Shiva sankalpa Suktam (शिव सङ्कल्प सूक्त )

शिव सङ्कल्प सूक्त

A sukta is a divine song. Shiva Sankalpa means right intention or having an auspicious

resolve. The Shiva Sankapa sukta consists of six verses. These six verses are very sacred

Vedic verses and constitute a hymn. They are regarded as an Upanishad. In fact some people also call it Shivasamkalpopanishad because although it is part of the karmakanda, it also has adhyatmic significance. In the Shuklayajurveda it forms the 34th adhyaya of the Vajasaneyi Samhita.

These six Shiva Sankalpa mantras are also repeated in the first chapter of

Rudrashtadhyayi. Chanting the six mantras of the Shiva Sankalpa for some time

everyday, is a method to steady the mind. It is also a method to control one's

subconscious mind (the chitta), and the faculty of thought. The six verses of the Shiva

Sankalpa sukta are listed below with the meaning in English.

yajjāgrato dūramudaiti,
daivaṃ tadu suptasya tathaivaiti.
dūraṃgamaṃ jyotiṣāṃ jyotirekaṃ,
tanme manaḥ śivasaṃkalpamastu ...........................(1)

1. That mind which in the waking state through the means of the senses
roams through this world[1], and which in the dream state roams through
many worlds [2] and in the state of deep sleep returns to its origin[3],
that far wanderer, that light of knowledge[4] my mind, may you have good
intentions[5].

yena karmāṇyapaso manīṣiṇo,
yaj¤e kṛṇvanti vidatheṣu dhīrāḥ.
yadapūrvaṃ yakṣmantḥ prajānāṃ,
tanme manaḥ śivasaṃkalpamastu................................(2)

2. The means by which a man who wants to do good[6], whose senses are
stilled and who is wise and dilligent beomes proficient in yajnas and
other karmas established by the shastras and also that which is the
principal and most revered of the means of knowledge, my mind, may you
have good intentions.

yavpraj¤ānamuta ceto dhṛtiśca,
yajjyotirantaramṛtaṃ prajāsu.
yasmānna|ṛte kiṃcana karma kriyate,
tanme manaḥ śivasaṃkalpamastu...................................(3)

3. That mind which disregarding the demands of the senses is focused on
knowledge alone, and which knows the elements of the universe[7], constant
and immortal, which lives inside a man but is capable of illuminating what
is outside, without whom no actions are possible, my mind, may you have
good intentions.

yenedaṃ bhūtaṃ bhuvanaṃ bhaviṣyata
parigṛhītamamṛtena sarvama.
yena yaj¤astāyate saptahotā,
tanme manaḥ śivasaṃkalpamastu......................................(4)

4. That exists until mukti[8], that knows past, present and future,
through which the yogis obtain immortality[9], and through which the yajna
with seven priests[10] is performed, my mind, may you have good
intentions.

yasminnṛcḥ sāma yajūṃṣi,
yasmina pratiṣṭhitā
rathanābhāvivārāḥ.
yasmiṃścittaṃ sarvamotaṃ prajānāṃ,
tanme manaḥ śivasaṃkalpamastu..............................................(5)

5. That mind which is the hub of the chariot wheel whose spokes are the
Rks, Yajus, and Samans and whose axle is knowledge and which is pulled
this way and that by the sense-horses, my mind may you be of good
intentions.

suṣārathiraśvāniva yanmanuṣyāna,
nenīyate|bhīśubhirvājina iva.
hṛvpratiṣṭhaṃ yadajiraṃ javiṣṭhaṃ,
tanme manaḥ śivasaṃkalpamastu.............................................(6)

6. Just as a good charioteer makes the horses run according to his
commands so they go where he wants them too, so too the mind can guide a
man towards his desire and by restraining animal instincts lead to that
dweller in the heart who is immoirtal and free of turmoil[11], my mind may
you have good intentions.

NOTES:

[1] The eyes, ears record data but it is the mind that makes it mean

something.

[2] As much as there is which is novel and wonderful in this world, the

imagination can come up with a thousand times as much.

[3] In deep sleep, the senses withdraw into the mind and the mind

withdraws into the atman giving some taste of the bliss and tranquility of

Brahman. But like the other two states it is fleeting and unstable so a

poor substitute for the real brahmajnana.

[4] The mind is like a light that illuminates the darkness of ignorance

through knowledge.

[5] Shivasamkalpa. The wandering mind is the cause of all sorrows but

when turned to the right goals, it becomes the vehicle by which release is

possible.

[6] karmanishta, literally established in karma.

[7] padarthas. The essential constituents of reality. Different schools

count them differently.

[8] The mind deals with samsara. as important as it is, it too is part

of samsara and becomes non-exstent or irrelevant after mukti.

[9] By understanding the true nature of time past, present and future, the

Yogis conquer death.

[10] The yajna called Agnishtoma has seven priests (hotrs) or

alternatively the seven are the hotr (represents Rgveda), adhvaryu

(Yajurveda), udgatr (Samaveda), Brahmana (Atharvaveda), The yajaman and

his wife, and Agni himself who is the hotr of the Gods and brings the

offerings to them. These seven are needed in any shrauta yajna.

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