SHANTI : PEACE. Idea of peace in HInDUiSm
A shanti mantra is a prayer or chant for peace, particularly as found in the ancient scriptures known as the Upanishads. The term comes from the Sanskrit, shanti, meaning “peace”; and mantra, meaning “incantation,” “prayer” or “song of praise.”A shanti mantra is often recited before and after Hindu religious rituals. In yoga, a simple “om shanti” or “om shanti, shanti, shanti” may be recited as a greeting or parting salutation and for the purpose of removing distractions and focusing the mind.
Shanti Mantras are prayers for Peace.
They are often recited at the beginning and at the end of religious ceremonies or rituals in Hinduism. Shanti Mantras are often found in the Upanishads, where they are recited to calm the mind of the reciter and the environment around him. They often end with reciting the word “Shanti” three times. The word Shanti is recited three times for removing obstacles and calming the three realms:
1) Physical ,
2) Divine ,
3) Internal.
Let’s consider one such Shanti Mantra here.
SHANTI MANTRA :
Om poornamadah poornamidam poornaat poornamudachyate
Poornasya poornamaadaaya poornamevaavashishsyate
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti ||
MEANING : That is Full, This is Full. From Fullness comes Fullness
If Fullness is taken away from Fullness, what remains is Fullness
Peace Peace Peace .
In the above sloka, ‘That’ refers to the Divine and ‘This’ to the Creation. From the Divine comes Creation, which is also nothing but Divine. This universe is nothing but a manifestation of Divinity. The Divine remains Divine, inspite of the Creation. We, humans, as parts of Creation are nothing but Divinity. All that exists is Divinity. The realization of this truth brings peace in its truest sense.
This in short is the implied essence of this Shanti Mantra.
Are there real examples in this world to understand the truth of this mantra?
From a cup of water, if we take water and place in another cup, the original cup becomes empty, while the other cup becomes full.
In this understanding, when we take away something out of something, that something from which we take becomes incomplete, different and not full. This linear thinking is what has not allowed us to perceive the oneness of universe and the Divine. We experience the universe with all its dualities, and are many times left with nothing but sorrow. Then, when we become frustrated with our lives and lose Peace of Mind,we go on to label this Creation as the ‘original sin’ of ‘God’.
Take for example, the case of a candle. When we light a candle from another candle, the original candle doesn’t lose its flame.Similarly, when a mother gives birth to a child, the mother remains complete, and the child also is complete.
When we share Peace with others, we don’t lose our Peace, but at the same time bring Peace to others.
Thus, we see that the universe is not different from its ‘Maker’. And, we as parts of the cosmos are not separate beings either. Our true Identity is Divinity! You are Full. You are Divine. This is what is recorded in teachings of the rishis, in the “Upanishads of Hinduism .” The understanding of this non-dual nature of our Creation is the true path to peaceful existence.