Śikṣāvallī is not simply a collection of quotations. It is almost a complete philosophy of education—from learning correctly, to understanding relationships, to developing inner discipline, and finally to entering life as a responsible human being.
The Taittirīya Upaniṣad belongs to the Kṛṣṇa Yajur Veda, and Śikṣāvallī is its first Valli, consisting of 12 Anuvākas.
Taittirīya Upaniṣad — Śikṣāvallī
The Upanishad's lessons for a student
1. The opening prayer — May teacher and student be protected
It begins with an invocation to Mitra, Varuṇa, Aryaman, Indra, Bṛhaspati and Viṣṇu, followed by:
“Tvameva pratyakṣaṃ brahmāsi”
You indeed are the directly perceptible Brahman.
The student then makes a remarkable commitment:
“Ṛtaṃ vadiṣyāmi. Satyaṃ vadiṣyāmi.”
I shall speak what is right. I shall speak the truth.
And the prayer is for both teacher and student to be protected.
Lesson: Education begins with humility, truth and a sacred relationship between teacher and student.
2. What is Śikṣā?
The Upanishad says:
“Śikṣāṃ vyākhyāsyāmaḥ — varṇaḥ, svaraḥ, mātrā, balam, sāma, santānaḥ.”
Śikṣā concerns:
Varṇa — the sound/letter
Svara — accent and intonation
Mātrā — duration
Bala — effort
Sāma — modulation
Santāna — continuity/combination of sounds
In other words, knowledge must be transmitted accurately.
Lesson: Precision matters. What we learn must be learnt correctly before it can be passed on.
3. Everything is connected
The third Anuvāka introduces Saṃhitā, the joining or connection of things.
The Upanishad looks at five kinds of relationships:
Adhiloka — the worlds
Adhijyotiṣa — the lights/celestial forces
Adhividyā — knowledge
Adhipraja — beings/progeny
Adhyātma — the individual/self.
For example, earth and heaven are seen as related, with space forming the connection.
Lesson: Nothing exists in isolation. The universe is a web of relationships.
4. Learning should make us radiant
The student prays:
“Saha nau yaśaḥ
Saha nau brahmavarcasam.”
May glory be ours together.
May spiritual radiance born of knowledge be ours together.
Again, together is important.
The teacher does not merely transfer information to a student. Both participate in the pursuit of knowledge.
Lesson: True education should produce wisdom and inner radiance, not merely qualifications.
5. The cosmic dimensions of knowledge
The succeeding teaching takes the student through different correspondences between the outer world and the inner world.
The Upanishadic method is fascinating: it trains the student to see patterns, relationships and unity rather than isolated facts.
Lesson: Education should expand the mind—from individual facts to an understanding of the whole.
6. Meditation on the individual and the cosmos
Śikṣāvallī then turns increasingly inward. The student is encouraged to contemplate the relationship between the cosmos, the body, speech, mind and consciousness.
The message is subtle:
The world outside and the world within are not unrelated.
Lesson: Education is incomplete if we understand the world but never understand ourselves.
7. The four Vyāhṛtis — Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, Suvaḥ, Mahaḥ
The Upanishad expands the familiar three sacred utterances:
Bhūḥ — Bhuvaḥ — Suvaḥ
and introduces:
Mahaḥ
It gives several layers of meaning to them—cosmic, physiological and spiritual.
Lesson: A single sacred expression can contain layers of meaning. Learning is not merely memorising words; it is discovering what lies behind them.
8. The inner Self
The teaching moves towards the inner space of the heart.
The Upanishad describes the person within that inner space as manomaya, connected with mind, and hiraṇmaya, radiant or golden.
The movement is now unmistakable:
outer universe → body → mind → inner Self.
Lesson: The greatest journey of education is ultimately inward.
9. Tapas — discipline
The Upanishad declares:
“Tad dhi tapaḥ.”
That indeed is tapas.
Here tapas should not be understood merely as physical austerity. It is disciplined effort, concentration and the willingness to refine oneself.
Lesson: Nothing worthwhile is achieved without discipline.
10. The declaration of Triśaṅku
This is a striking passage:
“Ahaṃ vṛkṣasya rerivā
Kīrtiḥ pṛṣṭhaṃ girer iva…”
Triśaṅku makes a powerful declaration of his identity, strength, purity, fame and immortality. The passage is traditionally called Triśaṅkor vedānuvacanam.
It is almost a declaration of self-confidence born from knowledge.
Lesson: Education should not make a person timid. True knowledge gives inner strength and dignity.
11. The famous Convocation Address
And now we reach the passage that makes Śikṣāvallī extraordinarily relevant to a university convocation.
The teacher, having taught the Veda, turns to the departing student:
“Satyam vada.”
Speak the truth.
“Dharmam cara.”
Practise righteousness.
“Svādhyāyān mā pramadaḥ.”
Do not neglect self-study.
Then:
“Mātṛdevo bhava.”
Regard your mother as worthy of the highest reverence.
“Pitṛdevo bhava.”
Regard your father likewise.
“Ācāryadevo bhava.”
Regard your teacher with reverence.
“Atithidevo bhava.”
Regard your guest with reverence.
But it does not stop there.
The student is told:
Do not neglect truth.
Do not neglect dharma.
Do not neglect welfare and excellence.
Do not neglect learning and teaching.
Do not neglect one's duties towards the devas and ancestors.
When in doubt about conduct, observe the behaviour of people known for good judgment and integrity.
This is not merely advice to pass an examination.
It is a blueprint for living.
12. The closing prayer
The twelfth Anuvāka returns to the opening prayer:
“Śaṃ no Mitraḥ, śaṃ Varuṇaḥ…”
and ends with:
“Oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ.”
Thus Śikṣāvallī comes full circle—from the prayer for the teacher and student at the beginning to the same prayer at the end.
Sacred Texts of Hinduism
And that circularity is beautiful:
Learning begins with reverence and ends with gratitude.
What makes Śikṣāvallī so extraordinary?
If we reduce the twelve Anuvākas to twelve simple ideas:
1. Begin with humility.
2. Learn correctly.
3. Understand connections.
4. Learn together.
5. Let knowledge expand the mind.
6. Know yourself.
7. See the deeper unity of life.
8. Turn inward.
9. Practise discipline.
10. Develop confidence and inner strength.
11. Live by truth and dharma.
12. End in peace.
The Delhi University convocation choice particularly meaningful. Thousands of years ago, the Upanishad already had a “graduation speech.”
And its message was not:
“You have completed your education.”
It was:
“Now that you have been educated, go and live rightly.”
“The Oldest Graduation Speech in the World — Śikṣāvallī.”
