Peace (Shanti) Mantras

​Hinduism believes in total peace. Peace of mind, Peace in family and Peace in the universe. Peace is the core of ancient Hindu scriptures such as Vedas, Upanishads etc. The roots of peace (Shanti) mantras may be traced in the Vedas and Upanishads. These Shanti mantras are initiated with the chanting of “Om” which represent the three realms of the consciousness.

Shanti mantras are chanted in the beginning and end of any rituals and discourses especially Upanishads. The Shanti mantra bring peace and tranquility in mind of the reciter and environment. Shanti mantras are also believed to promote overall wellbeing by calming the mind, reducing stress, and fostering a sense of harmony. Shanti mantra can be of immense help in refreshing and recharging.

Recitation of “Peace” three times in the end of shanti mantras is to calm the three sources of obstacles. As per Vedic system, these obstacles are -

1. Adhyatmika (internal obstacles), which arise from one's own body and mind (e.g., pain, sickness, laziness). 
2. Adhidaivika (divine obstacles), which originate from the supernatural world (e.g., spirits, ghosts, deities). These may be storms, tsunamis, earthquakes, lightening etc. 
3. Adhibhautika (physical obstacles), which stem from other beings and the external world (e.g., suffering caused by other people, animals).  

 

1. From Taittiriya Upanishad –
2. शं नो मित्रः शं वरुणः। शं नो भवत्वर्यमा। शं न इन्द्रो बृहस्पतिः। 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॥

 
Translation - 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 reciter*. May He protect me. May He protect the reciter. Om, peace, peace, peace!
 
Purpose - This mantra is to invoke the Vedic deities & to pray them - Mitra is invoked for friendship, contracts, and the dawn; Varuna is invoked for the protectors of divine law & order and truth; Brhaspati is invoked for divine knowledge and wisdom; Aryaman is invoked for hospitality and the welfare of the family; Indra is invoked for overall success; Vayu is invoked for his power to move things and life force.
 

1. From Taittiriya & Katha Upanishads -

 

• सह नाववतु | सह नौ भुनक्तु | सह वीर्यं करवावहै | तेजस्विनावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै॥
• शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥

 
Translation - Om! May God protect us both together; May God nourish us both together; May we work conjointly with great energy; May our study be vigorous and effective, and 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!
 
Purpose - This mantra is insight for teaching methodology. Mantra is chanted by the teacher and student together to seek from God protection, nourishment, Prosperity & peace. Here learning is by discussion and done by teacher & student both together. Hence, both are gaining knowledge. Further, this knowledge should be effectively reflected in the daily life. Both can have different viewpoints and they can disagree with the context and concept.
 

1. From Aitareya Upanishad -

 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॥ Translation - 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!
Purpose - In this Shanti Path, the disciple prays to Brahman to protect himself and his Acharya i.e. the preceptor.

1. From Mundaka, Māndukya and Prashna Upanishads –

 भद्रं कर्णेभिः श्रृणुयाम देवाः। भद्रं पश्येमाक्षभिर्यजत्राः स्थिरैरङ्गैस्तुष्टुवाग्ंसस्तनूभिः। व्यशेम देवहितम् यदायुः। स्वस्ति न इन्द्रो वृद्धश्रवाः। स्वस्ति नः पूषा विश्ववेदाः। स्वस्ति नस्तार्क्ष्यो  अरिष्टनेमिः। स्वस्ति नौ बृहस्पतिर्दधातु॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥  Translation - Om! O gods, may we hear auspicious words with the ears; While engaged in yagnas, 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!
Purpose - In this Shanti Mantra, the reciter prays to Pusa (God of wealth), Indra (God of Success), Garuda (Destroyer of evil) Brihaspati (God of wisdom) to ensure.

1. From Yajurveda –

ॐ द्यौः शान्तिरन्तरिक्षं शान्तिः पृथिवी शान्तिरापः शान्तिरोषधयः शान्तिः । वनस्पतयः शान्तिर्विश्वेदेवाः शान्तिर्ब्रह्म शान्तिः सर्वं शान्तिः शान्तिरेव शान्तिः सा मा शान्तिरेधि ॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
Translation – Om! May peace radiates 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 Whole Universe. And may there always exist in all peace and peace alone. Om peace, peace and peace to us and all beings!
Purpose - This shanti mantra is to bring peace to the five elements, nature, almighty, plants and whole world.

1. From Brihadaranyaka Upanishad –

 असतो मा सद्गमय । तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय । मृत्योर्माऽमृतं गमय ॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥ Translation - Not towards the unreal, lead us to the real Not towards darkness, lead us to light Not towards death, lead us to immortality Om peace, peace, peace!
Purpose - This is the mantra which help in re-conditioning the mind away from negativity, damaging thoughts, or emotions. It makes one feel better. It raises the consciousness and broadens your view on life.

1. ॐ सर्वेषां स्वस्तिर्भवतु । सर्वेषां शान्तिर्भवतु ।सर्वेषां पूर्णंभवतु । सर्वेषां मङ्गलंभवतु । ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

 
Translation - May there be Well-Being in All, may there be Peace in All, may there be Fulfilment in All, may there be Auspiciousness in All, Om Peace, Peace, Peace.
Purpose - This mantra is asking for bountiful blessings of wellness, fulfilment and peace for the whole world.

1. From Kena and Chandogya Upanishads –

ॐ आप्यायन्तु ममाङ्गानि वाक्प्राणश्चक्षुः श्रोत्रमथो बलमिन्द्रियाणि च सर्वाणि। सर्वम् ब्रह्मोपनिषदम् माऽहं ब्रह्म निराकुर्यां मा मा ब्रह्म निराकरोदनिराकरणमस्त्वनिराकरणम् मेऽस्तु। तदात्मनि निरते य उपनिषत्सु धर्मास्ते मयि सन्तु ते मयि सन्तु। ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥
Translation - 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!
Purpose - This mantra invokes the almighty to protect the both (the preceptor and the disciple), bestow upon both the fruit of Knowledge and the energy to acquire Knowledge. Further, they cherish no ill feeling toward each other.

1. From Rigveda –

स्वस्ति न इन्द्रो वृद्धश्रवाः । स्वस्ति नः पूषा विश्ववेदाः । स्वस्ति नस्ताक्षर्यो अरिष्टनेमिः । स्वस्ति नो वृहस्पतिर्दधातु ॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
Translation - May Lord Indra of Great Fame increase our Well-Being and Prosperity, May Lord Pusha, who is All-Knowing, bless us with Well-Being and Prosperity, May Lord Taakssarya (Garuda), who is the Protector, bless us with Well-Being and Prosperity, May Lord Brihaspati also Bless us with Well-Being and Prosperity,Om Peace, Peace, Peace!
Purpose - This mantra is a part of Swastivachan, which aims to wish for well-being, prosperity and peace before the beginning of an auspicious task. This mantra addresses deities like Indra, Pusha, Tarkshya and Jupiter, so that they are all benevolent. After chanting mantras, splashes of invoked water are given in ten directions, which makes the atmosphere pure and positive.

1. ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पुर्णमुदच्यते || पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ||

Om! This (universe) is endless, and limitless. From the limitless comes the infinite. Taking the immeasurable infinite universe, it stays as the limitless alone. Aum! Peace! Peace, peace, peace!
Purpose - This mantra is said in order to achieve world peace. One requests that the spiritual cosmic forces give peace to all entities in the cosmos, including the heavens, the ground, plants, and animals. This mantra is really beneficial for clearing one's mind and also works for the greater mass. If one chants this mantra with devotion, it is said that the mantra brings happy events in one's life.