You would have noticed that at the end of every Mantra, Pooja and at temples Om Shanti Mantra Om Shanti is chanted thrice.
Om Shanti means May There Be Peace.
One witnesses disturbances in the world and in one’s Mind body.
Some are due to factors within one’s control and some beyond one.
It is the Hindus way of pacifying these my chanting and thereby attempting to appease them.
Disturbances/Calamities come from,
Through one’s body,
Through the forces of Nature and
due to past actions and the Will of God.(Stains on the soul as Jains put it)
These three are classified as.
Adi Bhautikam.
Adi Daivikam and
Adiathmikam.
”
Adhi-daivikam literally means “mental disturbances that come from God”—i.e. things that are utterly beyond our control: hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, tsunamis, etc. We have no control over these types of disturbances. So when we say the first shanti, we are praying, “O God, may we be protected from these obstacles that are beyond our control.”
Adhi-bhautikam literally means “disturbances that come from the world.” That means anything stemming from the world around us—mosquitoes, noisy neighbors, barking dogs, the phone ringing, family arguments. As opposed to the first category, we have some control over this second category of disturbances. We can use mosquito repellent, we can call the police on our neighbors, we can turn off the phone, we can leave the place altogether, etc. So this shanti means, “O God, may we be protected from the people and surroundings.”
The third type of disturbance is the most powerful and, at the same time, the only one over which we have total control. Adhyatmikam means “disturbances stemming from the self.” For one who is still identified with the ego, the people, places and things of this world stimulate one of two reactions in the mind—attachment or aversion. Whether we physical see someone we consider our enemy as we walk down the street or remember him during meditation, the mental turbulence that results is the same. Lust, jealousy, anger, sorrow, hatred destroy our peace’
Shanti Mantras are to be chanted and the Vedas have a separate section for Shanti Mantras.
| ॐ सह नाववतु।
सह नौ भुनक्तु। सह वीर्यं करवावहै। तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै। ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥ |
Om, May we all be protected
May we all be nourished May we work together with great energy May our intelect be sharpened (may our study be effective) Let there be no Animosity amongst us Om, peace (in me), peace (in nature), peace (in divine forces) |
| Oṁ Saha nāvavatu | Om=supreme god; saha=together; nau=both/ all; avatu=may he protect |
| saha nau bhunaktu | saha=together; nau=both/ all;bhunaktu= be nourished/ energized |
| Saha vīryam karavāvahai | saha=together;vīryam=energy; karavāvahai=work (kara=hand; avahai=bring into use) |
| Tejasvi nāvadhītamastu | tejaswi = having great energy;nau = both ; adhi = intellect/ study; tama = higher degree; astu=so be it |
| Mā vidviṣāvahai | Mā=not be; vidvis=animosity; avahai=bring/ have |
| Oṁ Shāntiḥ, Shāntiḥ, Shāntiḥ | shantih= peace |
Citation.
http://archives.amritapuri.org/bharat/mantra/shanti.php
Filed under: Hinduism Tagged: God, Hindu, Hinduism, Mantras, Religion, Rigveda, Saha Navavathu, Shanti Mantra, Vedas
