Shanti Mantra
Encyclopedia
The Shanti Mantras or "Peace Mantra
Mantra
A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation"...

s" are Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...

 prayers for Peace
Peace
Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...

 (Shanti
Inner peace
Inner peace refers to a state of being mentally and spiritually at peace, with enough knowledge and understanding to keep oneself strong in the face of discord or stress. Being "at peace" is considered by many to be healthy and the opposite of being stressed or anxious...

) from the Vedas
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....

.
Generally they are recited at the beginning and end of religious rituals and discourses.

Shanti Mantras are found in Upanishads, where they are invoked in the beginning of some topics of Upanishads. They are supposed to calm the mind of the reciter and environment around him/her. Reciting them is also believed to be removing any obstacles for the task being started.

Shanti Mantras always end with three utterances of word "Shanti" which means "Peace". The Reason for uttering three times is for calming and removing obstacles in
three realms which are:
  • "Physical" or Adhi-Bhautika,
  • "Divine" or Adhi-Daivika and
  • "Internal" or Adhyaatmika


According to the scriptures of Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...

 sources of obstacles and troubles are in these three realms.
  • Physical or Adhi-Bhautika realm can be source of troubles/obstacles coming from external world, such as from wild animals, people, natural calamities etc.
  • Divine or Adhi-Daivika realm can be source of troubles/obstacles coming from extra-sensory world of spirits, ghosts, deities, demigods/angels etc.
  • Internal or Adhyaatmika realm is source of troubles/obstacles arising out of ones own body and mind, such as pain, diseases, laziness, absent-mindedness etc.


These are called "Tapa-Traya" or three classes of troubles.
When Shanti mantras are recited, obstacles from these realms are believed to be
pacified.

Shanti Mantras

These are the Shanti Mantras from the different Upanishads and other sources.

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad and Ishavasya Upanishad

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदम् पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते |

पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ||

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ||

oṃ pūrṇamadaḥ pūrṇamidam pūrṇāt pūrṇamudacyate

pūrṇasya pūrṇamādāya pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate

oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ

Om ! That (Brahman) is infinite, and this (universe) is infinite.

The infinite proceeds from the infinite.

(Then) taking the infinitude of the infinite (universe),

It remains as the infinite (Brahman) alone.

Om ! Peace ! Peace ! Peace !

Taittiriya Upanishad

ॐ शं नो मित्रः शं वरुणः ।

शं नो भवत्वर्यमा ।

शं न इन्द्रो ब्रिहस्पतिः ।

शं नो विष्णुरुरुक्रमः ।

नमो ब्रह्मणे । नमस्ते वायो ।

त्वमेव प्रत्यक्षं ब्रह्मासि ।

त्वामेव प्रत्यक्षम् ब्रह्म वदिष्यामि ।

ॠतं वदिष्यामि । सत्यं वदिष्यामि ।

तन्मामवतु ।

तद्वक्तारमवतु ।

अवतु माम् ।

अवतु वक्तारम् ।

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
oṃ śaṃ no mitraḥ śaṃ varuṇaḥ |
śaṃ no bhavatvaryamā |
śaṃ na indro brihaspatiḥ |
śaṃ no viṣṇururukramaḥ |
namo brahmaṇe |
namaste vāyo |
tvameva pratyakṣaṃ bhrahmāsi |
tvāmeva pratyakṣam brahma vadiṣyāmi |
ṝtaṃ vadiṣyāmi |
satyaṃ vadiṣyāmi |
tanmāmavatu |
tadvaktāramavatu |
avatu mām |
avatu vaktāram |
oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ||
Om May Mitra be blissful to us. May Varuna be blissful to us.
May Aryaman be blissful to us.
May Indra and Brihaspati be blissful to us.
May Vishnu, of long strides, be blissful to us.
Salutation to Brahman.
Salutation to you, O Vayu.
You, indeed, are the immediate Brahman. You alone I shall call the direct Brahman.
I shall call you righteousness. I shall call you truth.
May He protect me.
May He protect the teacher.
May He protect me.
May He protect the teacher.
Om, peace, peace, peace !

Taittiriya Upanishad
Taittiriya Upanishad
The Taittiriya Upanishad is one of the older, "primary" Upanishads commented upon by Shankara. It is associated with the Taittiriya school of the Yajurveda...

, Katha Upanishad
Katha Upanishad
The Katha Upanishad , also titled "Death as Teacher", is one of the mukhya Upanishads commented upon by Shankara. It is associated with the school of the Black Yajurveda, and is grouped with the Sutra period of Vedic Sanskrit. It is a middle Upanishad...

, Mandukya Upanishad
Mandukya Upanishad
The Mandukya Upanishad is the shortest of the Upanishads – the scriptures of Hindu Vedanta. It is in prose, consisting of twelve verses expounding the mystic syllable Aum, the three psychological states of waking, dreaming and sleeping, and the transcendent fourth state of illumination.This...

 and Shvetashvatara Upanishad
Shvetashvatara Upanishad
The Shvetashvatara Upanishad is one of the older, "primary" Upanishads. It is associated with the Krishna Yajurveda. It figures as number 14 in the Muktika canon of 108 Upanishads...

ॐ स॒ह ना॑ववतु । स॒ह नौ॑ भुनक्तु ।

स॒ह वी॒र्यं॑ करवावहै ।

ते॒ज॒स्वि ना॒वधी॑तमस्तु॒ मा वि॑द्विषा॒वहै॑ ॥

ॐ शान्ति॒ः शान्ति॒ः शान्ति॑ः ॥

om saha nāvavatu

saha nau bhunaktu

saha vīryaṃ karavāvahai

tejasvināvadhītamastu mā vidviṣāvahai

oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ

Om ! May He protect us both together; may He nourish us both together;

May we work conjointly with great energy,

May our study be vigorous and effective;

May we not mutually dispute (or may we not hate any).

Om ! Let there be Peace in me !

Let there be Peace in my environment !

Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !

Kena Upanishad and Chandogya Upanishad

ॐ आप्यायन्तु ममाङ्गानि वाक्प्राणश्चक्षुः

श्रोत्रमथो बलमिन्द्रियाणि च सर्वाणि ।

सर्वम् ब्रह्मौपनिषदम् माऽहं ब्रह्म

निराकुर्यां मा मा ब्रह्म

निराकरोदनिराकरणमस्त्वनिराकरणम् मेऽस्तु ।

तदात्मनि निरते य उपनिषत्सु धर्मास्ते

मयि सन्तु ते मयि सन्तु ।

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

oṃ āpyāyantu mamāṅgāni vākprāṇaścakṣuḥ

śrotramatho balamindriyāṇi ca sarvāṇi |

sarvam brahmaupaniṣadam mā'haṃ brahma

nirākuryāṃ mā mā brahma

nirākarodanirākaraṇamastvanirākaraṇam me'stu |

tadātmani nirate ya upaniṣatsu dharmāste

mayi santu te mayi santu |

oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ||

Om ! May my limbs, speech, vital air, eyes, ears, strength,

And all the senses be fully developed.

All that is revealed by the Upanishads is Brahman.

May I never deny Brahman:

May Brahman never disown me.

Let there be no repudiation (from Brahman);

Let there be no infidelity from my side.

May all the Dharmas extolled by the Upanishads shine in me

Who am intent on knowing the Self.

May they shine in me !

Om ! Peace ! Peace ! Peace !

Aitareya Upanishad

ॐ वाङ् मे मनसि प्रतिष्ठिता

मनो मे वाचि प्रतिष्ठित-मावीरावीर्म एधि ।

वेदस्य म आणिस्थः श्रुतं मे मा प्रहासीरनेनाधीतेनाहोरात्रान्

संदधाम्यृतम् वदिष्यामि सत्यं वदिष्यामि तन्मामवतु

तद्वक्तारमवत्ववतु मामवतु वक्तारमवतु वक्तारम् ।

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

oṃ vāṅ me manasi pratiṣṭhitā

mano me vāci pratiṣṭhita-māvīrāvīrma edhi |

vedasya ma āṇisthaḥ śrutaṃ me mā prahāsīranenādhītenāhorātrān

saṃdadhāmyṛtam vadiṣyāmi satyaṃ vadiṣyāmi tanmāmavatu

tadvaktāramavatvavatu māmavatu vaktāramavatu vaktāram |

oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ||

Om ! May my speech be based on (i.e. accord with) the mind;

May my mind be based on speech.

O Self-effulgent One, reveal Thyself to me.

May you both (speech and mind) be the carriers of the Veda to me.

May not all that I have heard depart from me.

I shall join together (i.e. obliterate the difference of) day

And night through this study.

I shall utter what is verbally true;

I shall utter what is mentally true.

May that (Brahman) protect me;

May That protect the speaker (i.e. the teacher), may That protect me;

May that protect the speaker – may That protect the speaker.

Om ! Peace ! Peace ! Peace !

Mundaka Upanishad, Mandukya Upanishad and Prashna Upanishad

ॐ भद्रं कर्णेभिः श्रुणुयाम देवाः ।

भद्रं पश्येमाक्षभिर्यजत्राः

स्थिरैरन्ङ्गैस्तुष्टुवागं सस्तनूभिः ।

व्यशेम देवहितम् यदायुः ।

स्वस्ति न इन्द्रो वृद्धश्रवाः ।

स्वस्ति नः पूषा विश्ववेदाः ।

स्वस्ति नस्तार्क्ष्यो अरिष्टनेमिः ।

स्वस्ति नो ब्रिहस्पतिर्दधातु

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

oṃ bhadraṃ karṇebhiḥ śruṇuyāma devāḥ |

bhadraṃ paśyemākṣabhiryajatrāḥ

sthirairanṅgaistuṣṭuvāgaṃ sastanūbhiḥ |

vyaśema devahitam yadāyuḥ |

svasti na indro vṛddhaśravāḥ |

svasti naḥ pūṣā viśvavedāḥ |

svasti nastārkṣyo ariṣṭanemiḥ |

svasti no brihaspatirdadhātu

oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ||

Om ! O gods, may we hear auspicious words with the ears;

While engaged in sacrifices,

May we see auspicious things with the eyes;

While praising the gods with steady limbs,

May we enjoy a life that is beneficial to the gods.

May Indra of ancient fame be auspicious to us;

May the supremely rich (or all-knowing) Pusa (god of the earth)

Be propitious to us;

May Garuda, the destroyer of evil,

Be well disposed towards us;

May Brihaspati ensure our welfare.

Om ! Peace ! Peace ! Peace !

Other Sources

There are various Other sources of Shanti Mantras, of which some of the most famous are:

ॐ द्यौ: शान्तिरन्तरिक्षँ शान्ति:

पृथिवी शान्तिराप: शान्तिरोषधय: शान्ति: ।

वनस्पतय: शान्तिर्विश्वे देवा: शान्तिर्ब्रह्म शान्ति:

सर्वँ शान्ति: शान्तिरेव शान्ति: सा मा शान्तिरेधि ॥

ॐ शान्ति: शान्ति: शान्ति: ॥

Om dyauḥ śāntirantarikṣaṁ śāntiḥ

pṛthivī śāntirāpaḥ śāntiroṣadhayaḥ śāntiḥ

vanaspatayaḥ śāntirviśvedevāḥ śāntirbrahma śāntiḥ

sarvaṁ śāntiḥ śāntireva śāntiḥ

sā mā śāntiredhi

Om śāntiḥ, śāntiḥ, śāntiḥ

May peace radiate there in the whole sky as well as in the vast ethereal space everywhere.

May peace reign all over this earth, in water and in all herbs, trees and creepers.

May peace flow over the whole universe.

May peace be in the Supreme Being Brahman.

And may there always exist in all peace and peace alone.

Om peace, peace and peace to us and all beings!

(Translation by Swami Abhedananda, Ramakrishna Vedanta Math, India)

ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय ।

तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय ।

मृत्योर्माऽमृतं गमय ।

ॐ शान्ति: शान्ति: शान्ति: ॥

Om asato mā sadgamaya

Tamaso mā jyotir gamaya

Mṛtyormā’mṛtaṁ gamaya

Om śāntiḥ, śāntiḥ, śāntiḥ

Lead us from the unreal to the real

Lead us from darkness to light

Lead us from death to immortality

Om peace, peace, peace!

Books for Additional Reading

  • Mantra Pushpam, Text in Sanskrit, compiled by Swami Devarupananda, Published by Ramakrishna Math, Khar, Mumbai, India.
  • Brihadaranyaka Upanishad with the Commentary of Shankaracharya, Translated by Swami Madhavananda, Published by Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, India. ISBN No : 81-7505-102-7
  • Eight Upanishads (Vol. 1) with the Commentary of Shankaracharya, Translated by Swami Gambhirananda, Published by Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, India. ISBN No : 81-7505-016-0
  • Eight Upanishads (Vol. 2) with the Commentary of Shankaracharya, Translated by Swami Gambhirananda, Published by Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, India. ISBN No : 81-7505-017-9
  • Vedanta Spiritual Library, 108 Upanishads.
  • "The Principal Upanishads" by Swami Sivananda, The Divine Life Society Publications, Uttaranchal, Himalayas, INDIA.
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