Vedas' Teacher-Student Prayer

ॐ सह नाववतु सह नौ भुनक्तु सह वीर्यं कर्वावहै ।

तेजस्वि नौ अधीतम् अस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ।

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

oṃ saha nāvavatu saha nau bhunaktu saha vīryaṃ karvāvahai ।

tejasvinā vadhītamastu mā vidviṣāvahai ।

oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ॥

This Teacher Student prayer is from Krishna Yajur Veda. This is also called a shanti patha (chanting for peace) for removing obstacles from any study - any Visible (दृष्ट) & Invisible (अदृष्ट) obstacles. Here is Sankaracharya’s Interpretation according to Vedanta Studies

ॐ सह नाववतु - 

• Gyana pradanena avatu

• May the God, protect us both (Student & Teacher) i.e. remove any obstacles for the two of us to study (distraction, wrong or filtered misunderstanding or listening) 

सह नौ भुनक्तु - 

• Gyana phala pradanena avatu

• May the God, protect us to transform our personality by permeating the study into our deep core, i.e. remove any obstacles to get the fruits/results of the study (mind enjoys lightness by removing worries

सह वीर्यं कर्वावहै - 

• May we put our full effort (concentration & homeword) in our study

तेजस्वि नौ अधीतम् अस्तु मा विद्विषावहै - 

• May our (Student & Teacher) learning remain be bright and green in our memory (तेजस्वि)

  • ब्रह्मण आणि स्थः - The knowledge stay in my heart (with one side ear plug)

• May we (Student & Teacher) remember our study (वधीतम्)

• May our (Student & Teacher) relation have no strain (no hatred, dislike, reverence or negative emotions, we should have mutual respect, love and understanding)

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः - Remove obstacles from 

• (1st शान्तिः) Adhyatmik Vighna (Self - obstacles within me or controlled by me, physical or emotional health, concentration, effort etc), 

• (2nd) AdiBhautik Vighna (External environment for which I have little control, e.g. neighbors turning on TV loudly) 

• (3rd) AdiDaivik Vighna (External situations created by gods on which I have no control, e.g. thunder & lightening)

May we be students for life; may we find a teacher in everyone else in life; and may we learn with full effort from each other while maintaining mutual respect, love and understanding; without any negative feelings, dislike or hatred. May peace pervade!!