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Shanti Mantras

The Shanti Mantras - the great Vedic peace invocations chanted to invoke harmony in body, mind and the world.

असतो मा सद्गमय (बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद्)

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

सर्वेषां स्वस्तिर्भवतु

ॐ सर्वेषां स्वस्तिर्भवतु ।
सर्वेषां शान्तिर्भवतु ।
सर्वेषां पूर्णं भवतु ।
सर्वेषां मङ्गलं भवतु ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

सह नाववतु

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

सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः

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

ॐ पूर्णमदः

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

asato ma sadgamaya (brihadaranyaka upanishad)

om asato ma sadgamaya ।
tamaso ma jyotirgamaya ।
mrityorma amritam gamaya ।
om shantih shantih shantih ॥

sarvesham svastirbhavatu

om sarvesham svastirbhavatu ।
sarvesham shantirbhavatu ।
sarvesham purnam bhavatu ।
sarvesham mangalam bhavatu ।
om shantih shantih shantih ॥

saha navavatu

om saha navavatu ।
saha nau bhunaktu ।
saha viryam karavavahai ।
tejasvi navadhitamastu ma vidvishavahai ।
om shantih shantih shantih ॥

sarve bhavantu sukhinah

om sarve bhavantu sukhinah ।
sarve santu niramayah ।
sarve bhadrani pashyantu ।
ma kashchidduhkhabhagbhavet ।
om shantih shantih shantih ॥

om purnamadah

om purnamadah purnamidam purnatpurnamudachyate ।
purnasya purnamadaya purnamevavashishyate ।
om shantih shantih shantih ॥

Frequently asked questions about Shanti Mantras

What are the Shanti Mantras?

The peace invocations that open and close Vedic study - Asato ma sadgamaya from the Brihadaranyaka, Om sahana vavatu from the Taittiriya, Sarvesham svastir bhavatu, and the Sarve bhavantu sukhinah verse. They are chanted before and after recitation rather than as japa.

What does Asato ma sadgamaya mean?

Lead me from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light, from death to immortality. Three movements, each one asking for the same thing in a different register - and it is the best-known line of the Upanishads for that reason.

Why is shantih said three times?

For the three sources of obstruction the tradition names: adhyatmika from oneself, adhibhautika from other beings and the world, and adhidaivika from forces beyond human reach. One shantih is addressed to each.

What is Om sahana vavatu for?

It is the teacher-and-student prayer - may we be protected together, nourished together, work together with vigour, and may we never quarrel. It is chanted at the start of a class or a study session, and is a good one for any shared undertaking.

When should they be chanted?

At the beginning and end of any recitation, study, satsang or puja; and on their own at the start of the day. There is no count and no restriction - these are the most freely used of all the Vedic mantras. This page is the japa formula; forty-verse hymns are on the Chalisa index, and you can count repetitions with the japa mala counter.

About the Shanti Mantras

The Shanti Mantras - the great Vedic peace invocations chanted to invoke harmony in body, mind and the world.

Meaning

A set of Upanishadic peace prayers - "Lead me from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light, from death to immortality"; "May all be well, may all be free from disease"; "May we be protected together" - each ending with "Om Shanti Shanti Shanti".

Benefits

Chanted at the beginning and end of study, prayer and ceremonies to invoke peace at the three levels (adhyatmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika) and goodwill for all beings.

What Each Mantra Says

Asato ma sadgamaya (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad) - "Lead me from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light, from death to immortality." A prayer for the three great crossings of the spiritual life.

Sarvesham svastir bhavatu - "May there be wellbeing for all, may there be peace for all, may there be fullness for all, may there be auspiciousness for all." A blessing spoken outward, for every being.

Saha navavatu (from the Upanishads, recited before study) - "May he protect us both; may he nourish us both; may we work together with vigour; may our study be brilliant; may we never quarrel." The traditional prayer of teacher and student beginning a lesson together.

Sarve bhavantu sukhinah - "May all be happy, may all be free from disease, may all see what is auspicious, may no one suffer." Perhaps the most widely quoted of all Sanskrit blessings.

Om purnamadah purnamidam (invocation of the Isha Upanishad) - "That is full; this is full; from fullness, fullness arises; taking fullness from fullness, fullness alone remains." A meditation on the undiminishing wholeness of the Supreme.

Why Shanti Is Said Three Times

Each mantra closes with "Om shantih shantih shantih" - peace repeated three times for the three sources of disturbance: adhyatmika (from one's own body and mind), adhibhautika (from other beings and the world around us) and adhidaivika (from forces beyond human control - storms, calamities, fate). The threefold shanti asks for peace at every level at once.

How and When to Chant

Shanti mantras are chanted at the opening and closing of study, prayer, puja and ceremonies - they settle the mind before sacred work and seal it afterwards. Chant slowly, letting each "shantih" grow softer than the last; the final one is often barely whispered. They carry no restrictions of time, day or initiation, and "Saha navavatu" in particular is still recited daily in schools and pathashalas across India before lessons begin.

The Shanti Mantras above is given in both Devanagari (Sanskrit) and Roman transliteration so you can read it in whichever script you are comfortable with - switch between the two using the buttons above, share the link, or download a PDF.

A mantra is a compact formula for japa, not a long hymn. Forty-verse hymns live under Chalisa; lamp-songs under Aarti; longer stotras under Stotram. Browse every formula on the Mantra index. Count repetitions with the online japa mala counter.