434. PEACE: Eliot*: “Shantih. Repeated as here, a formal ending to an Upanishad. 'The Peace which passeth understanding' is a feeble translation of the conduct of this word.”
This is a peace mantra, uttered conclusively even as it is not fully understood. Many of the Upanishad passages have an “Om Shanti Shanti Shanti” ending, a basic mantra that might loosely translate as “Let there be peace, peace, peace.” See Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.3.28 (note 400), which often includes the same “shanti” ending (although Hume’s 1921 translation regularly left it out): “From the unreal lead me to the real! From darkness lead me to light! From death lead me to immortality! [Let there be peace, peace, peace.]”
This is also the third instance in the poem that Eliot employs a repetitive one word mantra, each time in relation to eastern allusions; see also burning burning burning (line 308) and da da da (note 400). See also the three uses of “after” at lines 322-324.
Compare this to the threefold observations noting those “departed,” next to the threefold pleas calling out to “sweet Thames,” at lines 175-184. The song, once painfully complex, has evolved and simplified to its final one word mantra.
Eliot’s translation of Shantih is taken from Philippians* 4:7:
“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Eliot confessed to a feeble understanding of that peace which all would-be believers seek, but this, in time, would change for him (see The Four Quartets†, note 306); indeed, after this later work he would direct that his epitaph be etched with words from East Coker (see note 306):
“In my beginning is my end. In my end is my beginning.”
Eventually. But for now it is the poet’s words in this final note, so easy to overlook, that have intrigued my own understanding and encouraged these annotations.
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*see note 0.1 †see note 0.5
