The final dhyana mantra for Om Shanti Shanti Shanti is a profound invocation of peace that appears in the closing sections of several Upanishads, including the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (5.14.7) and the Taittiriya Upanishad (1.1.1). It is also found in the Yajurveda (Taittiriya Samhita 4.5.11) as a concluding benediction. The mantra consists of the sacred syllable Om followed by the word 'Shanti' repeated three times.
Om is the primordial sound, representing the ultimate reality (Brahman). The triple repetition of Shanti corresponds to the three levels of existence: adhibhautika (physical realm, including the body and external world), adhidaivika (mental and divine realm, including the mind and celestial forces), and adhyatmika (spiritual realm, the innermost self). According to the commentary of Shankaracharya on the Taittiriya Upanishad, the threefold peace is chanted to pacify obstacles arising from these three sources.
The mantra is traditionally used as a concluding prayer in Vedic rituals, meditation sessions, and peace gatherings. It is chanted for the cessation of all suffering, the harmonization of body, mind, and spirit, and the attainment of the ultimate peace of liberation (moksha). The recommended chanting context is at the end of any spiritual practice, ideally in a calm environment, with a count of three, nine, or 108 repetitions.
There are no specific cautions, as this mantra is universally beneficial and can be chanted by anyone at any time. The mantra's power lies in its simplicity and its invocation of peace at all levels, making it a cornerstone of Hindu spiritual practice.
Om, peace, peace, peace.