The Shanti Mantras or “Peace Mantras” are Hindu prayers for Peace (Shanti) from the Vedas. Generally, they are recited at the beginning and end of religious rituals and discourses.

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

Shanti Mantras always end with three utterances of word “Shanti” which means “Peace”. The Reason for uttering three times is for calming and removing obstacles in three realms which are:

• “Physical” or Adhi-Bhautika,
• “Divine” or Adhi-Daivika and
• “Internal” or Adhyaatmika

According to the scriptures the sources of obstacles and troubles are in these three realms.

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

These are called “Tapa-Traya” or three classes of troubles. When Shanti mantras are recited, obstacles from these realms are believed to be pacified.

Now we will see the prayers. and its recitation can be seen in the below given video.