ಓ೦ ಅಸತೋಮ ಸದ್ಗಮಯ

ತಮಸೋಮ ಜ್ಯೋತಿರ್ಗಮಯ

ಮೃತ್ಯೋರ್ಮ ಅಮೃತ೦ಗಮಯ

ಓ೦ ಶಾ೦ತಿ ಶಾ೦ತಿ ಶಾ೦ತಿಃ ॥

Om! Asatoma Sadgamaya

Tamasoma Jyotirgamaya ?

Mrityorma Amritamgamaya

Om Shanti, Shanti, Shantihi ?

ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय ।
तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय ।
मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

Meaning :
This is one of the most famous slokas in India. It has been taken from Brihadaranyaka Upanishat. This requires a long description. But, to convey it briefly, the meaning goes like
“Lead the world from the unreal to the real (truth), from ignorance to knowledge, from mortality to immortality and peace!”.
1. ASATHOMA SADGAMAYA – From Asat(impure/unreal) take me to Sat(pure/real).
2. THAMASOMA JOTHIRGAMAYA – from Tamaso(Darkness) take me to Jothi(Lightof bliss, faith, of knowledge)
3. MRUTHYOMA AMRUTHANGAMAYA – From land of dead(where no one lives forever — mortal world) take me to amritalok(where no one dies)

Three times “shaanti” is used.  This is used because one shaanti is for adhidaivika(ಆಧಿದೈವಿಕ) – the sufferings due to natural circumstances like heat or cold, or earthquakes., one shaanti for adhibhoutika(ಆಧಿಭೌತಿಕ) – the suffering due to other living being., and the last shaanti is for aadhyatmika(ಆಧ್ಯಾತ್ಮಿಕ) – the sufferings of one’s own body and mind.
This signifies one thing – what ever happens, at the end, we need one thing – PEACE!