Sham No Devah Savita - A Prayer for Shared Well-Being
शं नो देवः सविता त्रायमाणः शं नो भवन्तूषसो विभातीः। शं नः पर्जन्यो भवतु प्रजाभ्यः शं नः क्षेत्रस्य पतिरस्तु शम्भुः॥
śaṃ no devaḥ savitā trāyamāṇaḥ śaṃ no bhavantūṣaso vibhātīḥ । śaṃ naḥ parjanyo bhavatu prajābhyaḥ śaṃ naḥ kṣetrasya patir astu śambhuḥ ॥
PM's MessageNature's boundless grace, the energy of Surya Deva, and the sacred blessing of rain enrich all our lives with happiness and good fortune. I wish that greenery and prosperity may always remain upon the earth.
Meaning of Śaṃ No Devaḥ Savitā
May Savitā Deva, the radiant protector of the world, be auspicious for us. May the shining dawns bring happiness and well-being into our lives. May Parjanya, the god of rain, bring welfare to our people and may the gracious lord of the fields, crops, and land grant us happiness and prosperity.
Word by word
- शम् नःśaṁ naḥ
peace to us
√शम्
- देवः सविताdevaḥ savitā
god Savitr
√सू
- त्रायमाणःtrāyamāṇaḥ
protecting
√त्रै
- भवन्तुbhavantu
may they be
√भू
- उषसःuṣasaḥ
the dawns
√वस्
- विभातीःvibhātīḥ
shining forth
वि + √भा
- पर्जन्यःparjanyaḥ
the rain-cloud
पर्जन्य
- भवतुbhavatu
may it be
√भू
- प्रजाभ्यःprajābhyaḥ
for the people
प्र + √जन्
- क्षेत्रस्य पतिःkṣetrasya patiḥ
the lord of the field
क्षेत्र + पति
- अस्तु शम्भुःastu śambhuḥ
may he be benign
√अस् + √शम्
Commentary
This mantra is a beautiful expression of sustainability and collective well-being in Indian thought. It connects four major forces of nature with the repeated prayer of 'śam' — welfare, happiness, and lasting harmony. Savitā Deva represents solar energy and life-giving strength; Uṣā symbolizes new beginnings and fresh vitality; Parjanya sustains people through the water cycle and rain; and Kṣetrasya Pati, the lord of the field, points to soil fertility, crops, and food security. In the spirit of the Prime Minister's wish for greenery and prosperity, the verse reminds us that true social and economic progress is possible only when human life remains in deep harmony with the sun, water, and land.
Sources and textual variants
Original Post
More from Rigveda
View source pageसुत्रामाणं पृथिवीं द्यामनेहसं सुशर्माणमदितिं सुप्रणीतिम् । दैवीं नावं स्वरित्रामनागसो अस्रवन्तीमा रुहेमा स्वस्तये॥
sutrāmāṇaṃ pṛthivīṃ dyām anehasaṃ suśarmāṇam aditiṃ supraṇītim । daivīṃ nāvaṃ svaritrām anāgaso asravantīm ā ruhemā svastaye ॥
An Atharvaveda mantra envisions earth, heaven and Aditi as a secure divine boat that carries people toward well-being.
सहृदयं सांमनस्यमविद्वेषं कृणोमि वः। अन्यो अन्यमभि हर्यत वत्सं जातमिवाघ्न्या॥
sahṛdayaṁ sāṃmanasyam avidveṣaṁ kṛṇomi vaḥ । anyo anyam abhi haryata vatsaṁ jātam ivāghnyā ॥
An Atharvaveda mantra calls people to shared feeling, concord and freedom from hatred, with a cow's tenderness for her newborn calf as its model.
स्वस्ति न इन्द्रो वृद्धश्रवाः स्वस्ति नः पूषा विश्ववेदाः। स्वस्ति नस्तार्क्ष्यो अरिष्टनेमिः स्वस्ति नो बृहस्पतिर्दधातु॥
svasti na indro vṛddhaśravāḥ svasti naḥ pūṣā viśvavedāḥ । svasti nas tārkṣyo ariṣṭanemiḥ svasti no bṛhaspatir dadhātu ॥
A Rigveda svasti mantra in which Indra, Pushan, Tarkshya and Brihaspati are each asked to bestow well-being upon us.
More subhashitams on Nature
View topic pageदेव्या यया ततमिदं जगदात्मशक्त्या निश्शेषदेवगणशक्तिसमूहमूर्त्या। तामम्बिकामखिलदेवमहर्षिपूज्यां भक्त्या नताः स्म विदधातु शुभानि सा नः॥
devyā yayā tatamidaṃ jagadātmaśaktyā niśśeṣadevagaṇaśaktisamūhamūrtyā । tāmambikāmakhiladevamaharṣipūjyāṃ bhaktyā natāḥ sma vidadhātu śubhāni sā naḥ ॥
A prayer from Devi Mahatmyam to Ambika, who pervades the world and embodies all divine powers, asking for blessings for everyone.
अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः करुण एव च। निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी॥
adveṣṭā sarvabhūtānāṃ maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca । nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ samaduḥkhasukhaḥ kṣamī ॥
The Bhagavad Gita describes a character free from hatred and ego, friendly to all beings and steady in joy and sorrow.
सुखोपविष्टास्ते तत्र पुण्यां चक्रुः कथामिमाम्। धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणामारोग्यं मूलमुत्तमम्॥
sukhopaviṣṭās te tatra puṇyāṃ cakruḥ kathām imām । dharmārthakāmamokṣāṇām ārogyaṃ mūlam uttamam ॥
Charaka Samhita presents good health as the foremost foundation for pursuing dharma, prosperity, desire and liberation.