Shanti Mantras

The Shanti Mantras, or "Peace" or Pancha Shanti mantras, are Hindu prayers for peace (shanti) found in the Upanishads. Generally, they are recited at the beginning and end of religious rituals and discourses.

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

Shanti Mantras always end with the sacred syllable om (auṃ) and three utterances of the word "shanti" which means "peace". The reason for uttering three times is for calming and removing obstacles in the three realms:

Physical or Adhi-Bhautika realm can be source of obstacles coming from external world, such as from wild animals, people, natural calamities etc.
Divine or Adhi-Daivika realm can be source of obstacles coming from extra-sensory world of spirits, ghosts, deities, and demigods.
Internal or Adhyaatmika realm is source of obstacles arising out of one's own body and mind, such as pain, diseases, laziness, and absent-mindedness.

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

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

Isha and Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

Devanagari	English Transliteration	English Translation
ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदम् पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते \| पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते \|\| ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः \|\| [1]	oṃ pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idam pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ	Om! That is infinite (Man), 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![2]

The translation and meaning of the Mantra can be understood when the context in which the Mantra is quoted in the Upanishad is known. Prior understanding of Vedanta is essential for translation and explanation of these Mantra. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad explains Consciousness and it in this context that this Shanti Mantra needs to be understood.

Taittiriya Upanishad

Devanagari	English Transliteration	English Translation
ॐ 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॥ [3]	Oṃ śaṃ no mitraḥ śaṃ varuṇaḥ \| śaṃ no bhavatv aryamā \| śaṃ na indro bṛhaspatiḥ \| śaṃ no viṣṇur urukramaḥ \| namo brahmaṇe \| namaste vāyo \| tvam eva pratyakṣaṃ bhrahmāsi \| tvām eva pratyakṣam brahma vadiṣyāmi \| ṝtaṃ vadiṣyāmi \| satyaṃ vadiṣyāmi \| tan mām avatu \| tad vaktāram avatu \| 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 reciter*. May He protect me. May He protect the reciter. Om, peace, peace, peace![4]

* Reciter = the one who is currently reciting this mantra. Identifying oneself here as "the reciter", and not as "I", is a sign of self-realization, of transcending beyond self and ego being dissolved.

Taittiriya and Katha Upanishad

Devanagari	English Transliteration	English Translation
ॐ सह नाववतु \| सह नौ भुनक्तु \| सह वीर्यं करवावहै \| तेजस्विनावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥	Oṃ saha nāv avatu saha nau bhunaktu saha vīryaṃ karavāvahai tejasvi nāv adhītam astu mā vidviṣāvahai \| Om śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ \|\|	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! [5]

Kena and Chandogya Upanishads

Devanagari	English Transliteration	English Translation
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॥ [6]	oṃ āpyāyantu mamāṅgāni vākprāṇaścakṣuḥ śrotram atho balam indriyāṇi ca sarvāṇi \| sarvam brahma upaniṣadam 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![7]

Aitareya Upanishad

Devanagari	English Transliteration	English Translation
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॥ [8]	oṃ vāṅ me manasi pratiṣṭhitā mano me vāci pratiṣṭhita māvīrāvīrma edhi \| vedasya ma āṇisthaḥ śrutaṃ me mā prahāsīranenādhītenāhorātrān saṃdadhāmy ṛtam vadiṣyāmi satyaṃ vadiṣyāmi tan mām avatu tad-vaktāram avatu avatu mām avatu vaktāram avatu 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![9]

Mundaka, Māndukya and Prashna Upanishads

Devanagari	English Transliteration	English Translation
ॐ भद्रं कर्णेभिः श्रुणुयाम देवाः। भद्रं पश्येमाक्षभिर्यजत्राः स्थिरैरङ्गैस्तुष्टुवाग्ंसस्तनूभिः। व्यशेम देवहितम् यदायुः। स्वस्ति न इन्द्रो वृद्धश्रवाः। स्वस्ति नः पूषा विश्ववेदाः। स्वस्ति नस्तार्क्ष्यो अरिष्टनेमिः। स्वस्ति नो बृहस्पतिर्दधातु॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥ [10][11]	oṃ bhadraṃ karṇebhiḥ śṛṇuyāma devāḥ \| bhadraṃ paśyemākṣabhir yajatrāḥ sthirair aṅgais tuṣṭuvāṃsas tanūbhiḥ \| vyaśema devahitam yadāyuḥ \| svasti na indro vṛddhaśravāḥ \| svasti naḥ pūṣā viśvavedāḥ \| svasti nas tārkṣyo ariṣṭanemiḥ \| svasti no bṛhaspatir dadhātu oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ \|\|	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![12]

Vedas

There are various other Shanti Mantras from the Vedas, of which some of the notable ones are:

Devanagari	English Transliteration	English Translation
ॐ द्यौः शान्तिरन्तरिक्षं शान्तिः पृथिवी शान्तिरापः शान्तिरोषधयः शान्तिः । वनस्पतयः शान्तिर्विश्वेदेवाः शान्तिर्ब्रह्म शान्तिः सर्वं शान्तिः शान्तिरेव शान्तिः सा मा शान्तिरेधि ॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥ — यजुर्वेद ३६:१७	oṃ dyauḥ śāntir antarikṣaṃ śāntiḥ pṛthivī śāntir āpaḥ śāntir oṣadhayaḥ śāntiḥ vanaspatayaḥ śāntir viśvedevāḥ śāntir brahma śāntiḥ sarvaṃ śāntiḥ śāntir eva śāntiḥ sā mā śāntir edhi oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ — Yajurveda 36:17	Om. 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 Whole Universe. 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 शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥	oṃ asato mā sad gamaya tamaso mā jyotir gamaya mṛtyor mā 'mṛtaṃ gamaya oṃ 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!
ॐ सर्वेषाऺ स्वस्तिर्भवतु । सर्वेषाऺ शान्तिर्भवतु । सर्वेषाऺ पूर्णं भवतु । सर्वेषाऺ मङ्गलं भवतु । ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥	oṃ sarveṣāṃ svastir bhavatu \| sarveṣāṃ śāntir bhavatu \| sarveṣāṃ pūrṇaṃ bhavatu \| sarveṣāṃ maṅgalaṃ-bhavatu \| oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ \|\|	1: May there be Well-Being in All, 2: May there be Peace in All, 3: May there be Fulfilment in All, 4: May there be Auspiciousness in All, 5: Om Peace, Peace, Peace. — (Translation by Swami Abhedananda, Ramakrishna Vedanta Math, India)

References

Mantra Pushpam, Page 6
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Translated by Swami Madhavananda, Published by Advaita Ashram, Kolkata.
Mantra Pushpam, Page 4
Taittiriya Upanishad, Translated by Swami Gambhirananda, Published by Advaita Ashram, Kolkata.
Taittiriya Upanishad, Translated by Swami Gambhirananda, Published by Advaita Ashram, Kolkata.
Mantra Pushpam, Page 206
Kena Upanishad, Translated by Vidyavachaspati V. Panoli, Published by Mathrubhumi Press, Kozhikode.
Mantra Pushpam, Page 12
Aitareya Upanishad, Translated by Swami Gambhirananda, Published by Advaita Ashram, Kolkata.
Mantra Pushpam, Page 196
Mundakopanishad, Page 1, publisher Meharchand Lacchmandas Publications, New Delhi
Mundaka Upanishad, Translated by Swami Gambhirananda, Published by Advaita Ashram, Kolkata.

External links

Commentary by Swami Dayananda Saraswati on Purnamadah(pdf file)

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[1] Mantra Pushpam, Page 6

[2] Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Translated by Swami Madhavananda, Published by Advaita Ashram, Kolkata.

[3] Mantra Pushpam, Page 4

[4] Taittiriya Upanishad, Translated by Swami Gambhirananda, Published by Advaita Ashram, Kolkata.

[5] Taittiriya Upanishad, Translated by Swami Gambhirananda, Published by Advaita Ashram, Kolkata.

[6] Mantra Pushpam, Page 206

[7] Kena Upanishad, Translated by Vidyavachaspati V. Panoli, Published by Mathrubhumi Press, Kozhikode.

[8] Mantra Pushpam, Page 12

[9] Aitareya Upanishad, Translated by Swami Gambhirananda, Published by Advaita Ashram, Kolkata.

[10] Mantra Pushpam, Page 196

[11] Mundakopanishad, Page 1, publisher Meharchand Lacchmandas Publications, New Delhi

[12] Mundaka Upanishad, Translated by Swami Gambhirananda, Published by Advaita Ashram, Kolkata.