DeitiesScripturesTirthFestivalsPanchangAartisDirectory
MantraAtman

Om Saha Navavatu

Edited by the SanatanBodh editorial teamLast updated: 2 sourcesDrafted with AI, checked against sourcesReport a mistake
Evening aarti in a temple: a priest holds a five-wick brass lamp before the decorated deities, with devotees’ hands folded
Image: made with AI
Download PDF

Advertisement

  1. Shanti mantra

    ॐ सह नाववतु। सह नौ भुनक्तु। सह वीर्यं करवावहै। तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै। ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः॥

    Om saha naavavatu | Saha nau bhunaktu | Saha veeryam karavaavahai | Tejasvi naavadheetamastu maa vidvishaavahai | Om shaantih shaantih shaantih ||

    Word by word: saha, together; nau, us two (teacher and student); avatu, may he protect; bhunaktu, may he nourish; viryam karavavahai, may we two work with vigour; tejasvi, full of light; nau adhitam, what we two have studied; astu, may it be; ma vidvishavahai, may we not bear ill will; shantih, peace. Meaning: May he (the Supreme) protect us both together; may he nourish us both together. May we work together with vigour. May our study be full of light. May we never bear ill will towards each other. Om, peace, peace, peace.

Download the Om Saha Navavatu PDF

Advertisement

Meaning, sources and more prayers: sanatanbodh.in/en/prayers/om-saha-navavatu/

In short

“Om Saha Navavatu” is the shanti (peace) mantra of the Taittiriya Upanishad, found at the start of its Brahmananda Valli. In it teacher and student pray together that both be protected, that their study be full of light, and that they never feel ill will towards each other. By tradition it is recited at the start of the study or teaching of the Vedas, the Upanishads or any shastra.

On the text: in the Taittiriya Upanishad on Sanskrit Wikisource this mantra stands, without a number, as the shanti path before the first anuvaka of the Brahmananda Valli (“brahmavid apnoti param”). The mantra does not name who is to protect; by tradition ‘he’ is understood as the Supreme. Tradition links the threefold ‘shantih’ with peace from three kinds of trouble: from oneself, from other beings and from the forces of nature.

Frequently asked questions

Which Upanishad is this mantra from?

The Taittiriya Upanishad, an Upanishad of the Taittiriya branch of the Krishna Yajurveda. It stands as the shanti path at the start of its Brahmananda Valli.

Who are ‘us two’ in this mantra?

The teacher and the student. ‘Nau’ is the Sanskrit dual for ‘us two’. Both say this prayer together.

When is this mantra recited?

By tradition at the start of the study or teaching of the Vedas, the Upanishads or any shastra. Today many schools and classes also recite it before lessons.

Why is ‘shantih’ said three times?

Tradition links it with peace from three kinds of trouble: those arising from one’s own body and mind (adhyatmika), from other beings (adhibhautika) and from nature or divine forces (adhidaivika).

Sources

  1. Taittiriya Upanishad, shanti path of the Brahmananda Valli (Sanskrit Wikisource)
  2. Text compared on shlokam.org

Something wrong? Report a mistake

Text checked against: sa.wikisource.org, shlokam.org