Om Namah Shivaya (Devanagari:ॐ नमः शिवाय;IAST: Oṃ Namaḥ Śivāya) is one of the most popularHindumantras and the most important mantra inShaivism. Namah Shivaya means "O salutations to the auspicious one!", or "adoration to Lord Shiva". It is calledSiva Panchakshara, orShiva Panchakshara or simplyPanchakshara meaning the "five-syllable" mantra (viz., excluding theOm) and is dedicated toShiva. This Mantra appears as 'Na' 'Ma' 'Śi' 'Vā' and 'Ya' in theShri Rudram Chamakam which is a part of the KrishnaYajurveda[1] and also in the Rudrashtadhyayi which is a part of the ShuklaYajurveda.
The five-syllabled mantra (excluding the Oṁ) may be chanted by all persons includingśūdras andcāṇḍalas; however the six-syllabled mantra (with Oṁ included) may only be spoken bydvijas.[2]
The mantra without the initialOm was originally a verse in the eighth hymn of theNamakam section of theShri Rudram, (TS 4.5.8.1) itself taken from theTaittirīya Samhita, a recension of the BlackYajurveda. It appears as,Namaḥ śivāya ca śivatarāya ca (Sanskrit:नमः शिवाय च शिवतराय च). The English translation of the mantra is, "Salutation to the auspicious one and to the more auspicious".[3]
This mantra also appears in theRudrashtadhyayi, a part of the ShuklaYajurveda. In theRudrashtadhyayi, it appears in the 5th chapter (also known as Namakam) verse 41.[4][5]
InSiddha Shaivism andShaiva Siddhanta Shaivism traditions, Namah Shivaya is considered as Pancha Bodha Tatva of Lord Shiva and his universal oneness of five elements:[6]
Its total meaning is that "universal consciousness is one".[6]
In Shaiva Siddhanta, the five letters also represent:[6]
TheTirumantiram (a scripture in Shaiva Siddhanta) announces that "His feet are the letter Na. His navel is the letter Ma. His shoulders are the letter Śi. His mouth, the letter Vā. His radiant cranial center aloft is Ya. Thus is the five-lettered form ofShiva.":Tirumantiram 941. TM[7][8]
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