Meaning & Translation
Sanskrit
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः
Transliteration
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti
Pronunciation
ohm SHAHN-tee SHAHN-tee SHAHN-tee
Full Translation
Om, and peace, peace, peace. The threefold repetition is traditionally a prayer for peace on three levels — within ourselves, with one another, and in the world and unseen forces around us.
Spiritual Significance
Om Shanti is the universal benediction, sealing prayers and practices with a wish for peace that radiates outward from the individual to all of creation. Its simplicity makes it a unifying chant across traditions and beliefs.
For Leaders
Chords and structure for leading this chant on harmonium or guitar — transcribed from the linked recording. New to leading? Read our guide to leading kirtan →
Original key
A
Tempo & feel
Light mid-tempo (~118 bpm) over a constant A drone
Chord Chart
Strumming & rhythm (4/4)
D = downstrum, U = upstrum, · = let it ring. light constant eighths over the drone, almost a shimmer; peace stays weightless.
Call & Response Structure
A near-one-chord peace chant: everything hovers on A with the D surfacing briefly on the last "Shanti" of each line. Sung in flowing unison rather than call-and-response. Keep a tambura-style A drone underneath; a leader can shade late rounds with G (bVII) or Em color, but the chant should end exactly as quietly as it began.
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