“Why do we say *** Shanti *** Thrice”

All the Shanti mantras in the Veda and Upanishad end with, “Shanti, Shanti, Shantihi”, chanting Shanti Thrice.

Shanti means peace, the reason for chanting ‘peace’ three times is because there are three different types of disturbances, which we experience in life; and we do not want to be troubled by these disturbances.

The first is Adi Daivikam, the disturbances that come from nature, eg. Earthquakes, cyclones, floods, draughts and other disturbances like sounds, mosquitoes etc. Can one meditate peacefully in the middle of an earthquake? We would be running to save our lives. Man has no control over such things. For external disturbances and calamities to end we chant the first ‘Shanti’.

The second ‘Shanti’ is chanted to overcome disturbances from the astral planes. These are disturbances caused due to spirits and souls that have not left the planet.

The third type of disturbance is that, that comes from within – our own mind. This is called Adhyatmikam. As we try to meditate we find that the mind wonders all over and we involve in our own thoughts instead of being a witness to it.

There was a man who wanted to be in an atmosphere that was perfect for his meditation. So he tried many different places. Wherever he went, there was some sort of disturbance – the birds were chirping, dogs were barking, or people were fighting and yelling. So he thought, ‘I want a room that is soundproof’. He then sat inside a soundproof room and started meditating. As he meditated in his soundproof room, the ticking of his clock greatly disturbed him. The noise seemed so loud that he finally threw the clock away. He then resumed his meditation. After sometime, he began to hear his own heartbeat. When the clock made too much noise, he threw away the clock. Even then he was unable to meditate. His own mind was chattering incessantly.

Can one control one’s own mind? Meditation is not about controlling one’s mind. It is just being able to witness whatever is happening – it could be the incessant honking sound of the cars on the main road, it could be voices of people in a busy market street, it could be the chattering of your own mind – meditation is all about witnessing; not about controlling.

*** Shanti *** Shanti *** Shanti ***