Sahanāvavatu — Let Us Be Protected Together
सह नाववतु
Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2.2.2 · Gurū-Śiṣya Śānti Pāṭha
Source: Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2.2.2 — Guru-Shishya (teacher-student) peace prayer
Key Points to Remember
- ▸नौ (nau) = dual form of asmad (we) — "the two of us"; Sanskrit uniquely has dual number
- ▸अवतु = √av (to protect) — optative mood expressing a wish or blessing
- ▸तेजस् = brilliance — from √tij (to be sharp); appears in "tejas" (energy, brightness)
- ▸This is chanted before study in traditional Sanskrit schools (gurukula)
The Verse
सह नाववतु। सह नौ भुनक्तु। सह वीर्यं करवावहै। तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु। मा विद्विषावहै। ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥
saha nāv avatu | saha nau bhunaktu | saha vīryaṃ karavāvahai | tejasvi nāv adhītam astu | mā vidviṣāvahai | oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ||
May He protect both of us. May He nourish both of us. May we work together with vigour. May our study be brilliant. May we not hate each other. Om. Peace. Peace. Peace.
— Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2.2.2
Word-by-Word Meaning
| Sanskrit | Transliteration | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| सह | saha | together, with, along with | saha — an indeclinable (avyaya); appears in "sahitya" (literature = together with) |
| नौ | nau | both of us (dual) | asmad — 1st person pronoun, dual form: "the two of us" (teacher + student) |
| अवतु | avatu | may he protect | √av (to protect, to favour) — 3rd person singular optative (benedictive) |
| भुनक्तु | bhunaktu | may he nourish | √bhuj (to enjoy, to nourish, to protect) — 3rd person singular imperative |
| वीर्यम् | vīryam | vigour, energy, valour | vīra (hero, strong person) → vīrya — the quality of a hero; neuter noun |
| तेजस्वि | tejasvi | brilliant, radiant, full of tejas | tejas (brilliance, energy, sharpness — from √tij, to be sharp) + vin suffix — "one who has tejas" |
| अधीतम् | adhītam | what has been studied, the learning | adhi + √i (to go/study) — past passive participle: "that which has been studied" |
| विद्विषावहै | vidviṣāvahai | may we not hate each other | vi + √dviṣ (to hate) + āvahai (1st person dual optative): "may the two of us not hate" |
This is specifically the teacher-student (guru-śiṣya) peace prayer — it uses the dual ("nau" = both of us) throughout. It captures the Sanskrit ideal of education: not one person instructing another but two people growing together.
Exercises (3)
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Translate each line
1. सह नाव अवतु means:
Show answer
May He protect both of us (teacher and student) together
2. तेजस्वि नाव अधीतम् अस्तु means:
Show answer
May our study be brilliant / radiant
3. मा विद्विषावहै means:
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May we not hate each other
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct answer
1. "Nau" (both of us) is in which grammatical number?
Show answer
Dual
2. The prayer is specifically for which relationship?
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Teacher and student
3. "Vīrya" (vigour) comes from:
Show answer
vīra (hero)
Exercise 3: Short Answer
Answer in your own words
1. The prayer asks "may we not hate each other." Why would a teacher and student need this prayer? What can cause friction in learning?
Show answer
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