Re: Aum Namah Shivaya
Dear Friends,
"Om Namah Sivaya" is a mantra. A Mantra is defined as "Mananat Trayate iti mantra" , "That which releases upon contemplation".
So any mantra is an aid to contemplation. Long before I contemplate I should be clear on what is it that I should contemplate upon. Mere repeating may calm the mind but will not really lead to liberation in a direct way - such a devotee would gain grace and by grace slowly it transforms into contemplation.
Lets look at the meaning so that we can contemplate.
OM is the name of Self, Atma, Brahman. OM is also the name of God. OM is may be split into A-U-M [should be chanted as OM only, not AUM] ... A stands for the jagrat prapancha ... our waking state. And U for the dream state or the svapna prapancha... while M for the sushupti or the deep sleep state. so OM , stands for the Self which is the changeless presence in and through all these three states : YOU! Self.
Namah is the same as na-mama ... or not-mine. me and mine forms the ego and all its forms ... when i say namah ... i drop the self imposed sense that "I am the possessor of all this" ... Namah is a way of saying, that i am not the doer or experiencer... since if we see carefully nothing is really mine. This body is not in my control ! The breathing happens without my involvement.
Siva is God, OM. The imagery is simply beautiful. Siva is said to be dancing in smashanam ... the cremation ground. In the cremation ground other than Siva everything is Seva, Dead body! And amidst dead bodies Siva is dancing ! This is at once our life ! Siva , is dancing and so its the dance of Siva that i type this ! This body is ever lifeless ... Life is Siva alone. The breath that flows through me, is the breath of Siva... the bodies are all just sevas ... Siva is the one Awareness , Presence , OM!
So the contemplation is : OM, which is Siva alone IS, all else is Seva (Lifeless) ... and there is no me or mine ! That is the attitude one maintains as one contemplates on OM Namah Sivaya.
There is just Siva dancing in this smashanam [cremation ground] where all these bodies are merely dead lifeless entities while Siva is none other than the awareness or Consciousness which is changeless all through the changes in these bodies !!
Contemplating thus one indeed finds liberation from all bondage ! Thus its a mantra.
Love!
Silence
Come up, O Lions, and shake off the delusion that you are a sheep
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