TAATTRIYA UPANISHAD: SHANTI PAATA: CONTD. SHANTI: SHANTI: SHANTI: [शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः]

2018  0128 04  Taittriya Upanishad: Shanti Paata Contd.: Shanti: Shant i: Shanti:

ॐ शं नो मित्रः शं वरुणः  |   शं नो भवतु  अर्यमा  | 

शं न इन्द्रो बृहस्पतिः  | शं नो विष्णु रुरुक्रमः  |    

नमो ब्रह्मणे  |  नमस्ते  वायो  |  त्वमेव प्रत्यक्षं ब्रह्मासि  |  

त्वामेव प्रत्यक्षं ब्रह्म वदिष्यामि  |

ऋतं  वदिष्यामि |  सत्यं  वदिष्यामि |  

तन्मामवतु  |  तद्वक्तारमवतु  |  अवतु माम्  |  अवतु  वक्तारम्  |

ॐ शान्तिः  शान्तिः शान्तिः ||    थै 1 .1

Om Shanti: Shanti: Shanti:   T 1.1

Adi Sankara's Commentary:

The repetition thrice of the word Shanti: is for resolution of all the three types of obstructions standing in the way of my gaining knowledge viz those centred on myself, those centred on surrounding environment and those coming from the domain of the devatas.

Repetition of the Shanti three times is for the purpose of resolution of three-fold obstructions in the way of my gaing brahma-vidya. What are the three-fold obstructions? They are 1] adhyatmika, 2] adihbhautika and 3] adhidaivika.

Adhyatmika-ashanti is centred on your body and mind [like ill-health or constantly wandering mind]. Therefore there is a prayer for adhyatmika shanti.

Adhibautika-ashanti is due to environmental situations [like a sleeping neighbour or a flying wasp]. Therefore there is a prayer for adhibautika shanti.

Adhidaivika-ashanti means disturbances centred on devatas. It is daivadhinam. It is not within the domain of people or creatures around. You have no control over that.

For the purpose of resolving all of them, three times shanti is repeated. While chanting this shanti-mantra,see the meaning, then it is effective.

Source: Swami Dayananda Saraswati: Taittriya Upanishad Vol1 [pp 83-85]