Om Namah Shivaya

Om Namah Shivaya (Hindi|Devanagari: ॐ नमः शिवाय; IAST: Oṃ Namaḥ Śivāya) is one of the most popular Hindu mantras and the most important mantra in Shaivism. Namah Shivaya means "O salutations to the auspicious one!", or "adoration to Lord Shiva". It is called Siva Panchakshara, or Shiva Panchakshara or simply Panchakshara meaning the "five-syllable" mantra (viz., excluding the Om) and is dedicated to Shiva. This Mantra appears as 'Na' 'Ma' 'Śi' 'Vā' and 'Ya' in the Shri Rudram Chamakam which is a part of the Krishna Yajurveda^[1] and also in the Rudrashtadhyayi which is a part of the Shukla Yajurveda.

The five-syllabled mantra (excluding the Oṁ) may be chanted by all persons including śūdras and cāṇḍalas; however the six-syllabled mantra (with Oṁ included) may only be spoken by dvijas.^[2]

^ Satguru Bodhinatha, Veylanswami (2017). What Is the Namaḥ Śivāya Mantra? from the "Path to Siva" Book. USA: Himalayan Academy. pp. chapter 16. ISBN 9781934145722.
^ Kane, Pandurang Vaman (1941). History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediæval Religious and Civil Law). Government Oriental Series Class B, No 6. Vol. II, Part I. Poona: Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute. p. 158.

[1] Satguru Bodhinatha, Veylanswami (2017). What Is the Namaḥ Śivāya Mantra? from the "Path to Siva" Book. USA: Himalayan Academy. pp. chapter 16. ISBN 9781934145722.

[2] Kane, Pandurang Vaman (1941). History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediæval Religious and Civil Law). Government Oriental Series Class B, No 6. Vol. II, Part I. Poona: Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute. p. 158.

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