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"Wear rudraksha beads, repeat the Panchakshara, let your heart grow
soft and melt. Chant the letters five, and in love you will discover
Siva's will. Chant so that impurities, anxieties and doubts are
destroyed."
Om Namah Shivaya
This mantra is said to be the heart of all the Vedas and Tantras.
Namah Shivaya is found, quite literally,in the middle of the Vedas, in
the Rudram. In the Agamas its meaning is elaborated upon. Natchintanai
says that,
"Namah Shivaya is in truth both Agama and Veda. Namah Shivaya
represents all mantras and Tantras. Namah Shivaya is our souls, our
bodies and possessions. Namah Shivaya has becomeour sure protection."
It is difficult to give a clear meaning to the mantra. The easy
exposition of it would be "Om, I bow to Shiva".But this interpretation
does not do it justice. Shiva means Auspicious, so it could be said
that the mantra means bowing to the Auspiciousness. Shiva however
should be understood in the fuller context, and not in the overly
simplistic picture that is typically given in books and websites as a
god of destruction.
In Shaivism and other Hindu systems, Shiva is the formless
transcendental Being (often called Paramashiva),the Divine source.
This is the source that rests in each and everyone. It is not a god
seperate from yourself, it is the core being of your self. Nothing
external or seperate from you, rather it is your heart of hearts. More
important than the literal translated meaning of this mantra is it's
sound, it's vibration. Just as with all mantras the sound of it is
more important than its literal meaning. This mantra is also known
five syllabled mantra, for it consists of five syllables, Na - Ma -
Shi - Va - Ya. The start of the mantra, Om, does constitute as a
syllable because it is the Mahabija, the great seed from which all
other mantras and sounds arose. The syllables within the mantra are
said to have a range of meanings and attributes.
Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami writes that
'Na is the Lord's concealing grace, Ma is the world, Shi stands for
Siva, Va is His revealing grace, Ya is the soul.'
He continues,
''The five elements, too, are embodied in this ancient formula for
invocation. Na is earth, Ma is water, Shi is fire, Va is air, and Ya
is ether, or akasha. Many are its meanings.'
Paramahamsa Muktananda also eloquently explains this point and
tells of how it benefits ones mind and spiritual path, he speaks of
the nadi's, the channels of pranas and the purity of mind. Repeating
this mantra rids the mind of tamas and rajas, making it suitable for
lofty spiritual experience.
Muktanandaji says
"Underlying this mantra is a great secret. As we chant the five
syllables Namah Shivaya, the five elements that comprise the body are
purified. Each of the syllables corresponds to one of these elements:
the syllable na to the earth element, the syllable ma to the water
element, the syllable shi to the fire element, the syllable va to the
air element, and the syllable ya to the ether element. Each syllable
purifies its corresponding element. As long as the body and the mind
are not completely pure, we cannot fully benefit from our spiritual
practice. Therefore, we repeat Om Namah Shivaya to help cleanse them."
In Yoga Magazine, Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati expounds
somewhat on the vibrational quality of the mantra and its relationship
with the main chakras, he says "When we repeat the mantra Om Namah
Shivaya, for example, we are not becoming a Shaivite, we are not
adoring or worshipping a deity, but we are stimulating the force of
these different chakras. Om is the sound of ajna chakra which is
responsible for clarity, for creativity, for the intuitive faculty of
mind. Ya or Yam is the mantra of anahata, Va or Vam is the mantra of
swadhisthana. Similarly Na, Ma, Sha are different sounds or syllables
corresponding to the different chakras."
Subramuniyaswami again offers some elucidation on the mantra's
relationship with the chakras, and other matters such as prana and the
astral. The sage says that "When "Aum Namah Sivaya" is repeated, we go
through the chakras, Na Ma Si Va Ya Aum. The Aum is in the head chakra.
Within Namah Sivaya is each of the elements--earth, water, fire,air
and ether--which in the mind are transmuted into all-pervasive
consciousness, and that is also transmuted into the great chakra way
above the head at the end of the Aum. In just the breath, the space of
time between the next repetition of "Aum Namah Sivaya Aum Namah Sivaya
Aum Namah Sivaya," the pranas, having reached Parashiva, fall back
into the spiritual, mental, astral and physical worlds, blessing them
all with new energy, new life and new understanding. "Namah Sivaya Aum,
Namah Sivaya Aum, Namah Sivaya Aum, Namah Sivaya Aum" is the constant
process of life. It is the essence of life itself."
It is really only in the repeating of this mantra, whether aloud or
mentally, that a true taste of what it is can be had.
How to Repeat the Panchakshara Mantra
Paramahamsa Muktananda suggests that we should ideally repeat the
mantra silently (Manasika - mental repetition) and at the same speed
at which you talk. It is also possible to coordinate it with your
breath, repeating once when you inhale and then once when you exhale.
Muktananda says that if you do it in this fashion the mantra will
saturate your mind, circulate round your body and permeate your blood
cells with its vibration. He even suggests that the walls of the room
in which you daily sit to repeat it will become infused with it. On
this matter he tells of his own account, he says
In my ashram in India there used to be a special room where I lived
for a long time and where I meditated and repeated the mantra .
Eventually I moved into other quarters, and the room was kept locked.
Several years ago, a government official came to the ashram. He told
me, "I have heard many people say that if anyone stays in your ashram,
he can get into meditation very easily." I took him to the room,
showed him inside, and told him to sit for meditation. "What mantra
should I repeat?" he asked. "If you hear a mantra in this room, repeat
that," I told him. When he came out, he said, "I heard Om Namah
Shivaya coming from the walls! The entire room was repeating it!"
Mantra is a living force. If you repeat it one-pointedly for a long
time, it will permeate your whole environment.
Since truly ancient times many of India's greatest sages and
illuminated ones (both men and women) have praised this mantra and the
practice of japa in general. A further insight as to why this mantra
is so special is given by Swami Subramuniyaswami, who says that it "is
such a precious mantra because it is the closest sound that one can
make to emulate the sounds rushing out of the Self into the mind.
Chanting it is profound because it is a sound channel which you can
follow to get close to the Self of your self [i.e. Shiva, your own
Divine Essence or Higher Self]"
The sage Upamanyu explained its secret in that it nullifies the
need for special rituals, particular times or external needs, the sage
said:
"If this mantra vibrates continually in your heart, then you have no
need to perform austerities, to meditate, or to practice yoga. To
repeat this mantra you need no rituals or ceremonies, nor must you
repeat it at an auspicious time or in a particular place."
Also put forth is the fact that this mantra is open to all.
Paramahamsa Muktananda tells that this mantra is not bound by rules
and regulations, he expounds, "This mantra is free of all
restrictions. It can be repeated by anyone, young or old, rich or
poor, and no matter what state a person is in, it will purify him. The
sages said, "This mantra is mysterious. Repeat it,
repeat it, repeat it."
This mantra is said to be the mantra that will take those who
earnestly practice it across the ocean of samsara, to the shores of
realization. The great woman saint of Kashmir, Lalla or Lal Ded,
chanted this mantra and wrote of it.
With right knowledge, open your ears and hear how the trees sway to Om
Namah Shivaya, how the wind says Om Namah Shivaya as it blows, how
water flows with the sound Namah Shivaya. The entire universe is
singing the name of Shiva. Pay a little attention!
If given the chance the mantra will offer so much in return for the
effort given to it. In modern life finding the time for such practices
can be difficult. But if time can be found for activities such as tv,
socializing, etc.then if we are sincere we can find 10 minutes on most
days to do japa and repeat the mantra. Once given the opportunity to
let it's worth shine through in experience, the practitioner sees that
the benefits derived, such as stress, anxiety and negativity
disappearing while peace and serenity increase, are worth more than
gold.
Siva Yogaswami encouraging those who are receptive said
inspiringly:
"Wear rudraksha beads, repeat the Panchakshara, let your heart grow
soft and melt. Chant the letters five, and in love you will discover
Siva's will. Chant so that impurities, anxieties and doubts are
destroyed."
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