Bhadram Karne

About this stotra

This luminous Shanti mantra from the Upanishads is a profound prayer that recognises how our entire being needs to be aligned with the divine purpose. The mantra opens by seeking divine grace for our faculties of perception - that our ears may hear what elevates us spiritually, and our eyes witness that which is noble and sacred (bhadraṃ). It then extends beyond mere perception to our entire physical existence - praying for strength and stability in our limbs, not for personal comfort, but so that our very being (tanūbhiḥ) becomes an instrument of divine work (devahitaṃ). The prayer acknowledges that our lifespan (ayuh) itself is a sacred gift, to be dedicated to that which serves the higher purpose.
The subsequent verses invoke specific deities, seeking their unique blessings (svasti): from Indra, of great renown (vṛddhaśravāḥ), we seek well-being; from Pusha, the all-knowing (viśvavedāḥ), we seek the nourishing light of wisdom; from Tarkshya, whose wheel is unharmed (ariṣṭanemiḥ), we pray for protection from obstacles; and from Brihaspati, the guru of the Gods and the source of all knowledge, we seek the well-being that comes with wisdom.
The mantra culminates in the invocation of peace to pervade our inner being, our relationship with the world and with divine forces.