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.

[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