History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c89.8

v7.c89.8

In Atharvaveda 19. 9 the word śānti occurs about 17 times. In verses 3 to 5 speech (vāk), the mind (manaḥ)¹¹³⁶ and the five senses are referred to and it is said that these seven usually produce what is *ghora* (terrible or inauspicious) and these same must exert themselves for producing śānti (i. e. appeasement of angered deities or averting calamities or misfortunes). Verses 6-11 pray to several gods, planets (grahāḥ), the earth, falling stars, cows, the nakṣatras, magical rites, Rāhu, Dhūmaketu (comets), the Rudras, Vasus and Ādityas, sages and Bṛhaspati to confer happiness. Verse 12 prays to Indra, Brahmā, and all the gods for refuge to the composer of the hymn and 13 declares that 'whatever things were appeased (by śāntis) in this world—these the seven sages know. May they all be happiness for me; may happiness be mine and may freedom from fear be mine'. Verse 14 which is similar to Vāj. S. 36. 17 declares that 'the earth, mid-regions, heaven, waters, trees and plants, all gods--these have become appeased and auspicious by the śānti rites performed by the composer and that by those śāntis, by all śāntis I (we) appease (remove the evil effect of) what is here terrible, what is cruel (or inauspicious), what is evil; may all that be appeased, be beneficial and happy for us'.¹¹³⁷ Atharva 19. 10 (verses 1-10) contains the word 'śaṁ' 51 times and prays for welfare to several gods and 19. 11 is also a śānti containing the word 'śaṁ' 18 times. The Vājasaneya-saṁhitā chapter 36 (verses 8-12) similarly contain the word 'śaṁ' several times One of these viz. (Vāj. S. 36. 12) occurs in many Vedic texts¹¹³⁸ 'May the divine waters confer on us happiness, help and protection; may they flow towards us for our happiness and welfare'.