
This is the secret instruction of the Vedas.
In this way should one conduct oneself through life.
These things being so, then let it ever be thus.
Aum shanti shanti shanti.