Pancakshara Mantra

[sarabhanga]

॥ ॐ ॥

॥ नमः शिवाय ॥

Pāñcāksha (Five-Eyes) is the attendant of Śiva, and Pāñcākshara is the Five-Lettered Mahāmantra of Śiva, which declares:


Namah Śivāya (Bow to Śiva).

[satay]

॥ ॐ ॥

॥ नमः शिवाय ॥

Pāñcāksha (Five-Eyes) is the attendant of Śiva, and Pāñcākshara is the Five-Lettered Mahāmantra of Śiva, which declares:


Namah Śivāya (Bow to Śiva).

namaste,
I read somewhere that 'Namah Sivaya' is the pancakshara mantra and if you add OM to it it becomes six akshara (?)
and the recommended meditatioin for Bhagwan shiva is then:
Namah Sivaya instead of Om Namah Sivaya?

I do japa on rudra beads with 'Om Namah Sivaya' Am I doing it wrong? Should I be doing 'Namah Sivaya'?

satay

[sarabhanga]

Namaste Satay,

The true name of God remains unspoken.

Pancakshara is the mantra-body of Shiva; and all such fundamental mantras are, in practice, prefixed with the Pranava ~ oM.

Pancakshara is the Shaiva Pranava, but it is never spoken, so that only Sadakshara is outwardly revealed ~ oM namaH shivAya.

oM is revealed and explicit, while namaH shivAya is secreted and implicit.

oM is the Shukla Pranava, and namaH shivAya is the Krishna Pranava ~ and both are united in the perfect yoga of Sadakshara mantra.

[sarabhanga]

Pāñcākshara is known as the Gurudatta (Guru Gift) Mantra.

Namah Śivāya appears only once in the Veda ~ in the Śatarudriya (100 Rudras) of the Yajurveda (Sacrificial Revealation).

The Śatarudriya (or Śrī Rudram) consists of 425 oblations to Rudra; and 4 + 2 + 5 = 11, which is the traditional number of Rudrah.



नमः शंभवे च मयोभवे च

namah śambhave ca mayobhave ca

Bow to the Source and the Causer of Pleasure and


नमः शंकराय च मयस्कराय च

namah śankarāya ca mayaskarāya ca

Bow to the Causer of Prosperity and Enjoyment and


नमः शिवाय च शिवतराय च

namah śivāya ca śivatarāya ca

Bow to the Auspicious and the Most Fortunate

[sarabhanga]

Namah नमः results from Namas नमस् (Bow, Obeisance, Salutation, Adoration) through Visarga Sandhi (Rules of Euphony).

Śivāya शिवाय is the Dative case of Śiva शिव ~ i.e. To or For Śiva.
And the Dative implies Movement, with Aya अय (Going) or Āya आय (Approach).

[sarabhanga]

Namah indicates Bowing Down before or Submission to another ~ especially one who deserves Respect.
And Namah is the Jīvātman (Individual Soul).

Śiva indicates Auspicious, Gracious, Benevolent, Happiness, Welfare, Liberation, or Final Emancipation.
And Śiva is the Paramatman (Supreme Soul).

Āya refers to the Aikyam (Identity) of Jīvātman and Paramatman.

[sarabhanga]

Namah

Na न is a particle of negation, equivalent to No or Not, and used in wishing, requesting, commanding, but not in prohibition. It may sometimes have the force of Lest or That Not. And it is a name of Ganesha (Lord of the Host) ~ who must be honored first.

Ma म refers to Me; and Mam मं indicates Welfare.

So that Na-Ma (Not Me) is an Abnegation of Self ~ with the sense of a plea for Mercy.

Ah अः is the Śānti Bīja (Seed of Peace), which indicates Dissolution and the End.

[satay]

Namah

Na न is a particle of negation, equivalent to No or Not, and used in wishing, requesting, commanding, but not in prohibition. It may sometimes have the force of Lest or That Not. And it is a name of Ganesha (Lord of the Host) ~ who must be honored first.

Ma म refers to Me; and Mam मं indicates Welfare.

So that Na-Ma (Not Me) is an Abnegation of Self ~ with the sense of a plea for Mercy.

Ah अः is the Śānti Bīja (Seed of Peace), which indicates Dissolution and the End.

namaste,

How do you put sanskrit words in your posts? Are these images pasted in the message?

What would be neat is a 'sanskrit' or devnagri font!

satay

[sarabhanga]

Śi शि and Va व both indicate Auspiciousness ~ and Śiva शिव is Auspicious in every way!

And Satay, any font can be defined in the message editor, although anyone reading the message must have the same font installed for correct display.

[sarabhanga]

Va व represents the Ocean, the Sky, the World, or Manifest Existence.
And Va is a Cloth, a Weaver, or a Dwelling, and it also indicates Strong Motion (as an Arrow).

Vam वं is the Varuna Bīja.

Vā वा means to Go or to Blow.

Ya य means Who or Which, and also indicates a Goer or Mover, a Carriage, the Wind, Light, or the Sky.
And Ya is both Yama (Rein or Restraint) and Yoga (Union).

Yam यं means One to Whom, and it is known as the Vāyu वायु (Wind) Bīja.

Vāya वाय indicates Weaving or a Weaver, and implies Tantra (Loom).

Ā आ is a doubling of A अ, and it indicates Going Towards or Similarity.

Ākāra belongs to the Aśvinau (Twin Charioteers) and it spans Va and Ya, which are the first and last Semivowels (Antahstha ~ Standing Between), uniting Ocean with Sky, and spelling Vāyu.

[atanu]

[any font can be defined in the message editor]

Will you please elaborate on this a bit?


Namsate and regards

नमः शिवाय च शिवतराय च

[sarabhanga]

Śi शि means to Excite or to Sharpen, and alone it is a short name for Śiva.
So that Śi-Va is One who Excites the Ocean, Moves the Sky, and Quickens All of Creation.

And Śiva is an epithet of Rudra (Howler ~ i.e. Tempest).

[sarabhanga]

Namaste Atanu,

Welcome to HinduDharmaForums!

With the "Advanced" message editor, you can easily select various font styles.
And the editor will insert the font name in square [] brackets.

Actually typing in the correct keys for more complex scripts such as Sanskrit is rather a challenge, however, and the easiest method is to use your own computer's document editor and just copy and paste the text you want. Some letters may not work, and you may need to experiment with alternatives. Good luck!

[sarabhanga]

The actual text needed to manually insert namaH shivAya ca shivatarAya ca as नमः शिवाय च शिवतराय च, for example, is:

[&#]2344;[&#]2350;[&#]2307; [&#]2358;[&#]2367;[&#]2357;[&#]2366;[&#]2351; [&#]2330; [&#]2358;[&#]2367;[&#]2357;[&#]2340;[&#]2352;[&#]2366;[&#]2351; [&#]2330;

All of the square brackets must be discarded, but I had to include them here to stop the code automatically displaying as Sanskrit and obscuring the plain text instructions.

[sarabhanga]

Śi also means to Bestow or Satisfy, and thus Good Fortune or Peace.
And Śiva is both One who Gives All and the Ocean of Peace (i.e. Dissolution).

[sarabhanga]

Śa श is a Weapon or Destroyer, and it invokes Liberation and Happiness. And Śa names both Rudra and Śiva.

Śī शी means to Lie Down, and Śiva is the One in whom All Things Rest.

Śam शं and Śim शिं both indicate Welfare or Happiness.

[sarabhanga]

Śava शव is derived from Śvā श्वा (to Swell or Increase); meaning Swollen, and thus a Corpse.

Śva श्व invokes a Dog, which is another ‘Howler’ and the vehicle of Bhairava, the Fearsome attendant of Śiva.

I इ expresses Wonder, and the number 100; and Im इं is the Agni (Fire) Bīja.

Śi is Śakāra tempered by Ikāra, and so it Sharpens the Weapon and invokes 100 Rudras.

Śiva is Śava with Fire at its heart ~ both Animating and Cremating the Body.

[sarabhanga]

न्यास
|| nyāsa ||


ओं हृदयाय नमः ।
om hridayāya namah |

ओं नं शिरसे स्वाहा ।
om nam śirase svāhā |

ओं मं शिखायै वषट् ।
om mam śikhāyai vashat |

ओं शिं कवचाय हुं ।
om śim kavacāya hum |

ओं वां नेत्रत्रयाय वौषट् ।
om vām netratrayāya vaushat |

ओं यं अस्त्राय फट् ॥
om yam astrāya phat ||

[sarabhanga]

Namah is derived from Ākāśa (Æther):
Nam is inspired by Vārāhī (Śakti of the Boar) and ruled by Brihaspati (Guru ~ Jupiter);
Mam by Indrānī (Śakti of the One who Drops ~ i.e. of the Lord of Rain) and Śani (Slow Moving ~ Saturn); and
Ah by Durgā (Śakti of the Inaccessible ~ Consort of Śiva) and Sūrya (the Sun).

Śi is a combination of Ākāśa and Agni ~ inspired by Yogeśvarī (the Lady of Yoga) and ruled by Rāhu (Seizer ~ the Lunar Nodes).
Va and Ya represent Cāmundā, who takes the heads of Canda (Fierce) and Munda (who Shaves) ~ i.e. Candamundā (Fiery Razor).
Vam arises from Jala (Water) and Yam from Vāyu; and Vāya is ruled by Soma (Moon).

Śiva unites Rāhu who desires Amrita (Immortality) and causes Eclipse, with Soma (the Extract) which is held by the Moon.
So that Yogeśvara Śiva brings Total Eclipse. And Śiva is well known as Hara (the Siezer or Robber).

The Mahābhārata describes Śiva’s feat of Tripuradahana (Burning Three Cities):
The Three Cities were revolving in space and made from Gold (the Sun), Silver (the Moon), and Iron (the Earth).
Śiva waited for 1,000 years, until they fell in one line, and then He effortlessly reduced them to blackness with a single shaft.

[Arjuna]

Namaste, Sharabhanga!

Could U plz tell bija-shakti-kilaka for panchakshari and are there any variants?
I remember i saw rather strange description of these in some malayali paddhati once...

[sarabhanga]

Namaste Arjuna,

naM is the bija, shiM is the shakti, and oM is the kilaka.

[Arjuna]

Thank U,
guess what i saw in that book must be a misprinting, there shakti was "dam" (which i wondered why)...

[sarabhanga]

Namaste Arjuna,

I have not seen this in any book, and it is what I have been told; but I have also heard daM as the Shakti of Pancakshara Mantra.
And this not an error, for daM is the Bija of Dattatreya, and Pancakshara is the Guru Datta Mantra. :)

[Arjuna]

Very interesting :) This didn't come to my mind.
Usually Datta's bija is "drAM", but yes, it is common to take first syllable as a bija also...

[sarabhanga]

daM, dAM, draM, and drAM, all belong to Shri Dattatreya.

Alone, daM is the Hamsa and dAM is the Paramatman; and draM or drAM is the Datta-Bija as it appears in the 6-syllable and 8-syllable Dattatreya Mantras.

[Arjuna]

drAM is used in Srividya also where it comes to be bija of the first one of dashamudras which are used in Lalita worship. Is it accidental or some connection with Guru Datta is there?

[sarabhanga]

Kara-Nyasa puts the power (i.e. Shakti) into one’s hands, and for Shiva this is generally achieved with the spectrum of shAM (i.e. Yogeshvari).



कर न्यासः
|| kara nyāsah ||


ओं शां अन्गुष्ठाभ्यां नमः ।१।
om śām angushthābhyām namah |1|

ओं शीं तर्जनिभ्यां स्वाहा ।२।
om śīm tarjanibhyām svāhā |2|

ओं शूं मध्यमाभ्यां वषट् ।३।
om śūm madhyamābhyām vashat |3|

ओं शैं अनामिकाभ्यां हुं ।४।
om śaim anāmikābhyām hum |4|

ओं शौं कनिष्ठिकाभ्यां वौषट् ।५।
om śaum kanishthikābhyām vaushat |5|

ओं शः करतलकरपृष्ठाभ्यां अस्त्राय फट् ।६।
om śah karatalakaraprishthābhyām astrāya phat |6|



To put the Shakti of Datta into one’s hands, the bija dAM would be used in the same manner.

[sarabhanga]

Namaste Arjuna,

drAM equally indicates Datta and/or Durga. ;)

[Arjuna]

BTW do U know where and when the full vidhana of Panchakshari appeared for the first time? In Shatarudriya we have only Namah Shivaya, and even in much much later Tirumantiram (6th cent. C. E.?) i believe no viniyoga and nyasa is given (though i may be wrong).

[Arjuna]

Have U come across any sourses dealing with bijas apart from Tantrabhidhanam and Mahakala-samhita (in Allahabad edition, in one of it's volumes, there is a dictionary of bijas)?

[sarabhanga]

Pancakshara Mantra is exceedingly ancient, and exactly the same mantra is shared by very many lineages; and the exact Viniyoga has always been a closely kept secret that is passed on in the particular oral tradition of each Parampara.

The particular Viniyoga and Karanyasa used for Pancakshara is a very interesting point for historical investigation (just as the particular Mula Mantra itself distinguishes lineages at a broader level), but it is almost never written down, and can usually only be gained through Diksha ~ and only Sannyasins generally receive anything like the full story of the Guru Datta Mantra.

I have indicated some general traditions here, although I would never reveal the full and exact tradition of my own Gurus in a public forum ~ and all those who hold the Pancakshara as especially sacred (indeed the key to their Vidya) have done the same. So that any real analysis would require repeated initiation in many different Paramparas ~ which does not happen.

[sarabhanga]

Nam is for Nandā (Pleasant),
Mam for Mahākāyā (with Large Body), and
Ah for Aksharātmikā (Like Letters).

So that Namah may be read as: Pleasing Great Corpus of Sound (i.e. Auspicious Mantra).

[sarabhanga]

Śam is for Śaśinī (with the Moon ~ i.e. Soma),
Vam for Varadā (Bestowing Gifts), and
Yam for Yaśasvanī (Famous).
So that Śiva may read as Soma Giving; and Śivāya as Moon Granting Favor or Glory.

[Singhi Kaya]

Nam is for Nandā (Pleasant),
Mam for Mahākāyā (with Large Body), and
Ah for Aksharātmikā (Like Letters).

So that Namah may be read as: Pleasing Great Corpus of Sound (i.e. Auspicious Mantra).

Shiva's giant body is composed of uncountably many peace particles - or all peace in unverse is his giant body. That's what I was taught to.

Those who have reached the stage of shiva will literally rediate peace. Just being in their vicinity makes an ordinary mortal "Shanta" - peaceful and calm. Peace is what we are searching for all our lives in all lives. Untill one reaches there every other form of enjoyment will be transient and dukkha will persist. Peace is the seed of dharma in us and in society.

Om Namah Śivāya !!!!

Thanks for this explanation. Ignore my rant:D.

[sarabhanga]

Nam belongs to Nirriti (Dissolution), which is another name for Rudra;
Mam to Vishnu (All-Pervader); and
Ah to Pūshan (Nourisher ~ the Sun).

Śam and Vam belong to Ajaikapād (Eternal One-Foot ~ the vehicle of Agni),
and they support the Agni Bīja (Im), which itself belongs to Yama.
Yam belongs to Vasu (Excellent or Brilliant ~ the Sky Rover).

Śiva is thus indicated by Ajaikapād, who presides over Pūrva-Proshtapada (First Foot of the Mount), which Nakshatra is marked by two stars (Alpha and Beta Pegasi). Also known as Markab (the Saddle) and Scheat (the Leg), these stars frame the Foreleg of Hyppos (the Horse) ~ generally referred to as Pegasus.

[sarabhanga]

In Greek mythology, Pegasus (Spring of Ocean) was born of Poseidon (Lord of Sky or the Ocean ~ cf. Varuna) and the Gorgon (Terrible or Roaring ~ cf. Rudra) Medusa (Queen). He is the Thunder Horse of Zeus (the prime Deity) who is himself the son of Kronos (Time). And Zeus is cognate with the Vedic Dyaus (the Sky), who is the father of Agni.

Alpha and Beta Pegasi form one side of the Great Square of Pegasus, which is completed in Uttara-Proshtapada with Gamma Pegasi (Algenib ~ the Flank) and Delta Pegasi (Sirrah ~ the Navel).

This double Nakshatra is also known as Bhadrapadā (Auspicious Feet) and its division is marked by Delta Pegasi (now generally known as Alpha Andromedæ).

The guardian of Uttaraproshtapada is Ahirbudhnya (Serpent of the Deep) who lies coiled as Gārhapatya Agni (Controlled Fire) ~ the circular hearth from which all sacrificial fires are lighted.

Ahirbudhnya represents both the Navel of Pegasus and the Head of Andromeda (the Chained Women). And in Greek mythology, the captivating Andromeda was chained to a rock standing out in the sea as an offering to a Sea Monster. She was stolen back from captivity by Perseus (Son of Zeus), who flew to her rescue on the back of Pegasus. The heroic Perseus is also said to have captured the Head of Gorgon Medusa whose potent rays turn one to stone ~ cf. Hara ( the Siezer) and Rudra (the Howler) Mīdhvas (Bestowing Richly) and the standing stone Śiva Linga.

The Great Square of Bhadrapadā represents Āhavanīya Agni (Moving Fire), the square hearth that receives oblations.

The fundamental Field measure in Sumeria was an Iku (an enclosed area of 100 Garden Plots), and the dark Enclosure of Bhadrapadā was known by Sumerians as l-Iku (the Field) ~ the primordial image of their earthly Gardens, and the primary Space of Space itself. And in ancient Greece it was the Elysian (Auspicious) Field ~ the Font of Ocean from which Springs both Inspiration (Creation) and Flood (Dissolution).

The Taittirīya Samhita notes that: the Eye of Prajāpati (the Creator) swelled; that fell away; and that became a Horse. And in Bhadrapadā, the Horse is reined squarely on the Sacrificial Ground in an eternal celestial Aśvamedha (Horse Sacrifice).

Namah Śivāya speaks to this Auspicious Void.

[sarabhanga]

Pāñcākshara recalls (in reverse order) both the Pāñca Brahma of the Taittirīya Āranyaka and the Pāndavas (Pāñca Deva ~ Five Lords) of the Mahābhārata. And these Five Heads of Brahma reveal the Five Faces of the Śiva Linga.

The Pāñcabrahma Mantra is the Brahmaśiras (Head of Brahma) weapon that Śiva gave to Arjuna, which came to be known as the Pāśupatāstra (Weapon of the Lord of Animals).



Ya is known as Sadyojāta (First Born) or Mahādeva (Great Lord), the Eastern Face of the Śiva Linga; and it corresponds with Yudhishthira (Steady in Battle).


सद्योजातं प्रपद्यामि सद्योजायाय वै नमः ।
sadyojātam prapadyāmi sadyojāyāya vai namah
I take refuge in the First Born; verily I bow to the First Born

भवे भवे नातिभवे भवस्व मां भवोद्भवाय नमः ॥
bhave bhave nātibhave bhavasva mām bhavodbhavāya namah
Do not consign me to birth after birth; guide me beyond birth; I bow to the Causer of Birth



Vā is known as Vāmadeva (Noble Lord) or Bhairava (Fearsome), the Southern Face of the Linga; and it corresponds with Bhīma (Formidable).


वामदेवाय नमो ज्येष्ठाय नमः श्रेष्टाय नमो रुद्राय नमः कालाय नमः
vāmadevāya namo jyeshthāya namah śreshtāya namo rudrāya namah kālāya namah
Bow to the Noble One, to the Eldest; to the Best; to the Howler; and to Time

कलविकरणाय नमो बलाय नमो बलविकरणाय नमो बलप्रथनाय नमः
kalavikaranāya namo balāya namo balavikaranāya namo balaprathanāya namah
Bow to the Incomprehensible, to Strength, to the Cause of the Various Forces, and to the Extender of Strength

सर्वभूतदमनाय नमो मनोन्मनाय नमः ॥
sarvabhūtadamanāya namo manonmanāya namah
Bow to the One who Subdues All Beings, and who Kindles the Light


The Vāmadeva Mantra appeals to 11 Rudrah, and the Eleven are named in the Mahābhārata as: Mrigavyādha (the Hunter), Śarva (Armed with Arrows), Nirriti, Ajaikapād, Ahirbudhnya, Pinākin (Armed with a Bow), Dahana (Fire), Īśvara (Ruler), Kapālin (Bearing Skulls), Sthānu (Standing Firmly), and Bhava (Existence).



Śi is known as Aghora (Fearless) or Nandivaktra (Happy Face), the Western Face of the Linga; and it corresponds with Arjuna (Bright).
The Aghora Mantra appeals to each and every one of the innumerable Rudrah.


अघोरेभ्योऽथ घोरेभ्यो अघोरघोरतरेभ्यः ।
aghorebhyo'tha ghorebhyo aghoraghoratarebhyah
To those Not Terrible and to those Terrible, and to those both Not Terrible and Terrible

सर्वतः शर्वः सर्वेभ्यो नमस्ते रुद्र रूपेभ्यः ॥
sarvatah śarvah sarvebhyo namaste rudra rūpebhyah
Everywhere and Always, O Śarva, I Bow to All Thy Rudra Forms



Mah is known as Tatpurusha (Supreme Spirit) or Umāvaktra (Shining Face), the Northern Face of the Linga; and it corresponds with Nakula (the Mongoose). Tatpurusha is the Rudra Gāyatrī.


तत्पुरुषाय विद्महे महादेवाय धीमहि ।
tatpurushāya vidmahe mahādevāya dhīmahi
May we Know that Supreme Person and Meditate on that Great God

तन्नो रुद्रः प्रचोदयात् ॥
tanno rudrah pracodayāt
May Rudra Impel us to That



Na is Īśāna (the Master) or Sadāśiva (Ever Auspicious), the Ūrdhvavaktra (Upward Face) of the Linga, and it corresponds with Sahadeva (Among the Gods).


ईशानः सर्वविद्यानामीश्वरः सर्वभूतानां ब्रह्माधिपतिर्ब्रह्मणोऽधिपतिर् ।
īśānah sarvavidyānāmīśvarah sarvabhūtānām brahmādhipatirbrahmano'dhipatir
Ruler of All Knowledge, Master of All Beings, Commander of Sacred Study and Devotion

ब्रह्मा शिवो मे अस्तु स एव सदाशिव ओम् ॥
brahmā śivo me astu sa eva sadāśiva om
The God Auspicious to Me, Be He Just So, the Ever Auspicious Om


Namah thus represents the Aśvinau (Nakula & Sahadeva), and they carry this Submission to Śiva.

[atanu]

The Taittirīya Samhita notes that: the Eye of Prajāpati (the Creator) swelled; that fell away; and that became a Horse. And in Bhadrapadā, the Horse is reined squarely on the Sacrificial Ground in an eternal celestial Aśvamedha (Horse Sacrifice).

Namah Śivāya speaks to this Auspicious Void.

So far away yet so near -- one's own space.

Namah Śivāya

[Arjuna]

P?ñc?kshara recalls (in reverse order) both the P?ñca Brahma of the Taittir?ya ?ranyaka and the P?ndavas (P?ñca Deva ~ Five Lords) of the Mah?bh?rata. And these Five Heads of Brahma reveal the Five Faces of the ?iva Linga.

Namaste Sarabhanga!

The system described by U isn't the only one, right?
I know in South Indian tradition na, ma, shi, va, ya stand for prithivi and Sadyojata (western face), ap and Vamadeva (northern face), agni and Aghora (southern face), vayu and Tatpurusha (eastern face) and viyat and Ishana (upper face). Then Pranava stands for lower face: Yogini-vaktra or Pichuvaktra, according to Agamic tradition.

Would be happy to hear more from U :)

[sarabhanga]

Namaste Arjuna,

Sadyojata is Bhu; Vamadeva is Vayu, Aghora is Jala; Tat-purusha is Tejas; and Ishana is Akasha.

The Sun rises in the East, and Sadyojata is the “First Born” ~ in the East.
Vamadeva (or Bhairava) relates to the Pitris ~ in the South.
The Sun sets in the West, and the “Fearless” Aghora faces that virtual death ~ in the West.
Tat-purusha is Rudra, who always dwells in the North.
And Ishana is Sadashiva ~ the upper face of the Linga.

There are some justifiable variations on this, although I have not encountered your particular “South Indian” version before.

[Arjuna]

Namaste Sarabhanga!


Namaste Arjuna,
Sadyojata is Bhu; Vamadeva is Vayu, Aghora is Jala; Tat-purusha is Teja; and Ishana is Akasha.
The Sun rises in the East, and Sadyojata is the “First Born” ~ in the East.
Vamadeva (or Bhairava) relates to the Pitris ~ in the South.
The Sun sets in the West, and the “Fearless” Aghora faces that virtual death ~ in the West.
Tat-purusha is Rudra, who always dwells in the North.
And Ishana is Sadashiva ~ the upper face of the Linga.
There are some justifiable variations on this, although I have not encountered your particular “South Indian” version before.

Well, i don't think the version i described is specifically South Indian;

Na Ma Shi Va Ya as Prithivi etc upto Akasha i knew from my deshika who was a Tamil brahmana; the same i read in Shivaya Subramunia Swami's book, "Shivena Saha Nartanam." Thus in South India i assume this as accepted tradition — i am not sure of the North.

Correspondence of Five Faces with directions as i remember was provided by Mark Dyczkowsky in "Canon of Saivagama" and is probably based on Shaivagamas. And correspondence of Faces with elements i think i have seen for example in Mantra-mahodadhi (but i may mistake).

I will try to check up the sourses. It is becoming more interesting :)
Maybe something can be found in Vinashikha-tantra and some of 28 Shaivagamas. Problem is that i have none of them... But some secondary sources may also help.

And what is the source of Ur version?

[Znanna]

Va व represents the Ocean, the Sky, the World, or Manifest Existence.
And Va is a Cloth, a Weaver, or a Dwelling, and it also indicates Strong Motion (as an Arrow).

Vam वं is the Varuna Bīja.

Vā वा means to Go or to Blow.

Ya य means Who or Which, and also indicates a Goer or Mover, a Carriage, the Wind, Light, or the Sky.
And Ya is both Yama (Rein or Restraint) and Yoga (Union).

Yam यं means One to Whom, and it is known as the Vāyu वायु (Wind) Bīja.

Vāya वाय indicates Weaving or a Weaver, and implies Tantra (Loom).

Ā आ is a doubling of A अ, and it indicates Going Towards or Similarity.

Ākāra belongs to the Aśvinau (Twin Charioteers) and it spans Va and Ya, which are the first and last Semivowels (Antahstha ~ Standing Between), uniting Ocean with Sky, and spelling Vāyu.


Wow. Thanks for that!


Love,
ZN

[sarabhanga]

Namaste Arjuna,

Na is Akasha, as Ishana or Sadashiva ~ above (or north-east);
Ma is Tejas or Agni, as Tatpurusha or Rudra ~ to the north;
Shi is Jala or Ap, as Aghora or Pashupati ~ to the west, with Varuna;
Va is Vayu, as Vamadeva or Bhairava ~ to the south, with Yama and the Pitris; and
Ya is Bhu or Prithivi, as Sadyojata or Mahadeva ~ to the east, with the Adityas.

And the Pranava is below (or south-west, with the Nairirita), as the foundation of the whole edifice.

Some variation arises from alternate readings of a two-dimensional yantra as three-dimensional linga; but any serious changes to the given pattern really need to be justified with respect to the various established relationships in this whole coherent world-view.

Vayu and Agni are commonly attributed to the north-west and the south-east, respectively, although the reasoning is slightly different; and that may explain the switching of Agni and Vayu in some explanations of the Shiva Linga or Pancakshara Mantra.

I cannot point to any particular text that spells any of this out ~ in fact, this whole thread on Pancakshara is a synthesis of many years of meditation on the various hints given by my Gurus and clues found rarely scattered though diverse scriptures and commentaries.

[Arjuna]

Namaste Arjuna,
Na is Akasha, as Ishana or Sadashiva ~ above (or north-east);
Ma is Tejas or Agni, as Tatpurusha or Rudra ~ to the north;
Shi is Jala or Ap, as Aghora or Pashupati ~ to the west, with Varuna;
Va is Vayu, as Vamadeva or Bhairava ~ to the south, with Yama and the Pitris; and
Ya is Bhu or Prithivi, as Sadyojata or Mahadeva ~ to the east, with the Adityas.
And the Pranava is below (or south-west, with the Nairirita), as the foundation of the whole edifice.

Namaste Sarabhanga,

Perhaps these two traditions (till now we know of only two) are related to Pravritti and Nivritti versions of Panchakshari-vidya. It resembles a case with Bala and Panchadashi in Shrividya, which has similar variations. And even more it resembles the succession of Yoginis in so-called Shachchakra.

This may be interesting for U as a Shakta parallel. Kaula-tantras usually give the succession of 6 Yoginis in this way:
Dakini (Prithivi), Rakini (Jala, or Agni acc to Saundarya-lahari and Hadi-krama), Lakini (Agni, or Jala), Kakini (Vayu), Shakini (Akasha), Hakini (Tattvatita).
But in Lalita-sahasranama they have a reverse order: Sakini, Kakini, Lakini, Rakini, Dakini and Hakini. Only the last one, Pranava, is at the same place, Ajna, while other five go in reversed manner.

Regarding direction and Faces, i have found a source of my version: M.S.G. Dyczkowsky in "The Canon of the Saivagama and the Kubjika Tantras of the Western Kaula Tradition" provides it on pp. 31—32, noting that "this system of classification is common to the Siddhantagamas as a whole and appears to have originated with them." Specifically he mentions Kamikagama (one of 28) as a source.
As i remember, Subramunia Swami somewhere gives a similar classification where Sadyojata stands for West, Vamadeva for East etc.

The 6th Face, lower Amnaya or Shaivasrotas, is of particular interest. Tirumantiram speaks of it as a Face of Anugraha-shakti, and Kaula-tantras mention it as a secret Face or Mouth of Yogini — which is a reference to the Yoni. This Yogini-mukha is the basic source of all Kula tradition, Rahasyamnaya of Shaivism.

In any case, thank U for sharing this scheme of Faces that U know. I am fond of such things ;)

[Arjuna]

Namaste Sarabhanga,

Could U please tell is the practice of "rotating" of Panchakshari bijas present in Northern tradition of Shaivism and among Nathas?
It exists in South, and i guess U know what i speak about.

[Arjuna]

Tirumantiram provides the same model of Panchavaktra as per Siddhantagamas:

1741 Names of the Five Faces of Sadasiva
To recount the Five Faces where His Grace abounds
Thus it is:
The Northward Face is Vama
The Westward Face is Satyojata
The Eastward Face is Tatpurusha
The Southward Face is Aghora
The Upward Face is Isana.

1742 How Sakti dwells in the Five faces of Sadasiva
In the shining Isana face is Sakti's Crown;
In the Tatpurusha face is Her Visage
In the Aghora is Her Heart and Waist;
In the Vama face are Her Feet blessed.

http://www.himalayanacademy.com/resources/books/tirumantiram/TantraSeven.html

[sarabhanga]

Namaste Arjuna,

By “rotating the bijas” do you mean different versions that start with each of the different bijas? If so, then yes ~ this is generally understood.

There are two basic Pancaksharas (namaH shivAya and shivAya namaH), although only the former is sanctioned by the Vedas.

And there are five Pancaksharas altogether:

na maH shi vA ya ~ maH shi vA ya na ~ shi vA ya na maH ~ vA ya na maH shi ~ ya na maH shi vA

[sarabhanga]

If the Rudra Gayatri is considered as Sadyojata (who traditionally greets the dawn); and if Bhairava is considered as Rudra (who traditionally dwells with Kubera and all the Ganas in the north); and if Aghora is considered as Yama (who traditionally dwells with the Pitris in the south); and if Sadyojata is relegated to the western “sunset” face (as the “old way” that has been replaced by a new perspective) ~ then the Tirumantiram version may be justified.

Tirumular wrote in Tamil, and his Tirumantiram is surely a later South Indian Shakta variation of the original Pashupata Shaiva doctrine.

[Arjuna]

Tirumular wrote in Tamil, and his Tirumantiram is surely a later South Indian Shakta variation of the original Pashupata Shaiva doctrine.

Namaste,

Tirumantiram was written about 6th century C.E. acc. to scientific dating. Thus he is not much later than original Shaivagamas. Perhaps the same Rishi (one of the Rishis more likely) who brounght Shaiva-siddhanta into South could have written Tirumantiram!

And version of Tirumantiram seems to be exactly the same as that of Siddhantagamas. The only thing i am not sure is the 6th "hidden" Face, which may be a Shakta doctrine (but may be just a correlation of Murugan!).

[Arjuna]

And there are five Pancaksharas altogether:
na maH shi vA ya ~ maH shi vA ya na ~ shi vA ya na maH ~ vA ya na maH shi ~ ya na maH shi vA

Yes, i was speaking about these. And do U know where this teaching is given in Shaivagamas (or elsewhere)? I know it from oral tradition and as i remember it is also present in Tirumantiram.

[sarabhanga]

अथ शिव पञ्चाक्षर स्तोत्रम्
Atha Śiva Pañcākshara Stotram



नागेन्द्रहाराय त्रिलोचनाय भस्माङ्गरागाय महेश्वराय।
Nāgendrahārāya trilocanāya bhasmāngarāgāya maheśvarāya |

दिव्याय देवाय दिगम्बराय तस्मै नकाराय नमः शिवाय॥१॥
divyāya devāya digambarāya tasmai Na-kārāya ~ namah śivāya ||1||



मातङ्गचर्माम्बरभूषणाय समस्तगीर्वाण गणार्चिताय।
Mātangacarmāmbarabhūshanāya samastagīrvānaganārcitāya |

त्रैलोक्यनाथाय त्रिपुरान्तकाय तस्मै मकाराय नमः शिवाय॥२॥
trailokyanāthāya tripurāntakāya tasmai Ma-kārāya ~ namah śivāya ||2||



शिवामुखोम्भोजविकाशनाय दक्षस्य यज्ञस्य विध्वंसनाय।
Śivāmukhombhojavikāśanāya dakshasya yajñasya vidhvamsanāya |

चन्द्रार्कवैश्वानरलोचनाय तस्मै शिकाराय नमः शिवाय॥३॥
candrārkavaiśvānaralocanāya tasmai Śi-kārāya ~ namah śivāya ||3||



वसिष्ठकुंभोद्भवगौतमाय मुनीन्द्रवेद्याय गिरीश्वराय।
Vasishthakumbhodbhavagautamāya munīndravedyāya girīśvarāya |

श्रीनीलकण्ठाय वृषध्वजाय तस्मै वकाराय नमः शिवाय॥४॥
śrīnīlakanthāya vrishadhvajāya tasmai Va-kārāya ~ namah śivāya ||4||



यज्ञस्वरूपाय जटाधराय पिनाकहस्ताय सनातनाय।
Yajñasvarūpāya jatādharāya pinākahastāya sanātanāya |

नित्याय शुद्धाय निरञ्जनाय तस्मै यकाराय नमः शिवाय॥५॥
nityāya śuddhāya nirañjanāya tasmai Ya-kārāya ~ namah śivāya ||5||



पञ्चाक्षरमिदं यः पठेच्छिवसन्निधौ।
pañcāksharamidam yah pathecchivasannidhau |

शिवलोकमवाप्नोति शिवेन सह मोदते॥
śivalokamavāpnoti śivena saha modate ||



॥ इति श्रीपञ्चाक्षरस्तोत्रं संपूर्णम् ॥
|| iti śrīpañcāksharastotram sampūrnam ||

[Arjuna]

Namaste Sarabhanga,

The second passage has a various reading:

mandAkinIsalilacandanacarccitAya nandIshvarapramathanAthamaheshvarAya.
mandArapuShpabahupuShpasupUjitAya tasmai makArAya namashshivAya..

There are some minor variations in third and fourth verses as well, but i fail to remember them.

[sarabhanga]

Śrī Mahāmrityuñjaya Yantra
The Auspicious Great Death Conquering Apparatus

Bow to the Lord of Pārvatī ~ Bow to the Lord of Kailāśa ~ Bow to the Auspicious Particle ~ Bow to Śiva ~ Om

[Znanna]

LOL!


:eek:



Love,
ZN

[Arjuna]

Namaste Sarabhanga,

Returning to Five Faces topic:

Vishnudharmottara-purana (III.48.1-3) identifies the five Faces, Sadyojata, Vamadeva, Aghora, Tatpurusha and Ishana, with five elements: earth, water, fire, air and space respectively.

[sarabhanga]

Namah is numbered 0 + 5 + 0 = 5, which is the prime number of Rudra-Śiva.
Śiva is 5 + 4 = 9, indicating the Nine Openings of the Body and the Nine Nāthas (Lords) who control Vāyu and Prāna(Vital Breath) with Ya (Yama and Yoga), whose value is 1.
Śivāya thus sums to 10; and the complete Pāñcākshara Mantra is 15.

Reckoned as 3 x 5, the Pāñcākshara is Namah (5) + Śi (5) + Vāya (5), which may be read: Respect the One who Excites the Fabric, or who Blows Strongly.

The numerals 5 : 5 : 4 : 1 thus refer to Namah Śivāya ~ which appears in chapter 5 of the Taittirīya Samhitā, and as the 5th appellation in the 41st verse of the Śatarudriya. ;)

[Arjuna]

Namaste Sarabhanga,

My Tamil friend, Yajurvediya brahmana, said to me today that in Vedic worship they use this scheme of Faces and directions:
Sadyojata - East
Vamadeva - South
Aghora - west
Tatpurusha - north
Ishana - urdhwa

And Agamic Shivacharyas use a scheme i have outlined previously.

[sarabhanga]

Na is Akasha, as Ishana or Sadashiva ~ above (or north-east);
Ma is Tejas or Agni, as Tatpurusha or Rudra ~ to the north;
Shi is Jala or Ap, as Aghora or Pashupati ~ to the west, with Varuna;
Va is Vayu, as Vamadeva or Bhairava ~ to the south, with Yama and the Pitris; and
Ya is Bhu or Prithivi, as Sadyojata or Mahadeva ~ to the east, with the Adityas.

Some variation arises from alternate readings of a two-dimensional yantra as three-dimensional linga; but any serious changes to the given pattern really need to be justified with respect to the various established relationships in this whole coherent world-view.

If the Rudra Gayatri is considered as Sadyojata (who traditionally greets the dawn); and if Bhairava is considered as Rudra (who traditionally dwells with Kubera and all the Ganas in the north); and if Aghora is considered as Yama (who traditionally dwells with the Pitris in the south); and if Sadyojata is relegated to the western “sunset” face (as the “old way” that has been replaced by a new perspective) ~ then the Tirumantiram version may be justified.

My Tamil friend, Yajurvediya Brahmana, said to me today that in Vedic worship they use this scheme of faces and directions:
Sadyojata – East. Vamadeva – South. Aghora – West. Tatpurusha – North. Ishana – Upper.
Just as I have been saying all along! :1cool:

How is the Agamic variation justified with respect to the thousands of years of traditional Vedic understanding and practice (other than simply as “an oral tradition”)? ;)

[Singhi Kaya]

How is the Agamic variation justified with respect to the thousands of years of traditional Vedic understanding and practice (other than simply as “an oral tradition”)? ;)

But weren't vedas themselves a oral tradition before they were written down.

The story of Agamas is that they were revealed as texts specifically for kali yuga. At other times they were just practices passed on orally -- hmmm.. a leap of faith is needed to believe such stuff.:Cool:

[sarabhanga]

How is the Agamic variation justified with respect to the thousands of years of traditional Vedic understanding and practice?
Vedic tradition considers a free-standing Shivalinga from the perspective of the Adityas; whereas, Agamic tradition considers an enclosed Shivalinga from the perspective of the Pitris.

Before the 1st century BC, a Shivalinga was always free-standing in the natural environment, and never enclosed in a temple; but after that time, the practice of constructing a “permanent” Mandir around the eternal Shivalinga gradually developed.

Unless some other special conditions prevail, the normal approach to the Linga in every Shiva Mandir will be from the South; for none may approach Shiva without departing from this mortal world, and thus the first sight of the Linga will be from the South (i.e. from the realm of Lord Yama and the departed Fathers).


If the Rudra Gayatri is considered as Sadyojata (who traditionally greets the dawn); and if Bhairava is considered as Rudra (who traditionally dwells with Kubera and all the Ganas in the north); and if Aghora is considered as Yama (who traditionally dwells with the Pitris in the south); and if Sadyojata is relegated to the western “sunset” face (as the “old way” that has been replaced by a new perspective) ~ then the Tirumantiram version may be justified.
The Vedic Aditya perspective has been transformed into the Agamic Pitri perspective by exchanging Yama for Aghora, and I assume that the Tirumantiram (c. 500 AD) represents the view of Aghori (or Kapalika) temple priests.

[Arjuna]

Namaste Sarabhanga,


Just as I have been saying all along! :1cool:

Yes, and that is why i have provided this here ;)


How is the Agamic variation justified with respect to the thousands of years of traditional Vedic understanding and practice (other than simply as “an oral tradition”)? ;)

Agamic tradition is about 2 thousand years old and is justified by experience of many Shaiva saints and by divine revelation of Agamas itself ;)

[sarabhanga]

In Egyptian Hieroglyphs, the Five-Pointed Star represents a Star or Deity ~ especially the star known as Alpha Canis Majoris (the principal star of the Greater Dog) or Sirius (the Scorcher or Dog Star). The Greeks knew this asterism as Sothis.

As the brightest star, its invisible presence in the day sky along with the Sun was considered to induce the extreme heat of summer. And the Heliacal (Dawn) Rising of Sirius ~ when (after its annual period of invisibility) the Dog Star rises just before the Sun and is apparently reborn in the firmament ~ marked the start of the Egyptian calendar. This event anciently heralded the annual Inundation of the Nile, and it coincided exactly with the Summer Solstice (21 June) in 3300 BC.

[sarabhanga]

The Five-Pointed Star glyph indicates the triliteral SBA (Sb’a) or SVA (Sv’a).

In Sanskrit, Sva denotes a Dog; and Sirius is known as Mrigavyādha (Antelope Hunter), whose aim is Orion (Mriga ~ the Antelope).

[sarabhanga]

S is a Scepter or folded Bolt of Fabric; which, at the beginning of a word, often indicates Causation.

BA (B’a) or BVA (Bv’a) is the Soul ~ cf. Bhava (Existence) ~ so that SBA (Seb’a or Sib’a) is the Cause of the Soul, and the very cause of all Existence.

When Alexander of Macedon crossed the Sindhu, he encountered followers of Rudra (dressed in the skins of wild animals, and armed with cudgels) and he recognized them as the “Siboi”. And, SBH (Sebeh) means to Cry out ~ cf. Rudra, the Crier.

[sarabhanga]

Shri Bhargambara Ji ~ Shivaratri in Kashi ~ OM namo Narayana !

[sarabhanga]

And those ancient Shaivya devotees of Rudra, dressed in the skin of a wild animal and armed with a club, are swiftly recalled by Shri Anjaneya Hanuman Ji !

[orlando]

Namaste all.
By http://www.shaivam.org/mantra_pancaxara.htm
Ways of chanting the panchAkshari
While many mantras have restrictions as to when and how it can be chanted etc., there is no such restriction to the panchAkshara mantra. The great prodigy sambandhar says in thEvAram, "When you sleep as well as when you do not sleep, think of the Holy Five Syllables with heartful of devotion ! This is the mantra that terribly kicked out the death when chanted (by mArkaNDeya) with sincerity."
Whoever you are, whenever be the time, whatever be the situation chant the Holy Five Syllables.
There are no restrictions of color, creed, caste, gender or any other restrictions. All it requires is sincerity.
This mantra could be chanted as it is as panchAkshara or could be chanted along with the praNava (aum) as shaDAkshara mantra (om namahshivAya). In fact it is to be noted that praNava itself is panchakshara mantra (akara, ukara, makara, bindhu, nAtham).

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regards,
Orlando.

[satay]

Shri Bhargambara Ji ~ Shivaratri in Kashi ~ OM namo Narayana !

Who is shri Bhargambara ji? please share...

[sarabhanga]

Namaste Satay,

Bhargambara is a particular high office among the Nagas, and only such qualified Sadhus are entitled to actually wear the skin of a wild animal such as a leopard or a tiger. It is now illegal to hunt these endangered species, and most ceremonial skins are quite old, having passed from Guru to eligible student over many generations. And all such skins (which are more commonly used as a seat for meditation) must now be certified by the government to avoid possible confiscation and a heavy fine.

[orlando]

Namaste all.
Shri Sarabhanga I have to ask you a question.
If one day I will be initiated from a guru who is siddha in Pancakshara Mantra or Shadakshara Mantra,then how many times will have to recite/chant Namah Shivaya or Om Namah Shivaya to get siddhi in it and having the darshan (vision) of Lord Shankara?
http://www.indiaoz.com.au/hinduism/pictures/shiva/shiva_3.jpg

Regards,
Orlando.

[sarabhanga]

Namaste Orlando,

Various numbers have been suggested, but in truth only your own Guru can make such an estimation for you. The general instruction is to keep repeating the mantra for as long as it takes ~ you will surely know when the aim has been achieved ~ although it is usually assumed that any such sadhana will require about 12 years of continuous practice before its proper fruition.

[sarabhanga]

VA (V’a) is a Noose, which also indicates Fire; and VA denotes Far (in Time or Distance).

And SVA (Sev’a or Siv’a) is thus the Source of Fire (cf. Agni) or Bolt of Fire (cf. Vajra ~ Thunderbolt).

SVA means Cause to Pass (or be Far), and thus Motion or Endurance; and SVA indicates the Old One (the Enduring Body ~ cf. Jyeshtha) or the One who Moves (cf. Vāyu ~ Wind).

[sarabhanga]

Sh is a Lake or Pool of Water, and ShV or ShIV (Shev, Shiv, or Shū) is the God of Air and of Sunlight, or the Sky (the Celestial Pool) ~ born from the seed of Atum (the Sun). :)

[sarabhanga]

SV (Siv or Sū) is to be Free from anything; and the Feather glyph particularly indicates Truth (Free from Untruth) or Balance (Free from Disturbance). So that Shū refers to Unqualified Perfection.

IV means Is/Are (cf. Jiva or Being); so that Shiv is the Pool of Being, and Siv is the Cause of Existence or the One who Is.

Shū is Existence or Manifestation, and S-IV declares that I Am

IV (Iw or Yew) also means to Come or to Return ~ an ancient preoccupation of the Jews. ;)

[sarabhanga]

यँ is Yudhishthira’s Anantavijaya Shankha.
वाँ is Bhima’s Paundra Shankha.
शिँ is Arjuna’s Devadatta Shankha.
मः is Sahadeva’s Manipushpaka Shankha.
नँ is Nakula’s Sughosha Shankha.

And all together, नमः शिवाय is Shri Krishna’s Pancajanya Shankha.

[orlando]

Namaste all.
By http://www.shaivam.org/mantra_pancaxara.htm
Ways of chanting the panchAkshari
While many mantras have restrictions as to when and how it can be chanted etc., there is no such restriction to the panchAkshara mantra. The great prodigy sambandhar says in thEvAram, "When you sleep as well as when you do not sleep, think of the Holy Five Syllables with heartful of devotion ! This is the mantra that terribly kicked out the death when chanted (by mArkaNDeya) with sincerity."
Whoever you are, whenever be the time, whatever be the situation chant the Holy Five Syllables.
There are no restrictions of color, creed, caste, gender or any other restrictions. All it requires is sincerity.
This mantra could be chanted as it is as panchAkshara or could be chanted along with the praNava (aum) as shaDAkshara mantra (om namahshivAya). In fact it is to be noted that praNava itself is panchakshara mantra (akara, ukara, makara, bindhu, nAtham).

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regards,
Orlando.

Namaste all.
Now I will show Sivaya Subramuniyaswamy's opinions about chanting/reciting Pancakshara.
Please read what he says in his book Dancing with Siva, Hinduism's Contemporary Catechism.

By http://www.himalayanacademy.com/resources/books/dws/dws_mandala-28.html

How Is Namah Sivaya Properly Chanted?
SLOKA 137

The Panchakshara Mantra, Namah Sivaya, is repeated verbally or mentally, often while counting a mala of rudraksha beads, drawing the mind in upon itself to cognize Lord Siva's infinite, all-pervasive presence. Aum.

BHASHYA

Japa yoga is the first yoga to be performed toward the goal of jnana. In the temple perform japa. Under your favorite tree perform japa. Seated in a remote cave perform japa. Aum Namah Sivaya can be performed on rudraksha beads over and over when the sun is setting, when the sun is rising or high noon lights the day. "Aum Namah Sivaya," the Saivite chants. Aum Namah Sivaya feeds his soul, brightens his intellect and quells his instinctive mind. Take the holy tears of Siva, the auburn rudraksha beads, into your hands. Push a bead over the middle finger with your thumb and hold as the intonation marks its passage. The duly initiated audibly repeats "Namah Sivaya," and when japa is performed silently, mentally chants "Sivaya Namah." There are many ways to chant this mantra, but perform it as you were initiated. Unauthorized experimentation is forbidden. Those prone to angry rage should never do japa. The Tirumantiram announces, "His feet are the letter Na. His navel is the letter Ma. His shoulders are the letter Si. His mouth, the letter Va. His radiant cranial center aloft is Ya. Thus is the five-lettered form of Siva." Aum Namah Sivaya.

Is Initiation Necessary to Perform Japa?
SLOKA 138

The most precious of all Saivite mantras, Namah Sivaya is freely sung and chanted by one and all. Mantra diksha bestows the permission and power for japa yoga. Without this initiation, its repetition bears lesser fruit. Aum.

The Panchakshara Mantra is the word of God, the name and total essence of Siva. But to chant Namah Sivaya and to be empowered to chant Namah Sivaya is likened to the difference between writing a check without money in the bank and writing a check with money in the bank. Namah Sivaya is the gateway to yoga. Initiation from an orthodox guru is given after preparation, training and attaining a certain level of purity and dedication. The guru bestows the authority to chant Namah Sivaya. After initiation, the devotee is obligated to intone it regularly as instructed. This forges the shishya's permanent bond with the guru and his spiritual lineage, sampradaya, and fires the process of inner unfoldment. From the lips of my Satgurunatha I learned Namah Sivaya, and it has been the central core of my life, strength and fulfillment of destiny. The secret of Namah Sivaya is to hear it from the right lips at the right time. Then, and only then, is it the most powerful mantra for you. The Siva Samhita affirms, "Only the knowledge imparted by a guru, through his lips, is powerful and useful; otherwise it becomes fruitless, weak and very painful." Aum Namah Sivaya.



Regards,
Orlando.

[Shriyash21]

12 years sounds right, i have heard this number from the mouth of many God Shiva bhakts.
of course, 12 years if done sincerely and with dicipline, is what they say.

[yajvan]

Hari Om
~~~~~

Sh is a Lake or Pool of Water, and ShV or ShIV (Shev, Shiv, or Shū) is the God of Air and of Sunlight, or the Sky (the Celestial Pool) ~ born from the seed of Atum (the Sun). :)

Namaste sarabhanga, and Om Nama Siva

Perhaps a conversation too on S'iva ( some write civa) and Shav (corpse)? and as we always see Natraj dancing, we see Him with one food on a child baby. We know that He can stop the cycle of birth and death for us.

Perhaps a conversation on this is in order?

[sarabhanga]

Hari OM

As previously noted:

Śa is a Weapon or Destroyer, and it invokes Liberation and Happiness. And Śa names both Rudra and Śiva.

Śī means to Lie Down, and Śiva is the One in whom All Things Rest.

Śam and Śim both indicate Welfare or Happiness.

Śava is derived from Śvā (to Swell or Increase); meaning Swollen, and thus a Corpse.

Śva invokes a Dog, which is another ‘Howler’ and the vehicle of Bhairava, the Fearsome attendant of Śiva.

I expresses Wonder, and the number 100; and Im is the Agni (Fire) Bīja.

Śi is Śakāra tempered by Ikāra, and so it Sharpens the Weapon and invokes 100 Rudras.

Śiva is Śava with Fire at its heart ~ both Animating and Cremating the Body.

[Shriyash21]

Śiva is Śava with Fire at its heart ~ both Animating and Cremating the Body.

Wow, well said!

[atanu]

Om Namah Shivayya

AUM transcends the hardness. In the silence at the end of M, become subtler than air and just be light. Then with namah shivayya get Shiva with you.

Manifest Him. Bind Him and then make Him your own.

Om Namah Shivayya

[yajvan]

Hari Om
~~~~~~
Namaste,
on this particular post, we have been discussing the Pancakshara Mantra
and Siva's auspiciousness in general.
Just a friendly note... Pancaksshara is 5 syllables , yet we have posted 6.
Pancakshara Mantra is Nama Sivaya

Na Ma Siv ah ya
1-- 2-- 3 --4- 5

Om Namah Shivaya is shadakshara or 6 syllables ( very asupicious too)

Om Na Ma Siv ah ya
1 --2-- 3 -4 --5 -6

Which is preferred? This is the discussion of the Union with Siva. Per my joyrish guru, shadakshara, with Om, acts to the emancipation results one may be looking to siva for... with Pranava starting the mantra.
From a Jyotish perspective , we are bringing the sun-moon together in union. ( Siva with the crest moon on his head symbolizes this).

pranams,

[atanu]

Hari Om
~~~~~~
Namaste,
on this particular post, we have been discussing the Pancakshara Mantra
and Siva's auspiciousness in general.
Just a friendly note... Pancaksshara is 5 syllables , yet we have posted 6.
Pancakshara Mantra is Nama Sivaya

Na Ma Siv ah ya
1-- 2-- 3 --4- 5

Om Namah Shivaya is shadakshara or 6 syllables ( very asupicious too)

Om Na Ma Siv ah ya
1 --2-- 3 -4 --5 -6

Which is preferred? This is the discussion of the Union with Siva. Per my joyrish guru, shadakshara, with Om, acts to the emancipation results one may be looking to siva for... with Pranava starting the mantra.
From a Jyotish perspective , we are bringing the sun-moon together in union. ( Siva with the crest moon on his head symbolizes this).

pranams,


Hello Namaskar,

I dont know which is preferred. Who Am I?

He dances in mind: Ta Ta Thai Thai Ta Ta Thai Thai. That's all I know. I just want to bind Him, but He is slippery.

I remember my Guru saying: 'Om Namah Shivayya' means manifesting the unmanifest OM as the 'Sivataraya'. It is the most natural thing to do, since Upanishad says that OM is 'shivoadvaitam'. And there is fun in this Dvaita mode, till it lasts. People manifest demons. Manifesting sweet Shiva in Taijassa is infintely better.


Bhava is Narayaana. Bhavani is Naraayani. he he these are names with some concepts associated. The real thing is neti neti. Names are there so that we, who cannot survive without holding on to something, have something to hold on to. So, the preference should be according to what suits and appeals to one.

And I am sure that God takes care of that.


Just playing on. That's all.

Om Namah Shivayya

[atanu]

Om Namah Shivayya

AUM transcends the hardness. In the silence at the end of M, become subtler than air and just be light. Then with namah shivayya get Shiva with you.

Manifest Him. Bind Him and then make Him your own.

Om Namah Shivayya

Alternatively,

AUM helps to successively transcend: the being who is awake and sees the solid boundaries, followed by the being who is subtle and who creates more subtle bodies, and finally the being who sees no world, who has no ego, and who is all pervasive, who has sustaining power, but who knows nothing.

Beyond AUM, one may attain the being who while owning all the sustaining powers of Pragnya never slumbers. He is peace and sweet. He is omniscient Shiva.


There is no "i" left at the end of Om Namah Shivayya. That peace alone is.

Om Namah Shivayya

[Agnideva]

अथ शिव पञ्चाक्षर स्तोत्रम्



Atha Śiva Pañcākshara Stotram


Namaste,

There are a couple of versions of this Stotram. The translation that I have differs from Sarabhanga-ji's original in the second and third stanzas, and partially in the fourth, as noted earlier by Arjuna. The other difference is that in some versions, the fifth stanza reads, "who takes the form of yajña" and in others, like the one below, "who takes the form of a yaksha." It's a one letter difference in the Sanskrit language.

-----

Panchākshara Stotram
Hymn of the Penta-Syllabic
(na-ma-shi-vA-ya)
By Adi Shankārācharya

To the One embodied in the syllable na, adorned with a serpent garland;
To the three-eyed Lord, besmeared with ashes, to the great Ruler over all;
To that eternal One, who is pure and sky-clad, salutations be unto Shiva. ||1||

To the One embodied in the syllable ma, honored with the waters of Mandākini and anointed with the paste of sandalwood;
To the Lord of Nandi, the Bull, who rules over all the hosts of tormentors;
To that great Lord worshipped with myriad flowers, with Mandāra flowers;
To that ever-blissful One, salutations be unto Shiva. ||2||

To the One embodied in the syllable shi, who, like the Sun, causes the lotus face of Gauri (Shakti) to blossom;
To the Destroyer of the yajña of Daksha, to the Blue-Throated One;
To the Bearer of the emblem of the bull, salutations be unto Shiva. ||3||

To the One embodied in the syllable va, venerated by Vasishtha, Agastya, Gautama and other noble sages, as well as hosts of Devas;
To the One whose three eyes are resplendent like the sun, moon and fire;
To the Bearer of the Moon-Crest, salutations be unto Shiva. ||4||

To the One embodied in the syllable ya, who takes the form of a Yaksha;
To the One with matted locks, to the Bearer of the pināka bow, that Primeval Lord;
To that effulgent God, the sky-clad One, salutations be unto Shiva. ||5||

Whosoever recites this Hymn of the Penta-syllabic in the presence of God Shiva;
He will certainly attain the Supreme abode of Shiva;
And enjoy everlasting bliss with Him. ||6||

aum namaH shivAya

[atanu]

Namaste,

There are a couple of versions of this Stotram. ----- The other difference is that in some versions, the fifth stanza reads, "who takes the form of yajña" and in others, like the one below, "who takes the form of a yaksha." It's a one letter difference in the Sanskrit language.

-----

------
aum namaH shivAya


Namaste Agni devaji,

Personally, I prefer a conceptless immersion in the sound waves.

The least concept that I start with is that "Om Namah Shivayya", is the soulful cry of the mind (Girija) to unite with Lord, who remains changeless through all states of AUM and in the silence beyond AUM.

The peace and the 'limitless state' of deep sleep is attained while awake.

Regards,


aum namaH shivAya

[Agnideva]

He dances in mind: Ta Ta Thai Thai Ta Ta Thai Thai. That's all I know. I just want to bind Him, but He is slippery.
I remember my Guru saying: 'Om Namah Shivayya' means manifesting the unmanifest OM as the 'Sivataraya'. It is the most natural thing to do, since Upanishad says that OM is 'shivoadvaitam'.

There is no "i" left at the end of Om Namah Shivayya. That peace alone is.
Personally, I prefer a conceptless immersion in the sound waves.
The least concept that I start with is that "Om Namah Shivayya", is the soulful cry of the mind (Girija) to unite with Lord, who remains changeless through all states of AUM and in the silence beyond AUM.
The peace and the 'limitless state' of deep sleep is attained while awake.
aum namaH shivAyaSome beautiful words and thoughts, Atanu-ji. Do keep telling us about Aum Namah Shivaya, I know I will never tire of hearing these words.

Regards,
A.

[atanu]

Some beautiful words and thoughts, Atanu-ji. Do keep telling us about Aum Namah Shivaya, I know I will never tire of hearing these words.

Regards,
A.

Aum Namah Shivayya

AUM

Aum Namah Shivayya is returning everything -- the pleasure, pain, possessions, and karma of the 'waking Vaisvanaro (A)', 'dreaming Taijjasso (U)', and 'blissful Pragnya (M)' states to the ONE, who is the real owner and who remains shantam at the end of OM and in OM.

With 'A', gather the waking world, with 'U', gather the dream world and with 'M', feeling the bliss, return everything to Him with tearful eyes.


The Ego has assumed ownership of all these and suffers due to mismanagement. Return all to the owner, O Ego, and be shantam yourself.

Om Namah Shivayya

[atanu]

Aum Namah Shivayya

AUM

Aum Namah Shivayya is returning everything -- the pleasure, pain, possessions, and karma of the 'waking Vaisvanaro (A)', 'dreaming Taijjasso (U)', and 'blissful Pragnya (M)' states to the ONE, who is the real owner and who remains shantam at the end of OM and in OM.

With 'A', gather the waking world, with 'U', gather the dream world and with 'M', feeling the bliss, return everything to Him with tearful eyes.


The Ego has assumed ownership of all these and suffers due to mismanagement. Return all to the owner, O Ego, and be shantam yourself.

Om Namah Shivayya

Nrisimha Uttara Tapaniya Upanishad

Seventh Chapter

Adding the first half of the Uu with the letter Aa, and making it as the form of Lord Narasimha, and then using the second half of letter Uu on Narasimha Brahma because it is macro, because it is shining, because it is famous, because it is Mahadeva (great God), because he is Maheswara (Greatest God), because it is the best Sattwa, because it is the greatest wisdom, because it is the greatest happiness, and because it is the greatest lord, then unite it with soul which is the meaning of the letter Ma. One who knows this, would be without a body, without sensory organs, without soul, without ignorance, with the form of Sat Chit Ananda (ever lasting bliss) and would become as one who attained salvation.

Therefore one has to meditate on Para Brahma with the letter Aa, cross the mind with letter Ma and search for that state where one is the witness of the mind. When one pushes out everything, then everything enters in and when he attains awakening of wisdom, then everything rises from him. Thus if one meditates, catches it, sets fire and swallows, he would become Narasimha who is of the form of Atma and would establish himself in his own power. There is a holy stanza about this. Its meaning is like this: Join Aa the first letter of Pranava, with the first part of its second letter Uu, and join these together with letter Ma and merge it with Turiya Brahman which is the meaning of Pranava and is a witness beyond the states of waking sleep and dream.
-----------


Om Namah Shivaya

[Agnideva]

All attainments are achieved by chanting the six syllable mantra, i.e. Aum Namah Shivaya. By the onset of Grace all are able to attain, in all circumstances, the wisdom of the Supreme Lord manifested in the form of hamsa (swan, symbol of prana, life-breath).

The six syllable mantra prefixed by Aum is the supreme among all mantras and is capable of fulfilling all the aspirations of the Shaiva devotee.

The mantra consisting of a few letters is the essence of the Veda, and is the bestower of both enjoyment and liberation. This mantra is only accomplished by His Grace, and undoubtedly is the form of Shiva Himself. This mantra as the form of Shiva Himself is undoubtedly self-evident by this injunction.

This divine mantra is endowed with various spiritual attainments and is also pleasant to the common people, and possesses a specific esoteric meaning revealed by the Lord Himself.

This mantra can easily be pronounced and is the fulfiller of all desires. Yea, it is the essence of the Veda in a few syllables, and is the provider of both enjoyment and liberation.

Pārameshvara Āgama
Chapter 11 (Recitation of the Panchakshara Mantra)
Verses 5-9.

OM Namah Shivaya!

[Agnideva]

Shiva continues:

All the mantras, Ishana and Panchabrahma mantra etc., remain inherent in the union of the monosyllabic mantra (AUM) and the pentasyllabic mantra (Namah Shivaya).

Shiva is the form of the pentasyllabic mantra is existent in a subtle way in the letters of this mantra symbolizing the perceiver and the perceived.

Shiva is the object of knowledge and so, it is known that He is the perceived (vācya) and also the perceiver (vācaka) of this mantra. It (this mantra) is the means by which attainment of Shiva is possible, and thus both (perceiver and perceived) are united beginninglessly.

O Shive (Devi)! It is but I, the omniscient Lord, who created this mantra. There are no other mantras equal to it.

The whole scripture of the Veda with all its divisions and subdivisions are existent in this mantra. So there can never be any mantra equal or superior to it.

All the seven crores of mantras along with innumerable auxiliaries are inseparable form of this hexasyllabic mantra just as the details inhere in the sutras.

All the Agamas propounding the knowledge of Shiva and also other sources of knowledge are merely the elaboration and interpretation of the hexasyllabic mantra.

What is the necessity of having various mantras and voluminous scriptures for the devotee who heart is adorned with the hexasyllabic mantra?

O Devi, one who has established himself in this mantra by constant recitation should be considered to have read and heard everything, and to have accomplished all good dispositions in his conduct.

Blessed is the life of the devotee whose tongue utters Shivaya along with Namah.

Devotee who recites pentasyllabic mantra with all sincerity and devotion attains freedom from bondage be he of any caste, a wretch, a moron or a learned person.

Pārameshvara Agama
Chapter 11 (Recitation of the Panchakshara Hymn)
Verses 16-26

OM Namah Shivaya.

[yajvan]

Hari Om
~~~~~~

Shiva continues:

All the mantras, Ishana and Panchabrahma mantra etc., remain inherent in the union of the monosyllabic mantra (AUM) and the pentasyllabic mantra (Namah Shivaya). OM Namah Shivaya.

Namaste,
Just a thought on this ... this panch-akshara of siva is
considered 5 syllables...namah shivaya The five syllables in this mantra are na - mah - shi - va - ya.
Now, when we add Om ( Very auspicious to do this), the panch or 5 becomes shad , or 6 syllables. Om na - mah - shi - va - ya.
Of what import is this? It is that of the Jyotish perspective, the influence on the 5th ( trine) rasi or house verses the 6th house , a house of service. Both are auspicious, yet is it considered Auspicious ( and proper ) to add pranana ( pra + na or to call out, some say humm) Om.

Now, there can be two forms... lets take a look.
Panch-akshara of namah shivaya - na - mah - shi - va - ya.
or Panch-akshara (also) like Om Nama Shiva - Om na - mah - shi - va
Note in the second mantra, the ya at the end of the mantra is dropped.

Shad-akshara - Om namah shivaya - Om-na - mah - shi - va - ya. Ya remains in the mantra.

We also note this word akshara; from a or "not" + ksi or to "destroy or parish" - so, that which is imperishable , not subject to decay. What can be this? Siva, the auspicious, the Absolute

Siva ( some even write this civa) owns the ashtami (8th) tithi of the month... the 8th is a house of moksha ( 4th, 8th and 12th houses are moksha houses)... Now, siva also owns the 14th tithi called chaturdasi. How does this occur? it is 6th from the 8th = 14th tithi ( 6 is house of service)... So, Siva's 8th tithi + service (6) gives the 14th tithi or Chaturdasi.

Hence, pending ones instruction on influencing the 5th or 6th house, this mantra can be used.

Om namashivaya

[atanu]

Yajur Veda enquires and answers:

In which direction should Rudra be worshipped?

One must find the answer from Yajur Veda.

There is no time, no house, and no being where Shiva is not. When these do not exist then also Shiva alone is. The Moksha houses, happenings related to which appear so painful, however, are looked after personally by my Lord.

Om Namah Shivaya

[sarabhanga]

5 syllables ... 6 syllables ... Which is preferred?

The true name of God remains unspoken.

Pancakshara is the mantra-body of Shiva; and all such fundamental mantras are, in practice, prefixed with the Pranava ~ oM.

Pancakshara is the Shaiva Pranava, but it is never spoken, so that only Sadakshara is outwardly revealed ~ oM namaH shivAya.

oM is revealed and explicit, while namaH shivAya is secreted and implicit.

oM is the Shukla Pranava, and namaH shivAya is the Krishna Pranava (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=7592&postcount=75) ~ and both are united in the perfect yoga of Sadakshara mantra.

[Arjuna]

The true name of God remains unspoken.

Pancakshara is the mantra-body of Shiva; and all such fundamental mantras are, in practice, prefixed with the Pranava ~ oM.

Pancakshara is the Shaiva Pranava, but it is never spoken, so that only Sadakshara is outwardly revealed ~ oM namaH shivAya.

oM is revealed and explicit, while namaH shivAya is secreted and implicit.

oM is the Shukla Pranava, and namaH shivAya is the Krishna Pranava (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=7592&postcount=75) ~ and both are united in the perfect yoga of Sadakshara mantra.

Namaste Sarabhanga,

This is interesting. Shrividya also speaks of pranava which is different from OM - IM. IM-kAra is mentioned somewhere in Rigveda and in Srisukta (must be also a part of Rigveda, but i don't remember exactly). It seems that different schools have different understanding of what pranava is.
BTW do U know who first identified pranava with OM?

[Eastern Mind]

Wow. I hadn't read this thread until today. Tons of research, well represented with lots of interesting discussions re history etc. Bottom line. It works. In bhajan together, in silence, out loud with mala. Aum Namasivaya

[sarabhanga]

Namaste Arjuna,

i is the third letter of devanAgarI ~ expressing wonder, inspiring awe, indicating relative existence or the number one hundred, and invoking indrANI.

And iM is the agni bIja.

I is the fourth letter of devanAgarI ~ implying consciousness or perception, consideration or compassion, and invoking IshAnI.

And IM is the amRta bIja.


ikAra and IkAra (cf. Ikaros) both indicate going, being, shining, pervading, desiring ~ naming kAmadeva, and dwelling in the eyes.

Im (= idAnIm) is “now”, and (in Tamil) Im refers to a cremation ground.

kara (or kAra) indicates the creator or doer, a sound or a ray of light.

And IMkara (idAnIMkara) is thus the creator of this moment, this very sound, the present or true light.

While, in Tamil, Im kArA would be a cremation-ground buffalo.


I am not sure, however, that IMkAra (or any variation) actually appears in the Rgveda; and I don’t recall any reference to IM as the praNava.

:headscratch:

[sarabhanga]

praNu (pra-nu) means “to sound loudly” or “to praise greatly”, “to resonate or reverberate”, or “to roar, bellow, or thunder”. It appears in the Rigveda, and in the Brahmanas and Upanishads praNu especially refers to the syllable oM. And throughout the Vedas, the term praNava (or praNavaka) implies the ekAkshara praNava, which is always oM.

[sm78]

The mantra shastras which propound multiple shakti praNavas refers (i think, not know for sure) to the original vedic praNava as setu-praNava.

setu refers to bridge in vernacular bengali. Meaning is same in samskritam ~ " to bind", "auseway , dike , dam , bridge", "boundary", "limit".

oM/AUM is verily the boundary of the manifest and unmanifest and also the bridge between the 2. All other bija mantras and shakti-praNavas (IM, hrIm) are manifest. Their purpose however tie up with meanings of praNu. And they also precede a mantra (pra- in front).

setu-praNava is the only resort of jivan muktas to merge in parabrahman. To this end during japam, a secret formula is to do chant oM during breathing out ~ the saMhara krama.

[sarabhanga]

Namaste Yajvan,

Regarding the two forms of pañcAkshara that you have given:

The first is sanctioned by the yajurveda, and more precisely it is na maH shi vA ya.

The second is an interesting variation, which should perhaps be rendered as oM nA ma shi vaH.

[Arjuna]

I am not sure, however, that IMkAra (or any variation) actually appears in the Rgveda; and I don’t recall any reference to IM as the praNava.

Namaste Sarabhanga,

Shrisukta has a line "tAm IshvarIm IM sharaNam prapadye" (citing from memory). And one Rigvedic passage mentions "chatvAra IM" which according to Srividya adepts refers to four kAmakalA-bIjas in kAdi-panchadashI.

Re designation of "IM" as pranava i know from oral tradition which goes from Sri Bhaskararaya (my SV Guru belongs to this line).

[sarabhanga]

Namaste Arjuna,

The line from shrI sUkta is:

candrAM prabhAsAM yashasA jvalantIM shriyaM loke devajuSTAmudArAm |
tAM padminImIM sharaNamahaM prapadye'lakshmIrme nashyatAM tvAM vRNe || 5 ||

tAm padminIm Im sharaNam aham prapadye

Im is a particle of affirmation and restriction; and Im (= idAnIm) also has the sense of “now” or “at this moment”.

I never doubted that Im appears in the Rgveda, but the term IMkAra does not occur.

And IM (the amRta bIja) is another name for shrI lakshmI, so I understand that IM is a veritable praNava for shrI vidyA; but the vaidika ekAkshara praNava is always oM (or auM).

[Arjuna]

And IM (the amRta bIja) is another name for shrI lakshmI, so I understand that IM is a veritable praNava for shrI vidyA; but the vaidika ekAkshara praNava is always oM (or auM).

Namaste Sarabhanga!
Thank U for providing exact verse.

BTW do U know what is the earliest historically reference to pranava, to OM and to OM *as* pranava?

[sarabhanga]

Namaste Arjuna,

The oMkAra (as we know it) was not used in the ancient Rgveda, but its linguistic precursor is commonly found.

av means “to drive, impel, animate, promote, favor, satisfy, or refresh”, and particularly “to offer (as a hymn to the gods)”.

Said of the Gods, av means “to be pleased with or accept favorably (as sacrifices, prayers, or hymns)”.

The imperative ava calls for the favorable acceptance of an offering ~ “Be pleased!”.

And the present participle ave declares “I am offering or impelling”

अवें → ॐ

[Arjuna]

[QUOTE=sarabhanga;17390]अवें → ॐ[QUOTE]

Namaste Sarabhanga,

I don't think we can judge by form of letters since devanagari script was developed about 10 century C. E. only. That means at least 2000-3000 years after Vedic samhitas were written down.

Still the question is open: where is OM designated as pranava for the first time? In Upanishads?
And does Veda mention pranava anywhere?

[sarabhanga]

I don't think we can judge by form of letters since devanagari script was developed about 10 century C. E. only. That means at least 2000-3000 years after Vedic samhitas were written down.

The root of auM is surely av[M]. The sound is the same, the meaning is the same, and the evolution of the script is not difficult to imagine.




Still the question is open: where is OM designated as pranava for the first time? In Upanishads? And does Veda mention pranava anywhere?

As previously noted:

praNu (infinitive praNavitum, first person present praNaumi or praNau, and first person imperative praNavai) means “to sound loudly” or “to praise greatly”, “to resonate or reverberate”, or “to roar, bellow, or thunder”. And it first appears in the Rigveda.

In the Brahmanas and Upanishads, praNu especially refers to the syllable oM.

And, in the Yajurveda, the Brahmanas, and the Upanishads, the term praNava (or praNavaka) implies the ekAkshara praNava, which is always oM.

[yajvan]

Hari Om
~~~~~


Said of the Gods, av means “to be pleased with or accept favorably (as sacrifices, prayers, or hymns)”.

The imperative ava calls for the favorable acceptance of an offering ~ “Be pleased!”.

Namaste sarabhanga,
can you take us a bit further... as we know then that svaha [for offerigs at yajya ] then must be rooted in ava. Can you advise on your ideas on this...as one way brings to oM and the other most natural way brings one to svAhA.

pranams,

[yajvan]

Hari Om
~~~~~

Namaste Sarabhanga!
Thank U for providing exact verse.

BTW do U know what is the earliest historically reference to pranava, to OM and to OM *as* pranava?

Namaste Arjuna,
just a side note and more of a 'nice to know'.
When we look to the major Upanishads there are two [that I am aware of] that begin the UPanishad with Om as being part of the sutra itself vs. the introductory saluation.

One is from Chandogya and the other is from Mundaka:

chandogya upanishad
om iti etad aksaram udgitham |

manduka upanishad
om brahma devanam prargamah sambabhuva
visvasya karta bhuvanasya gopta |

have you seen another that has pranava as part of the sutra's content that starts the mantra?

pranams,

[Arjuna]

Namaste Arjuna,
just a side note and more of a 'nice to know'.
When we look to the major Upanishads there are two [that I am aware of] that begin the UPanishad with Om as being part of the sutra itself vs. the introductory saluation.

Mandukya has OM in it's beginning, but i'm not sure it is included into 11 "classical" Upanishads, though for sure it was written before Shankara (VIII century C. E.).

[sarabhanga]

Mandukya has OM in it's beginning, but i'm not sure it is included into 11 "classical" Upanishads.

Namaste Arjuna,

I cannot recall ANY list of major Upanishads that does not include the Mandukya. What makes you think that it might not be "classical" ?

And regarding ave in ancient script, the similarity with OM is also apparent in Brahmi. And of course, the OM in our forum logo (and icon) is taken directly from a photo of OM Parvat, where the sign has existed for a VERY long time !

[sarabhanga]

Namaste Yajvan,

svAhA means “hail!”, and svAhA is “an oblation (especially to agni)” or “oblation personified (especially as the consort of agni).


The verbal root su (or sU) means “to go, move, set in motion, urge, impel, incite, vivify, create, produce, hurl upon, grant, bestow, appoint or consecrate to, allow, authorize beget, procreate, bring forth, bear, produce, or yield”. And su means “to press out or extract (especially the juice from the soma plant), to distil or prepare (a libation)”.

su (or sU) is “good, excellent, right, virtuous, beautiful, easy, well, rightly, much, greatly, very, any, easily, willingly, or quickly”.

sva refers to “one’s own, my own, thy own, his own, her own, our own, their own, etc.” or “one’s own self, the Ego, the human soul, a kinsman, relative, relation, or friend. And svA is “one’s self, the Ego, one’s own goods, property, wealth or riches”.

ah (perfect singular Aha) means “to say, speak, express, signify, call (by name), consider, regard, acknowledge, accept, or state”.

aha implies “ascertainment, affirmation, certainty, etc.”, as “surely, certainly, namely, it is true, I grant, granted, indeed, or at least”.

aha (plural ahA) is “day”.

Aha implies “command, casting, or sending”.

The root hA (aorist singular ahAs) means “to leave, abandon, desert, quit, forsake, relinquish, discharge, emit, put away, take off, remove, lay aside, give up, renounce, resign, avoid, shun, abstain or refrain from, disregard, neglect, lose, be deprived of, get rid of, or escape from”

hA is “coition” or “killing, destroying, removing, abandoning, deserting, or avoiding”. And hA is “an exclamation expressive of pain, anger, astonishment, satisfaction, etc.”, indicating “abandonment or desertion”.


su + aha = svaha ~ “very good” or “good day”.

su + ahA = svahA ~ “good days”.

su + Aha = svAha ~ “it is rightly spoken” or “willingly accepted” (implying perfect transmission or expression).

sva + aha = svAha ~ “namely thy own self” or “itself granted”.

sva + Aha = svAha ~ “a relation is acknowledged”.

sva + ahA = svAhA ~ “thy own days” or “the days of a soul”.

svA + hA = svAhA ~ “abandoning one’s own”, “self-sacrifice”, “satisfaction of one’s own self”, or “coition of its own self” (as “this self into that self”), expressing “self-satisfaction”.


ave says “I offer” or “I am sacrificing”, while svAhA says “the offering has departed” or “the sacrifice has been done”.

[sarabhanga]

And nara-nArAyaNa svAhA is a likely source for the last words of Jesus.

nara (God the Father) nArAyaNa (the Son of Man) svAhA (my own self has been forsaken).

“My God, My God, Why hast Thou forsaken me?”

[Arjuna]

I cannot recall ANY list of major Upanishads that does not include the Mandukya. What makes you think that it might not be "classical" ?

I just haven't checked. No objections, thanks for info :)

[sarabhanga]

In Egyptian Hieroglyphs, the Five-Pointed Star represents a Star or Deity ~ especially the star known as Alpha Canis Majoris (the principal star of the Greater Dog) or Sirius (the Scorcher or Dog Star). The Greeks knew this asterism as Sothis.

As the brightest star, its invisible presence in the day sky along with the Sun was considered to induce the extreme heat of summer. And the Heliacal (Dawn) Rising of Sirius ~ when (after its annual period of invisibility) the Dog Star rises just before the Sun and is apparently reborn in the firmament ~ marked the start of the Egyptian calendar. This event anciently heralded the annual Inundation of the Nile, and it coincided exactly with the Summer Solstice (21 June) in 3300 BC.

The Five-Pointed Star glyph indicates the triliteral SBA (Sb’a) or SVA (Sv’a).

In Sanskrit, Sva denotes a Dog; and Sirius is known as Mrigavyādha (Antelope Hunter), whose aim is Orion (Mriga ~ the Antelope).

S is a Scepter or folded Bolt of Fabric; which, at the beginning of a word, often indicates Causation.

BA (B’a) or BVA (Bv’a) is the Soul ~ cf. Bhava (Existence) ~ so that SBA (Seb’a or Sib’a) is the Cause of the Soul, and the very cause of all Existence.

When Alexander of Macedon crossed the Sindhu, he encountered followers of Rudra (dressed in the skins of wild animals, and armed with cudgels) and he recognized them as the “Siboi”. And, SBH (Sebeh) means to Cry out ~ cf. Rudra, the Crier.

VA (V’a) is a Noose, which also indicates Fire; and VA denotes Far (in Time or Distance).

And SVA (Sev’a or Siv’a) is thus the Source of Fire (cf. Agni) or Bolt of Fire (cf. Vajra ~ Thunderbolt).

SVA means Cause to Pass (or be Far), and thus Motion or Endurance; and SVA indicates the Old One (the Enduring Body ~ cf. Jyeshtha) or the One who Moves (cf. Vāyu ~ Wind).

Sh is a Lake or Pool of Water, and ShV or ShIV (Shev, Shiv, or Shū) is the God of Air and of Sunlight, or the Sky (the Celestial Pool) ~ born from the seed of Atum (the Sun).

SV (Siv or Sū) is to be Free from anything; and the Feather glyph particularly indicates Truth (Free from Untruth) or Balance (Free from Disturbance). So that Shū refers to Unqualified Perfection.

IV means Is/Are (cf. Jiva or Being); so that Shiv is the Pool of Being, and Siv is the Cause of Existence or the One who Is.

Shū is Existence or Manifestation, and S-IV declares that I Am

IV (Iw or Yew) also means to Come or to Return ~ an ancient preoccupation of the Jews.

[sarabhanga]

SV (Sew or Sev) means He or It; and the same glyph indicates a Generous Crop, and so Prosperity (cf. Śiva).

IVA (Iv’a or Yev’a) is an Ox, and SIVA may thus be understood as the Lord of Cattle (cf. Paśupati ~ the Lord of Beasts).

And the Star glyph is commonly associated with a Sitting Bull ~ cf. Nandi (the Happy One) or Dharma (that which is Firm or Established).

[giridhar]

Namaste Satay,

The true name of God remains unspoken.

Pancakshara is the mantra-body of Shiva; and all such fundamental mantras are, in practice, prefixed with the Pranava ~ oM.

Pancakshara is the Shaiva Pranava, but it is never spoken, so that only Sadakshara is outwardly revealed ~ oM namaH shivAya.

oM is revealed and explicit, while namaH shivAya is secreted and implicit.

oM is the Shukla Pranava, and namaH shivAya is the Krishna Pranava ~ and both are united in the perfect yoga of Sadakshara mantra.

Dear Sarabhanga bhai,

People like you are a gem for idiots like me. I thank you for the wonderful insight given , which is not found in Shiv purana even....

But still, after all your explanations, you have NOT DECISIVELY concluded which is more powerful or beneficial (wotever it is) : Namah Shivaaya or Om Namah Shivaaya ??

plzzzzzzzz tell me... sometimes i chant 6 letters but intense meditation & calmness happens only when i chant 5 letters. Is it my weakness , misunderstanding ?? After studying Shiv Purana, the glory of 5 letters bring tears to my eyes.... & everytime i hear someone saying "Om is the greatest mantra..." , i remember only the 5 letters...

I know that Tiru Mantram says that Panchakshari is same as Pranava... but can you FINALLY WITH ONE BLOW , seal this matter for me ?? plzzzzzzzz i beg you.

Om Shakti,
giridhar

[handy guy]

Hello, thanks for a great deal of information shared in this thread! I've read that recognition of Lord Ganesha should always come first before proceeding to worship of Lord Siva...does that also mean that one should first do a Lord Ganesha related mantra then proceed to a Lord Siva related mantra?

[Indialover]

Namaste handy guy

Ganesha, Shivas son, is the gatekeeper in Hindu mythology.
http://talesfrommythology.blogspot.com/2011/05/ganeshwara.html?q=ganesha
(http://talesfrommythology.blogspot.com/2011/05/ganeshwara.html?q=ganesha)
Furtheron He is seated in Muladhara Chakra where He too is the gatekeeper who opens the door to higher chakras.
Without Ganesha we are lost.
https://www.himalayanacademy.com/media/books/my-friend-lord-ganesha_ei/web/ch23a.html
(https://www.himalayanacademy.com/media/books/my-friend-lord-ganesha_ei/web/ch23a.html)
By the way - Bible copied this idea (of course without the mystic background) to justify the worship of Jesus.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A6&version=ESV
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A6&version=ESV)
Pranam

[handy guy]

Hello Indialover,

Umm, The mythology text has veiled meanings or.... giving all those human shortcomings to Devas and Mahadevas is or seems very crazy to me, and in the sense of revealed scripture do not reflect facts concerning the nature of angel or god type beings. Stirring the imagination has its place but cutting heads off and sewing new heads on is pretty wild imo...

I have no trouble with the principals and place a being taking on the form of Lord Ganesha for the sake of Hindu people. (because of and related to their ancient culture, religion and geographical place in the world) Anything else along the lines of direct correlations to other religions or cultures remains to be seen or proven by or to most people... thus the correlation you mentioned in regards to Lord Jesus is a stretch to me, and such a correlation would also not match up to the archangel Michael who is not depicted as having a fun side, female attendants, and as being an eater of sweet cakes. (although Archangel Michael is referred to as a keeper of the way, which similar in description to part of Lord Ganesha's position in creation)

So here we are...more or less in the tower of Babel with no unified straight-up understanding.

[Indialover]

Dear Satay,

the universe is eternal, Shiva is eternal, Pancakshara is eternal … what are 8 years … ???

Why should newcomers not have the opportunity to contribute their questions and thoughts on old posts?

Pranam

[satay]

Namaste,
Thanks for the reminder. Indeed. Posts restored.

[handy guy]

Umm, is not the "universe" here half a cosmic cycle and then gone or withdrawn the other half (and then starts all over)? ..per the "lifetime of Lord Brahma" in Hinduism's cosmology?

[satay]

Namaste,

Umm, is not the "universe" here half a cosmic cycle and then gone or withdrawn the other half (and then starts all over)? ..per the "lifetime of Lord Brahma" in Hinduism's cosmology?

More or less. It is eternal from the perspective of the jiva or consciousness as it still survives even in the 'withdrawn’ state.

[handy guy]

Hello Indialover,

Where are you finding teachings that the universe (which is form) is eternal in Hinduism? The cosmology I've come across for the universe in general Hinduism is spoken of as the cosmic cycles or the lifetimes of Lord Brahma. (a very long time but not eternal and thus ends and starts over again)

[handy guy]

Hello Satay,
If you are saying supreme or pure consciousness as being eternal then agreed, (a.k.a. Shiva per the Saivite faith, the Self per the Upanishads and other revealed scripture, or Supreme consciousness per many schools) if you are saying the manifest universe or form as was alluded to earlier then disagreed for it is only eternal in the sense that it constantly changes.

[Indialover]

Namaste handy guy

Only Vishnu and the universe are eternal. Every new creation has a new Brahma, a new Indra, a new Manu ...

I agree with what Satay said.

Pranam

[handy guy]

Hello Indialover,

Are you saying the school of Hinduism that you follow and its writings state that form as in the universe is eternal?..And if so could you quote scripture that supports that. Also if you are of a Vishnu sect then it seems you would also know that the Saivite sects interpretations of what is eternal are different, yet the lower header of your posts proclaims Shiva as a Savite would and not Vishnu?

[Indialover]

Namaste handy guy

I cannot provide what you await.

Dance with Shiva, Live with Shiva, Merge with Shiva is a trilogy of Himalayan Academy where I did the one year lasting master course they offer. Since it was my entry to the mystery of Shiva, I chose it when I joined this forum - as a rememberance to my first steps into the vast knowledge of what is called Hinduism, sixteen years ago.

After finishing this master course I read ‚Loving Ganesha‘, this way He came into my life. One day Krishna appeared … I could not decide whom I love more thus I love all three likewise. Since there is only one ‚highest force‘, only one ‚mystery‘ it does not matter how to name It. This is the freedom of Hinduism.

I do not belong to or follow any sect. I just follow my intuition and the Vaishnava’s cosmology convinced me. That the universe is eternal is only my understanding, my belief. For me the force they call Vishnu is eternal and the withdrawn state of creation is not different to the visible creation, which is only His expansion, some say His dream. (Since English is not my mother tounge please apologize if I do not use the most eloquent terms.)

Fact is, no human knows how creation took place, no human knows anything about the mystery of the universe, anything about the mystery at all. Since centuries philosophers, mystics, scientists think about it, without finding an answer.

Even the Veda could not find it out, Vedanta ended the search with ‚neti neti‘ – not this, not this.

Rig Veda X.129, for me the most splendid creation hymn, ends with ‚He who is controlling it from the highest of the heavens, He perhaps knows it or He knows it not.‘

In Brihadaranyaka Upanishad a dialogue between Yajnavalkya and Gargi ends with '‚Oh Gargi, do not ask too much, lest thy head should fall off.‘ Gargi became silent.'

Reading this dialog I became silent too, understanding Yajnavalkya‘s words as ‚We should not ask more than our limited mind is able to grasp.‘

Both mentioned extracts made me humble in front of the mystery.

What is the use of knowing about an eternal or not eternal universe? What is the use of thinking about its age considering the lifetime of a human?

In 2012, WMAP estimated the age of the universe to be 13.772 billion years, with an uncertainty of 59 million years.
In 2013, Planck measured the age of the universe at 13.82 billion years. Both of these fall within the lower limit of 11 billion years independently derived from the globular clusters, and both have smaller uncertainties than that number.
Source https://www.space.com/24054-how-old-is-the-universe.html
(https://www.space.com/24054-how-old-is-the-universe.html)
Hymn of Creation – Nasadiya Sukta
At that time there was neither existence nor non-existence,
neither the worlds nor the sky.
There was nothing that was beyond.
There was no death, nor immortality.
There was no knowledge of the day and night.
That one alone breathed, without air, by itself.
Besides that there was nothing.
Darkness there was enveloped by darkness.
All this was one water, without any distinction.
It was inactive, covered by void.
That one became active by the power of its own thought.
There came upon it at first desire,
which was the first seed of the mind.
Men of vision found in their meditative state,
the connection between the Being and the Non-Being.
All gods were subsequent to this creative activity.
Then who knows from where this came into existence!
Where this creation came from ,
whether He supported it or not,
He who is controlling it from the highest of the heavens,
He perhaps knows it or He knows it not! (Rig Veda X.129)

Source https://www.hinduwebsite.com/vedicsection/rigvedichymns.asp

Pranam

[handy guy]

Namaste handy guy

I cannot provide what you await.

Dance with Shiva, Live with Shiva, Merge with Shiva is a trilogy of Himalayan Academy where I did the one year lasting master course they offer. Since it was my entry to the mystery of Shiva, I chose it when I joined this forum - as a rememberance to my first steps into the vast knowledge of what is called Hinduism, sixteen years ago.

After finishing this master course I read ‚Loving Ganesha‘, this way He came into my life. One day Krishna appeared … I could not decide whom I love more thus I love all three likewise. Since there is only one ‚highest force‘, only one ‚mystery‘ it does not matter how to name It. This is the freedom of Hinduism.

I do not belong to or follow any sect. I just follow my intuition and the Vaishnava’s cosmology convinced me. That the universe is eternal is only my understanding, my belief. For me the force they call Vishnu is eternal and the withdrawn state of creation is not different to the visible creation, which is only His expansion, some say His dream. (Since English is not my mother tounge please apologize if I do not use the most eloquent terms.)

Fact is, no human knows how creation took place, no human knows anything about the mystery of the universe, anything about the mystery at all. Since centuries philosophers, mystics, scientists think about it, without finding an answer.

Even the Veda could not find it out, Vedanta ended the search with ‚neti neti‘ – not this, not this.

Rig Veda X.129, for me the most splendid creation hymn, ends with ‚He who is controlling it from the highest of the heavens, He perhaps knows it or He knows it not.‘

In Brihadaranyaka Upanishad a dialogue between Yajnavalkya and Gargi ends with '‚Oh Gargi, do not ask too much, lest thy head should fall off.‘ Gargi became silent.'

Reading this dialog I became silent too, understanding Yajnavalkya‘s words as ‚We should not ask more than our limited mind is able to grasp.‘

Both mentioned extracts made me humble in front of the mystery.

What is the use of knowing about an eternal or not eternal universe? What is the use of thinking about its age considering the lifetime of a human?

In 2012, WMAP estimated the age of the universe to be 13.772 billion years, with an uncertainty of 59 million years.
In 2013, Planck measured the age of the universe at 13.82 billion years. Both of these fall within the lower limit of 11 billion years independently derived from the globular clusters, and both have smaller uncertainties than that number.
Source https://www.space.com/24054-how-old-is-the-universe.html
(https://www.space.com/24054-how-old-is-the-universe.html)
Hymn of Creation – Nasadiya Sukta
At that time there was neither existence nor non-existence,
neither the worlds nor the sky.
There was nothing that was beyond.
There was no death, nor immortality.
There was no knowledge of the day and night.
That one alone breathed, without air, by itself.
Besides that there was nothing.
Darkness there was enveloped by darkness.
All this was one water, without any distinction.
It was inactive, covered by void.
That one became active by the power of its own thought.
There came upon it at first desire,
which was the first seed of the mind.
Men of vision found in their meditative state,
the connection between the Being and the Non-Being.
All gods were subsequent to this creative activity.
Then who knows from where this came into existence!
Where this creation came from ,
whether He supported it or not,
He who is controlling it from the highest of the heavens,
He perhaps knows it or He knows it not! (Rig Veda X.129)

Source https://www.hinduwebsite.com/vedicsection/rigvedichymns.asp

Pranam
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello India lover,

Thank you for your time and personal reply and descriptions of where you are coming from.
neti, neti is only one of many ways of going at it, and does not mean that revealed scripture is not pointing to what Self realized Sages and Great gurus found, so to speak; a point is constantly brought up throughout the Upanishads and in other revealed Hindu scriptures. I'm not going to nick pick with you, but I'm going to suggest that when making a definitive point about Hinduism and or one of its sects that you have scripture that you are quoting from directly that relates to that point, and if not then like you said mention that it is only of your interpretation.
Om Brother

[satay]

Namaste
this insistence on quoting from scripture is so foreign to Hinduism and hindus in general but I do understand the need of it for some.

[handy guy]

if there is anyone in this entire forum (or elsewhere) that can find revealed Hindu scripture that says, "form is eternal" a.k.a. the created universe in and of itself as was implied then please share it, if not then state that it only one's interpretation. Is that asking to much?

[Indialover]

... what agression four simple words - the universe is eternal - can cause ...

[handy guy]

the spirit of the teachings both oral and written are waiting to hear your reference? (the verse you quoted had nothing to do with the universe itself being eternal, it is said that only Brahman is eternal, which is different than the eternal changes or cycles of the universe and form)

[satay]

namaste,
Mind boggling what a man gets hung up on.

The old beautiful thread has now been successfully derailed.

Well done.