Medha Suktam
Medha Suktam
Medha Suktam
medhA sUktam
taittirIyAraNyakam - 4, prapAThakaH - 10, anuvAkaH - 41-44
OM-ya.NshChanda'sAmRRiSha_bho vi_shvarU'paH |
Chando_bhyo-.adhya_mRRitA᳚thsamba_bhUva' |
sa mendro' me_dhayA᳚ spRRiNotu |
a_mRRita'sya deva_dhAra'No bhUyAsam |
sharI'ra-mme_ vicha'rShaNam |
ji_hvA me_ madhu'mattamA |
karNA᳚bhyAM_ bhUri_vishru'vam |
brahma'NaH ko_sho'-.asi me_dhayA pi'hitaH |
shru_ta-mme' gopAya ||
OM shAnti_-shshAnti_-shshAntiH' ||
o-mme_dhAde_vI ju_ShamA'NA na_ AgA᳚-dvi_shvAchI' bha_drA su'mana_sya mA'nA |
tvayA_ juShTA' nu_damA'nA du_ruktA᳚-nbRRi_hadva'dema vi_dathe' su_vIrAH᳚ |
tvayA_ juShTa' RRi_Shirbha'vati devi_ tvayA_ brahmA'-.a.aga_tashrI'ru_ta tvayA᳚ |
tvayA_ juShTa'shchi_traM-vi.N'ndate vasu_ sA no' juShasva_ dravi'No na medhe ||
me_dhA-mma_ indro' dadAtu me_dhA-nde_vI sara'svatI |
me_dhA-mme' a_shvinA'vu_bhA-vAdha'ttA_-mpuShka'rasrajA |
a_psa_rAsu' cha_ yA me_dhA ga'ndha_rveShu' cha_ yanmanaH' |
daivI᳚-mme_dhA sara'svatI_ sA mA᳚-mme_dhA su_rabhi'-rjuShatA_g_ svAhA᳚ ||
AmA᳚-mme_dhA su_rabhi'-rvi_shvarU'pA_ hira'NyavarNA_ jaga'tI jaga_myA |
Urja'svatI_ paya'sA_ pinva'mAnA_ sA mA᳚-mme_dhA su_pratI'kA juShantAm ||
mayi' me_dhA-mmayi' pra_jA-mmayya_gni-stejo' dadhAtu_,
mayi' me_dhA-mmayi' pra_jA-mmayIndra' indri_ya-nda'dhAtu_,
mayi' me_dhA-mmayi' pra_jA-mmayi_ sUryo_ bhrAjo' dadhAtu ||
[OM haM_sa_ haM_sAya' vi_dmahe' paramahaM_sAya' dhImahi |
tanno' haMsaH pracho_dayA᳚t || (haMsagAyatrI)]
OM shAnti_-shshAnti_-shshAntiH' ||
About This Stotram
Overview
The Medha Suktam is a Sanskrit Vedic hymn from the Taittiriya Aranyaka (10th Prapathaka, Anuvakas 41–44) of the Krishna Yajurveda, composed to invoke and strengthen medha — the faculty of intellect, comprehension, and memory. The principal deity invoked is Indra, who in the Vedic framework is associated with both power and the bestowal of intelligence. The text belongs to the Krishna Yajurveda's Taittiriya tradition and holds an established place in Vedic educational practice.
What are the benefits of chanting Medha Suktam?
- Enhances memory, comprehension, and intellectual clarity
- Supports students and scholars in their studies
- Invokes divine assistance for the acquisition of knowledge
- Strengthens the ability to grasp philosophical and scriptural teachings
When is the best time to recite this?
Morning recitation, especially before beginning study or intellectual work, is the standard practice. Vasant Panchami (Saraswati Puja) is a particularly auspicious occasion for this suktam.
What is the historical and traditional background?
The Medha Suktam is part of the Taittiriya Aranyaka, a text appended to the Taittiriya Samhita of the Krishna Yajurveda. Aranyakas represent the transitional literature between the ritual Samhitas and the philosophical Upanishads, and they were composed during the later Vedic period. The composition is attributed to the ancient Vedic Rishis in the tradition of Shruti (revealed scripture), and no individual author is identified. The suktam has been used in the context of Vedic education and the initiation of students (upanayana) for centuries.
Available scripts
This text is available in 14 scripts: devanagari, tamil, telugu, kannada, malayalam, gujarati, bengali, iast, gurmukhi, oriya, assamese, sinhala, itrans, hk. Use the script selector above to switch between them.
Related Texts
- Saraswati Stotram — a devotional hymn to the goddess of knowledge, sharing the thematic focus on learning and intellectual capacity
- Mantra Pushpam — another text from the Taittiriya Aranyaka tradition within the same Krishna Yajurveda corpus