Mantras · Peace

Shanti Mantras: the Vedic peace prayers with meaning

The short peace prayers that open and close Vedic study, school assemblies and many pujas. Each ends with “shanti” said three times: peace in ourselves, peace with the world around us, and peace from forces beyond our control.

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Listen: Shanti Mantras

A calm computer-voiced recitation over soft music, checked line by line against the text. It is an aid to reading along, not a replacement for a priest or a family elder.

What the Shanti mantras are

Shanti means peace. The Shanti mantras are invocations from the Vedas and Upanishads, recited at the start of study so that teacher and student learn together without conflict, and at the end of rituals so that what was done brings calm. They ask for nothing for oneself alone: strength for both teacher and pupil, light instead of darkness, peace in the sky, the earth, the waters and the plants, and happiness for everyone.

The triple “Om shanti shanti shanti” is traditionally explained as peace from three kinds of trouble: what arises within us (adhyatmika), what comes from other beings (adhibhautika), and what comes from nature and fate (adhidaivika).

The Shanti mantras, with meaning

Recite any one, or all five in order. Each ends with “Om shanti shanti shanti”.

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Saha Navavatu (Taittiriya and Katha Upanishads)

ॐ सह नाववतु। सह नौ भुनक्तु।
सह वीर्यं करवावहै।
तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै॥
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥

Om saha navavatu, saha nau bhunaktu,
saha viryam karavavahai,
tejasvi navadhitam astu ma vidvishavahai.
Om shantih shantih shantih.

अर्थ: ईश्वर हम दोनों (गुरु और शिष्य) की साथ रक्षा करें, साथ पालन करें; हम साथ मिलकर शक्ति से काम करें; हमारा पढ़ा हुआ तेजस्वी हो; हम एक-दूसरे से द्वेष न करें। ॐ शांति, शांति, शांति।

Meaning: May the Divine protect us both, teacher and student, together; may it nourish us together; may we work together with strength; may our learning be full of light; may we never resent each other. Om, peace, peace, peace.

Purnamadah (Isha and Brihadaranyaka Upanishads)

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पूर्णमुदच्यते।
पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते॥
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥

Om purnamadah purnamidam purnat purnam udachyate,
purnasya purnam adaya purnam evavashishyate.
Om shantih shantih shantih.

अर्थ: वह (परमात्मा) पूर्ण है, यह (संसार) भी पूर्ण है; पूर्ण से ही पूर्ण प्रकट होता है। पूर्ण में से पूर्ण निकाल लेने पर भी पूर्ण ही बचा रहता है। ॐ शांति, शांति, शांति।

Meaning: That is whole, this is whole; from the whole the whole comes forth. Take the whole from the whole, and the whole alone remains. Om, peace, peace, peace.

Asato Ma (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.3.28)

ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय।
तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय।
मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय॥
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥

Om asato ma sad gamaya,
tamaso ma jyotir gamaya,
mrityor ma amritam gamaya.
Om shantih shantih shantih.

अर्थ: मुझे असत्य से सत्य की ओर ले चलो। अंधकार से प्रकाश की ओर ले चलो। मृत्यु से अमरता की ओर ले चलो। ॐ शांति, शांति, शांति।

Meaning: Lead me from the unreal to the real. Lead me from darkness to light. Lead me from death to the deathless. Om, peace, peace, peace.

Dyauh Shanti (Shukla Yajurveda 36.17)

ॐ द्यौः शान्तिरन्तरिक्षं शान्तिः
पृथिवी शान्तिरापः शान्तिरोषधयः शान्तिः।
वनस्पतयः शान्तिर्विश्वेदेवाः शान्तिर्ब्रह्म शान्तिः
सर्वं शान्तिः शान्तिरेव शान्तिः सा मा शान्तिरेधि॥
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥

Om dyauh shantir antariksham shantih
prithivi shantir apah shantir oshadhayah shantih,
vanaspatayah shantir vishvedevah shantir brahma shantih
sarvam shantih shantir eva shantih sa ma shantir edhi.
Om shantih shantih shantih.

अर्थ: आकाश में शांति हो, अंतरिक्ष में शांति हो, पृथ्वी पर शांति हो, जल में शांति हो, औषधियों में शांति हो; वनस्पतियों में शांति हो, सभी देवताओं में शांति हो, ब्रह्म में शांति हो; सब कुछ शांत हो, शांति ही शांति हो, और वह शांति मुझे भी मिले। ॐ शांति, शांति, शांति।

Meaning: Peace in the sky, peace in the space between, peace on earth, peace in the waters, peace in the healing herbs; peace in the trees, peace among all the gods, peace in Brahman; may everything be peace, peace itself; may that peace come to me. Om, peace, peace, peace.

Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah (traditional)

ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः।
सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यन्तु मा कश्चिद्दुःखभाग्भवेत्॥
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥

Om sarve bhavantu sukhinah sarve santu niramayah,
sarve bhadrani pashyantu ma kashchid duhkha-bhag bhavet.
Om shantih shantih shantih.

अर्थ: सब सुखी हों, सब रोग से मुक्त हों; सब अच्छा ही देखें, कोई भी दुख का भागी न बने। ॐ शांति, शांति, शांति।

Meaning: May all be happy, may all be free from illness; may all see what is good, and may no one have to suffer. Om, peace, peace, peace.

How and when to recite them

  1. Sit comfortably with a straight back and take a few slow breaths.
  2. Before study or work: Saha Navavatu, as schools and gurukuls do.
  3. Morning or evening prayer: Asato Ma and Purnamadah.
  4. At the end of a puja, havan or path: Dyauh Shanti, then Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah.
  5. Say the three “shanti”s slowly, a little softer each time, and sit in silence for a moment.

Questions

Why is “shanti” said three times?

Tradition explains it as peace from three sources of trouble: within ourselves, from other beings, and from nature or fate. It also simply lets the mind settle.

Which Shanti mantra is said before studying?

Om Saha Navavatu, from the Taittiriya and Katha Upanishads. It is a prayer for teacher and student together.

Is “Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah” from the Vedas?

Not directly. It is a traditional prayer found in later texts and recited everywhere alongside the Vedic Shanti mantras.

Text and sources

Texts: Saha Navavatu (Taittiriya Upanishad 2.1, Katha Upanishad), Purnamadah (Isha Upanishad, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 5.1.1), Asato Ma (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.3.28), Dyauh Shanti (Shukla Yajurveda, Vajasaneyi Samhita 36.17), Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah (traditional). Each was checked against Sanskrit Wikisource (Upanishad texts that quote them) and shlokam.org. Vedic accents are left out, as in everyday recitation. The transliteration and meanings are our own.

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