Rudrashtadhyayi: Adhyaya 9 - Shantyadhyaya
शान्त्यध्यायः
The ninth part of the Rudrashtadhyayi, the Shantyadhyaya (peace-chapter) - 24 mantras moving from the Gayatri mantra, through praise of Indra, Mitra, Varuna and the waters, to the great Shanti litany recited everywhere today, and closing with salutations to fire and lightning. Note on numbering: this book's own colophon marks this adhyaya "1", not "9" - consistent with the title Rudrashtadhyayi ("eight-chapter work"): adhyayas 1-8 are the core text, and this Shanti chapter together with the closing Swasti-prarthana are numbered as their own "1, 2" appendix pair, exactly as printed, rather than silently renumbered to appear continuous.
Sanskrit
हरिः ॐ ऋ॒चं वाचं॑ प्र॒पद्ये॑ मनो॒ यजुः॑ प्र॒पद्ये॒ साम॒ प्राणं॑ प्र॒पद्ये॒ चक्षुः॒ श्रोत्रं॑ प्र॒पद्ये॑। वाग्वज॒ः सहौ॒जो मयि॒ प्राणा॑पा॒नौ ॥१॥
Transliteration
hariḥ oṃ ṛcaṃ vācaṃ prapadye mano yajuḥ prapadye sāma prāṇaṃ prapadye cakṣuḥ śrotraṃ prapadye | vāg vajaḥ sahaujo mayi prāṇāpānau ||1||
Translation
I take refuge in speech as the Rig, in mind as the Yajus, in breath as the Sama; I take refuge in sight and hearing. May speech, strength and vigour, together with the in-breath and out-breath, abide steadily in me.
Deep Meaning
The Shantyadhyaya opens not with an external petition but with the worshipper taking refuge within their own faculties - speech, mind, breath, sight, hearing - each identified with a portion of the Veda itself before anything else is asked for.
Sanskrit
य॒न्मे छि॒द्रं चक्षु॑षो॒ हृद॑यस्य॒ मन॑सो॒ वा तृ॒णं बृह॒स्पति॑र्मे॒ तद्द॑धातु। श॒न्नो भ॑वतु॒ भुव॑नस्य॒ यस्पतिः॑ ॥२॥
Transliteration
yan me chidraṃ cakṣuṣo hṛdayasya manaso vā tṛṇaṃ bṛhaspatir me tad dadhātu | śan no bhavatu bhuvanasya yas patiḥ ||2||
Translation
Whatever flaw there is in my eye, my heart, or my mind - even one as small as a blade of grass - may Brihaspati set that right for me. May the lord of all the worlds be auspicious to us.
Deep Meaning
A quietly humble prayer, naming the smallest possible imperfection ("even a blade of grass") and asking for it to be repaired - a reminder that this chapter's peace begins with the worshipper's own inner correction, not only outer protection.
Sanskrit
भूर्भुवः॒ स्वः॑। तत्स॑वि॒तुर्वरे॑ण्यं॒ भर्गो॑ दे॒वस्य॑ धीमहि। धियो॒ यो नः॑ प्रचो॒दया॑त् ॥३॥
Transliteration
bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ | tat savitur vareṇyaṃ bhargo devasya dhīmahi | dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt ||3||
Translation
Bhuh, Bhuvah, Svah. We meditate upon that excellent radiance of the god Savitar; may he inspire our intellects.
Deep Meaning
The Gayatri mantra appears here in its traditional place within this adhyaya - the single most recited verse in the Veda, asking not for a specific object but for the very capacity to think and discern rightly.
Sanskrit
कया नश्चि॒त्र आ भु॑व॒दूती॒ सदा॑वृधः॒ सखा॑। कया॒ शचि॑ष्ठया वृ॒ता ॥४॥
Transliteration
kayā naś citra ā bhuvad ūtī sadāvṛdhaḥ sakhā | kayā śaciṣṭhayā vṛtā ||4||
Translation
By what wondrous help might the ever-increasing friend come to us? By what most powerful, chosen aid?
Deep Meaning
A short questioning verse that opens the chapter's turn toward Indra, asking by what specific means divine friendship and help might actually arrive, rather than simply assuming it.
Sanskrit
कस्त्वा स॒त्यो मदा॑नां॒ मꣳहि॑ष्ठो म॒त्सद॒न्धसः॑। दृ॒ढा चि॑द् आरु॒जे वसु॑ ॥५॥
Transliteration
kas tvā satyo madānāṃ maṃhiṣṭho matsad andhasaḥ | dṛḍhā cid āruje vasu ||5||
Translation
Which true one, most generous of the exhilarating draughts, delights in the Soma-offering, so that even firmly-held treasure might be broken open for us?
Deep Meaning
This mantra and the three that follow it draw on well-known Rigvedic hymns to Indra, asking repeatedly "by what help" he might act for the worshipper's benefit.
Sanskrit
अ॒भी॒षुणः॒ सखी॑नामवि॒ता ज॑रितॄ॒णाम्। शतं॑ भवास्यू॒तिभिः॑ ॥६॥
Transliteration
abhīṣuṇaḥ sakhīnām avitā jaritṝṇām | śataṃ bhavāsy ūtibhiḥ ||6||
Translation
Be the protector of your Soma-pressing friends and of those who praise you; be present a hundredfold through your many helps.
Deep Meaning
Continuing the direct address to Indra, this mantra asks specifically for his protection to multiply - "a hundredfold" - across every form his help can take.
Sanskrit
कया त्वं न॑ऽऊ॒त्याभि॑ प्रमन्दसे वृषन्। कया॒ स्तोतृ॑भ्य॒ऽऽआ भ॑र ॥७॥
Transliteration
kayā tvaṃ na ūtyābhi pramandase vṛṣan | kayā stotṛbhya ā bhara ||7||
Translation
By what help do you take delight in us, O mighty one? Bring that same help to your praisers.
Deep Meaning
The question-and-petition pattern closes here, asking that whatever brings Indra delight in his relationship with the worshipper be extended directly to those who praise him.
Sanskrit
इन्द्रो॑ वि॒श्वस्य॒ राज॑ति। शं नोऽअ॑स्तु द्वि॒पदे॒ शं चतु॑ष्पदे ॥८॥
Transliteration
indro viśvasya rājati | śaṃ no astu dvipade śaṃ catuṣpade ||8||
Translation
Indra reigns over all. May it be well for our two-footed and our four-footed creatures.
Deep Meaning
A short, simple declaration of Indra's universal sovereignty, immediately turned into a concrete wish for the well-being of both the human and animal members of the household.
Sanskrit
शं नो॑ मि॒त्रः शं वरु॑णः॒ शं नो॑ भवत्व॒र्यमा॑। शन्न॒ऽइन्द्रो॒ बृह॒स्पतिः॒ शं नो॒ विष्णु॑रुरुक्रमः ॥९॥
Transliteration
śaṃ no mitraḥ śaṃ varuṇaḥ śaṃ no bhavatv aryamā | śan na indro bṛhaspatiḥ śaṃ no viṣṇur urukramaḥ ||9||
Translation
May Mitra be auspicious to us, may Varuna be auspicious, may Aryaman be auspicious to us. May Indra and Brihaspati be auspicious to us; may far-striding Vishnu be auspicious to us.
Deep Meaning
A well-known verse of peace recited widely on its own, naming six deities in succession, each asked for the same single thing - auspiciousness (sham) - repeated as a steady drumbeat through the whole mantra.
Sanskrit
शं नो॒ वातः॑ पवता॒मꣳ शं नस्त॑पतु॒ सूर्यः॑। शं नः॑ कनिक्रद॒द्देवः॒ पर्ज॑न्योऽअभि वर्षतु ॥१०॥
Transliteration
śaṃ no vātaḥ pavatām śaṃ nas tapatu sūryaḥ | śaṃ naḥ kanikradad devaḥ parjanyo abhi varṣatu ||10||
Translation
May the wind blow auspiciously for us; may the sun warm us auspiciously; may the thundering god Parjanya rain down upon us auspiciously.
Deep Meaning
The elements of weather - wind, sun, rain - are each asked, as the deities of the previous mantra were, for the same single quality of auspiciousness, closing this short block of nature-peace mantras.
Sanskrit
अहा॑नि॒ शं भ॑वन्तु नः॒ शं रात्री॒ः प्रति॑ धीयताम्। शन्न॒ऽइन्द्रा॒ग्नी भ॑वता॒मवो॑भिः॒ शन्न॒ऽइन्द्रा॒वरु॑णा॒ऽरात॑हव्या। शन्न॒ऽइन्द्रा॒पूष॑णा वा॒जसा॑तौ॒ शमि॑न्द्रासो॒मा सु॑वि॒ताय॒ शंयोः॑ ॥११॥
Transliteration
ahāni śaṃ bhavantu naḥ śaṃ rātrīḥ prati dhīyatām | śan na indrāgnī bhavatām avobhiḥ śan na indrāvaruṇārātahavyā | śan na indrāpūṣaṇā vājasātau śam indrāsomā suvitāya śaṃyoḥ ||11||
Translation
May our days be auspicious; may our nights likewise be established as auspicious. May Indra-and-Agni be auspicious to us with their help; may Indra-and-Varuna, to whom oblation is freely offered, be auspicious; may Indra-and-Pushan be auspicious to us in the gaining of strength; may Indra-and-Soma be auspicious for our well-being and welfare.
Deep Meaning
Day and night, and four divine pairings in turn, are all asked for the same auspiciousness - the chapter's method throughout is this steady repetition, covering every unit of time and every divine partnership rather than asking once in general terms.
Sanskrit
शं नो॑ दे॒वीर॒भिष्ट॑य॒ऽआपो॑ भवन्तु पी॒तये॑। शंयोर॒भि स्र॑वन्तु नः ॥१२॥
Transliteration
śaṃ no devīr abhiṣṭaya āpo bhavantu pītaye | śaṃyor abhi sravantu naḥ ||12||
Translation
May the goddess-waters, bringing fulfilment, be auspicious for our drinking; may they flow toward our well-being and welfare.
Deep Meaning
The chapter now turns to the waters specifically, beginning a block of water-focused mantras (12-16) that draws on some of the most famous water-hymns in the Veda, still recited today at the start of many pujas.
Sanskrit
स्यो॒ना पृ॑थिवि नो॒ऽभवानृक्ष॑रा निवे॒शनी॑। यच्छा नः॒ शर्म॑ स॒प्रथाः॑ ॥१३॥
Transliteration
syonā pṛthivi no bhavānṛkṣarā niveśanī | yacchā naḥ śarma saprathāḥ ||13||
Translation
May the earth, free from thorns, be a gentle resting-place for us; grant us wide and ample shelter.
Deep Meaning
A tender address to the earth herself, asked to be a gentle, thornless place of rest - one of several verses in this book that treat the earth as a living, addressable presence rather than mere ground.
Sanskrit
आपो॒ हि ष्ठा मयो॑भुव॒स्ता न॑ऽऊ॒र्जे द॑धातन। म॒हे रणा॑य॒ चक्ष॑से ॥१४॥
Transliteration
āpo hi ṣṭhā mayobhuvas tā na ūrje dadhātana | mahe raṇāya cakṣase ||14||
Translation
O waters, you are indeed a source of bliss; grant us strength, for great delight and clear vision.
Deep Meaning
One of the most widely known independent Vedic water-verses, "apo hi shtha", recited at the start of countless household rituals even outside this book, asking the waters directly for strength and clarity.
Sanskrit
यो वः॑ शि॒वत॑मो॒ रस॒स्तस्य॑ भाजयते॒ह नः॑। उश॒तीरि॑व मा॒तरः॑ ॥१५॥
Transliteration
yo vaḥ śivatamo rasas tasya bhājayateha naḥ | uśatīr iva mātaraḥ ||15||
Translation
Whatever is your most auspicious essence, grant us a share of it here, like loving mothers.
Deep Meaning
The waters are now likened directly to loving mothers, asked to share their best essence the way a mother shares what she has with her children, without being asked twice.
Sanskrit
तस्मा॒ अरं॒ गमा॑म वो॒ यस्य॒ क्षया॑य जिन्वथ। आपो॒ जन॑यथा च नः ॥१६॥
Transliteration
tasmā araṃ gamāma vo yasya kṣayāya jinvatha | āpo janayathā ca naḥ ||16||
Translation
May we come fittingly to that one for whose dwelling you quicken yourselves, O waters, and may you also bring us to birth.
Deep Meaning
Closing the water-block, the waters are credited with both quickening a dwelling-place into life and, in a striking final image, with bringing the worshipper themselves to birth - a cosmology in which water is directly generative, not merely purifying.
Sanskrit
द्यौः॒ शान्ति॑र॒न्तरि॑क्षꣳ॒ शान्तिः॑ पृथि॒वी शान्ति॒रापः॒ शान्ति॒रोष॑धयः॒ शान्तिः॑। वन॒स्पत॑यः॒ शान्ति॒र्विश्वे॑देवाः॒ शान्ति॒र्ब्रह्म॒ शान्तिः॒ सर्वं॒ शान्तिः॒ शान्ति॑रे॒व शान्तिः॒ सा मा॒ शान्ति॒रेधि॑ ॥१७॥
Transliteration
dyauḥ śāntir antarikṣaṃ śāntiḥ pṛthivī śāntir āpaḥ śāntir oṣadhayaḥ śāntiḥ | vanaspatayaḥ śāntir viśvedevāḥ śāntir brahma śāntiḥ sarvaṃ śāntiḥ śāntir eva śāntiḥ sā mā śāntir edhi ||17||
Translation
Heaven is peace, the atmosphere is peace, the earth is peace, the waters are peace, the herbs are peace. The forest-trees are peace, all the gods are peace, Brahman is peace, everything is peace, peace alone is peace - may that peace abide in me.
Deep Meaning
The most famous single mantra in this adhyaya, recited independently across Indian religious life far beyond this book - every element and power of the universe is named in turn as peace itself, before the closing request asks that this universal peace specifically "abide in me".
Sanskrit
दृ॒ते दृꣳ॑ह मा मि॒त्रस्य॒ मा चक्षु॑षा॒ सर्वा॑णि भू॒तानि॑ समीक्षन्ताम्। मि॒त्रस्या॒हं चक्षु॑षा॒ सर्वा॑णि भू॒तानि॑ समीक्षे। मि॒त्रस्य॒ चक्षु॑षा समीक्षामहे ॥१८॥ दृ॒ते दृꣳ॑ह मा। ज्योक् च॒ सूर्यं॑ दृ॒शे ॥१९॥
Transliteration
dṛte dṛṃha mā mitrasya mā cakṣuṣā sarvāṇi bhūtāni samīkṣantām | mitrasyāhaṃ cakṣuṣā sarvāṇi bhūtāni samīkṣe | mitrasya cakṣuṣā samīkṣāmahe ||18|| dṛte dṛṃha mā | jyok ca sūryaṃ dṛśe ||19||
Translation
O firm support, make me steady. May all beings look upon me with the eye of a friend; I look upon all beings with the eye of a friend; may we look upon one another with the eye of a friend (18). O firm support, make me steady; and may I behold the sun for a long time (19).
Deep Meaning
One of the gentlest and most quoted pairs of verses in Vedic literature, asking not for wealth or victory but simply for mutual, friendly regard between all beings, and for the plain continuing ability to see the sun - to go on living.
Sanskrit
नम॑स्ते॒ हर॑से शो॒चिषे॒ नम॑स्तेऽअस्त्व॒र्चिषे॑। अ॒न्यास्ते॒ अस्मत् त॑पन्तु॒ हेत॑यः पावकोऽअस्मभ्यं शि॒वो भ॑व ॥२०॥ नम॑स्तेऽअस्तु वि॒द्युते॒ नम॑स्ते स्तनयि॒त्नवे॑। नम॑स्ते भग॒वन्न॑स्तु य॒तस्वः॒ सुमी॑ढुषे ॥२१॥
Transliteration
namas te harase śociṣe namas te 'stv arciṣe | anyās te asmat tapantu hetayaḥ pāvako 'smabhyaṃ śivo bhava ||20|| namas te 'stu vidyute namas te stanayitnave | namas te bhagavann astu yatasvaḥ sumīḍhuṣe ||21||
Translation
Salutation to your fierce heat, salutation to your flame. Let your other weapons burn elsewhere than on us; O purifying one, be auspicious to us (20). Salutation be to your lightning, salutation to your thunder. Salutation be to you, O lord, wherever you most abundantly bestow, O most bounteous one (21).
Deep Meaning
A direct address to fire and storm themselves, continuing the book's recurring pattern of saluting a fierce power precisely in order to ask it to turn gentle - the same logic already used toward Rudra's weapons in the Shatarudriya, now extended to literal fire and lightning.
Sanskrit
यतो॒ यतः॑ समीहसे॒ ततो॑ नोऽअभ॒यं कु॑रु। शं नः॑ कुरु प्र॒जाभ्यो॑ऽभ॒यं नः॑ प॒शुभ्यः॑ ॥२२॥ सु॒मि॒त्रि॒या न॒ऽआप॒ऽओष॑धयः सन्तु दुर्मि॒त्रि॒या स्तस्मै॑ सन्तु॒ योऽस्मान्द्वेष्टि॒ यं च॒ वयं द्वि॒ष्मः ॥२३॥
Transliteration
yato yataḥ samīhase tato no 'bhayaṃ kuru | śaṃ naḥ kuru prajābhyo 'bhayaṃ naḥ paśubhyaḥ ||22|| sumitriyā na āpa oṣadhayaḥ santu durmitriyā stasmai santu yo 'smān dveṣṭi yaṃ ca vayaṃ dviṣmaḥ ||23||
Translation
From wherever you act, grant us fearlessness there. Grant us well-being, and grant fearlessness to our offspring and to our cattle (22). May the waters and the herbs be good friends to us; may they be unfriendly to whoever hates us, and to whomever we hate (23).
Deep Meaning
Fearlessness is asked for specifically wherever the deity's action reaches - leaving no place exempt - before the waters and herbs are asked to take sides clearly, friendly to the worshipper and withholding that friendship only from active enmity.
Sanskrit
तच्चक्षु॑र्दे॒वहि॑तं पु॒रस्ता॒च्छुक्र॑मुच्चरत्। पश्ये॑म श॒रदः॒ शतं॒ जीवे॑म श॒रदः॒ शतं॒ शृ॒णुया॑म श॒रदः॒ शतं॒ प्रब्र॑वाम श॒रदः॒ शत॒मदी॑नाः स्याम श॒रदः॒ शतं॒ भूय॑श्च श॒रदः॒ शता॑त् ॥२४॥ **॥ इति रुद्रपाठे शान्त्यध्यायः ॥ १ ॥**
Transliteration
tac cakṣur devahitaṃ purastāc chukram uccarat | paśyema śaradaḥ śataṃ jīvema śaradaḥ śataṃ śṛṇuyāma śaradaḥ śataṃ prabravāma śaradaḥ śatam adīnāḥ syāma śaradaḥ śataṃ bhūyaś ca śaradaḥ śatāt || 24 || iti rudrapāṭhe śāntyadhyāyaḥ || 1 ||
Translation
That eye, set by the gods, rising bright in the east - may we see for a hundred autumns, may we live for a hundred autumns, may we hear for a hundred autumns, may we speak for a hundred autumns, may we be free of dependence for a hundred autumns, and even beyond a hundred. Thus ends the Shantyadhyaya in the recitation of Rudra.
Deep Meaning
The closing mantra of this adhyaya is among the most famous "long life" verses in the Veda, often recited independently at the close of any auspicious rite - a prayer not merely for survival but for a hundred years of actual seeing, living, hearing, and speaking, each named separately rather than assumed.