shAnti mantrA: Aitareya UpaniShad

Every Upanishad begins with a Shanti Mantra or a Peace Chant. Some of the popular Shanti mantras include “Om Poornamadah poornamidam…” which is the Shanti Mantra of the the Ishavasya Upanishad as well as Brhadaranyaka Upanishad. Another popular Shanti mantra is “Om Sah navavatu…” which is the Shanti Mantra of the Taittiriya Upanishad, KaThopanishad and Shvetashvatara Upanishad.

The shAnti Mantra for the Aitareya Upanishad, which belongs to the shAkala shAkha of the Rg Veda is as follows:

OM vAG me manasi pratiShThitA,
mano me vAci pratiShThitamAvirAvIrma edhi |
vedasya ma ANIsthaH, shrutaM me mA prahAsIH |
anenAdhItenAhorAtrAn saMdhAmi RtaM vadiShyAmi |
satyaM vadiShyAmi |
tanmAmavatu |
tadvaktAramavatvavatu |
mAmavatu | vaktAramavatu vaktAram ||
OM shAntiH shAntiH shAntiH ||

Meanings of words:
vAG = speech.
me = my
manasi = in mind;
pratiShThitA = be rooted;

manaH = mind;
me = my;
vAci = in speech;
pratiShThitam = is rooted;

Avir-AvIr-ma-Edhi = Brahman reveal thyself to me;
vedasya = of the VedA theme;
ma ANIsThaH = may I master;

shRutam = that I have heard;
me = me;
mA = do not;
prahAsIH = forsake;

anena = by this;
adhitena = by studies;
ahorAtrAn = days and nights;
saMdadhAmi = continuously live;
RtaM = truth; Order of the Universe;
vadiShyAmi = I speak;

satyam = truth;
vadiShyAmi = I speak;

tat-mAm-avatu = may that protect me

tat = That;
vaktAram = he who speaks (Teacher);
avatu = protect;

shAntiH = peace be;

Meaning:

May my voice be established in my mind. May my mind be established in my voice. Oh Brahman, reveal thyself to me. O mind and speech, enable me to understand the truth that vedas teach. Let not what I have heard forsake me. Let me spend continuously my day and nights in my studies. I think truth. I speak the truth. May That protect me. May That protect the teacher. Om Let there be peace.