श्री गणपती अथर्वशीर्ष has a part in which one asks Lord Ganesh to protect us from various directions. It seems ritualistic at first glance, but like most Sanskrit Upanishads, there are layers and layers that can be uncovered and the details within nuances are rich and carry a lot of encoding.
अव पश्चात्तात्। (Protect me from the back)
अव पुरस्तात्। (Protect me from the front)
अवोत्तरात्तात्। (Protect me from the north)
अव दक्षिणात्तात् | (Protect me from the south)
अव चोर्ध्वात्तात्। (Protect me from above)
अवाधरात्तात्। (Protect me from below)
सर्वतो मां पाहि पाहि समन्तात् | (Protect me from all sides)
Let us uncover the layers of the fifth line अव चोर्ध्वात्तात् | अव = protect; च = and or also; ऊर्ध्वात् = from above; तात् = that location. Hence अव चोर्ध्वात्तात् means Also protect me from above. Protect me from above can be further visualised as protect me from that above me and also protect me from those above me. As one saw earlier, who will protect and from whom/what? I will protect myself because Ganapati is internalised and I am Ganapati.
1) अव चोर्ध्वात्तात् – protect me from that above me. As always, the अथर्वशीर्ष can be seen as an internal checklist and a way of deliberate practice of becoming aware without and within. Literally the sky is above me, and I should ensure adequate protection from things of the sky while I am both awake and asleep. Rain, wind, sunshine, moisture and dryness, and also miscellaneous stuff that can land on the head when walking underneath something are what come to mind at first thought. After the elements have been taken care of, what then comes to mind is the state of mind or the attitude that one brings to a task at the very beginning. If something needs to be done, it needs to be done well. The entire task will happen with the positivity or negativity of the first or top action. Let me protect my entire work from negative energy of my first or top action.
2) अव चोर्ध्वात्तात् – protect me from those above me. This line of thought too can be developed a bit. Let me have good people to look up to. May I have good elders while growing up. May I have strong role models who do not dither when adverse times come. May I choose my heroes wisely. May I have good mentors. May I have good bosses. May those above me be worthy of their position and May I myself one day become someone worthy. The Dikpala of guardian deity of the above or zenith is Brahma. Brahma is the creator and creates entire worlds by thoughts. Let me therefore have the power and wisdom to create a world within me and around me that is beneficial and not hurtful.
अव चोर्ध्वात्तात् – a small phrase of two words, but it is encoded with so much beauty it makes us confront creativity and its impulses, literally because it references the god of Creation. This makes us well – centred and gives us a robust compass for our creativity and well-being from above.