Shanti Mantras

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शान्ति मंत्र

Mantras, Slokas & Daily PrayersTraditionalVedic Sanskrit

The great peace invocations of the Upanishads — chanted to settle the mind before study, prayer and gatherings, and to close worship with threefold peace.

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Asato Ma

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

oṃ asato mā sad gamaya tamaso mā jyotir gamaya mṛtyor mā amṛtaṃ gamaya oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ

Lead me from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light, from death to immortality. Om peace, peace, peace. (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.3.28)

Sahana Vavatu

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

om saha nav avatu saha nau bhunaktu saha viryam karavavahai tejasvi nav adhitam astu ma vidvishavahai om shantih shantih shantih

oṃ saha nāv avatu saha nau bhunaktu saha vīryaṃ karavāvahai tejasvi nāv adhītam astu mā vidviṣāvahai oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ

May we both be protected; may we both be nourished; may we work together with vigour; may our study be luminous; may we never resent one another. Om peace, peace, peace. (Chanted by teacher and student together — Taittiriya tradition.)

Purnamadah

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

om purnam adah purnam idam purnat purnam udacyate purnasya purnam adaya purnam evavashishyate om shantih shantih shantih

oṃ pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idaṃ pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ

That is whole; this is whole; from the whole, the whole arises; taking the whole from the whole, the whole alone remains. Om peace, peace, peace. (Isha Upanishad invocation.)

Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah

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 kashcid duhkha-bhag bhavet om shantih shantih shantih

oṃ sarve bhavantu sukhinaḥ sarve santu nirāmayāḥ sarve bhadrāṇi paśyantu mā kaścid duḥkha-bhāg bhavet oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ

May all be happy; may all be free of illness; may all see what is auspicious; may no one suffer. Om peace, peace, peace.

When it is recited: At the beginning and end of study, satsang, yoga practice and puja. The threefold “oṃ śāntiḥ” closes almost every Hindu prayer.

Traditional significance: Each mantra asks for peace at three levels — from cosmic forces (adhidaivika), from the world around us (adhibhautika), and from within ourselves (adhyatmika) — which is why śāntiḥ is spoken three times.

Questions

Why is “shanti” said three times?

For peace from the three sources of disturbance: cosmic/divine forces, the surrounding world and beings, and one's own body and mind.

Gayatri Mantra Mahamrityunjaya Mantra

Source: Upanishads (Brihadaranyaka, Taittiriya) and Vedic tradition. Regional versions may vary — this text follows the version most widely used in community worship.