Om Namah Shivaya From Popular Art of Living Bhajan by Rishi Nitya Pragya

Spiritual Mantra
Published on Jun 15, 2014

Om Namah Shivaya (Sanskrit Oṃ Namaḥ Śivāya ॐ नमः शिवाय) (Tamil Om Nama civaaya ஓம் நமசிவாய ) is one of the most popular Hindu mantra and the most important mantra in Shaivism.

Its translation is "adoration (namas) to Śiva", preceded by the mystical syllable "Aum". Om Namah Shivaya mantra is sung by devotees in prayers and recited by yogis in meditation. It is associated with qualities of prayer, divine-love, grace, truth and blissfulness.

Traditionally, it is accepted to be a powerful healing mantra beneficial for all physical and mental ailments. Soulful recitation of this mantra brings peace to the heart and joy to the [Ātman] or Soul. Sages consider that the recitation of these syllables is sound therapy for the body and nectar for the soul [Ātman].

It is also called Panchakshara, or Panchakshari, the "five-syllable" mantra (viz., excluding the Aum). Panchakshari Mantra Namaḥ Śivāya is the most holy salutation to Śiva. The Panchakshara can be recited by Shiva devotees during pooja, Japa, Dhyana, homa and while smearing Vibhuti.

The Tamil Saivaite hymn Tiruvacakam begins with the five letters 'na' 'ma' 'ci' 'vaa' 'ya'.It is part of the Shri Rudram Chamakam, a Hindu prayer taken from the Yajurveda, and thus predates the use of Shiva as a proper name, in the original context being an address to Rudra (later Shiva), where śiva retains its original meaning as an adjective, meaning "auspicious, benign, friendly", a euphemistic epithet of Rudra.