Volume 3 · Śānti Veda · Chapter 4 · Śānti Saṃhitā - Short Hymns of Peace
शान्ति-स्वरूपम्
Canon Rev1 / Commentary Rev1 (25 December 2025)
Sanskrit
शान्तिर्न पलायनं नाम, सा न्याय-सहितं स्थिरम् ।
सत्य-समाधि-संयुक्ता, लोकस्य शरणं परम् ॥
IAST
śāntir na palāyanaṃ nāma, sā nyāya-sahitaṃ sthiram |
satya-samādhi-saṃyuktā, lokasya śaraṇaṃ param ||
English (literal)
Peace is not escape; it is stable justice joined to truthful resolution.
English (poetic)
Peace is justice made steady.
Commentary
Bhāṣya
Peace is defined as stable justice, not as avoidance. A silent street can still be violent if fear rules it. True peace is a condition where rights are protected, wrongs are addressed, and dialogue is possible without threat. Param Veda’s realism is important: it refuses the false spirituality that tells victims to accept injustice as ‘fate’. It also refuses the false heroism that keeps societies permanently angry. Peace is the art of repairing a world, not escaping it. In communal life, peace is built by procedures: impartial law, dignity in speech, and verified truth. When these are present, differences become culture rather than conflict.
Praśna–Uttara
Student
“Is peace passive?”
Teacher
“No. Peace is work done so that violence is unnecessary.”
Student
“What sustains peace?”
Teacher
“Justice that is trusted.”
Prayoga
- Build conflict-resolution habits: mediation first.
- Audit institutions for bias and humiliation.
- Teach history without demonization: facts, context, accountability.