Shanti Mantra

Full Form:

Om Saha navavatu
Saha nau bhunaktu
Saha viryam karavavahai
Tejasvinavadhitamastu ma vidvisavahai
Om shanti shanti shantihi

Pronunciation:

--- vv -- ^^ -- -- ---
Ohm Sa-ha na-va-va-too

vv -- ^^^ --- --- ---
Sa-ha nau bhu-nak-too

vv -- vvv --- -- -- -- -- -- --
Sa-ha vir-yam ka-ra-va-va-ha-ee

----- ^^ -- ^^^ ^^^ - --- vv -- ^^^ -- vv -- -- ^^
Tejas-vi-na-vad-hit-a-mas-tu ma vid-vi-sa-va-ha-ee

-- ----- vvv ----- vvv ----- ^^^ ---
Om shawn-tee shawn-tee shawn-tee-hee

Meaning:

Om! May He protect us both together; may He nourish us both together;
May we work conjointly with great energy,
May our study be vigorous and effective;
May we not mutually dispute
Om! Let there be peace in me!
Let there be peace in my environment!
Let there be peace in the forces that act on me!

This is a very famous prayer from the Vedas. This Shanti Mantra is taken from the Krishna Yajurveda Taittiriya Upanishad (2.2.2). It is traditional to chant a prayer before starting any activity, particularly before starting chant study. This prayer is traditionally recited both by the teacher as well as by the student.

Saha navavatu:
"May the Lord protect us both." When the teacher is unfolding something, she is trying to communicate, and the student is making an attempt to listen and understand. When this takes place, it is necessary that our mind should be free from other distractions. May He protect us from any disturbing thoughts, or any negative tendencies.

Saha nau bhunaktu:
"May He nourish us both, the teacher and the student." Similarly in addition to the protection from the assault of negative thoughts, our mind needs the nourishment of good thoughts. So we pray He nourish us both with positive thoughts, and with a frame of mind which is conducive to learning. May we both strive together.

Tejasvina-vadhitamastu:
"May we become brilliant!" May whatever we study reflect in our understanding, in our own life. That is the way the study becomes brilliant. When I understand what is taught by the teacher, I see the relevance of that teaching in my own life. There should be a recognition that the human being is here primarily to grow. May our life become a process of invoking and bringing to manifestation that goodness or wholeness which is the inherent nature of our Self.

Ma-vidvisavahai:
"May we not have any misunderstanding with each other." The teacher and student both are praying that they may not have any misunderstanding about each other. When the teacher communicates, he or she is trying to present a certain view point. When the student receives the teaching, it is possible that he perceives it from a different view point and perhaps interprets what is said in a manner different from what was meant by the teacher. Let the teacher have that kindness, compassion, care, and concern for the student or the listener. The students or listeners, in turn, have a respect or reverence or openness with reference to the teacher, so that a right kind of atmosphere is created for the communication to take place effectively.

Om shanti, shanti, shantihi:
"Let there be peace." Let there not be any disturbances to the peace of our mind. We recognize that the peace of our mind can be disturbed from three possible sources. We pray that there be no disturbances from within, from without, and from unknown sources. May the mind of both the teacher and the student enjoy that peace and tranquility.