Pancakshara Mantra

[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).

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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/reso...andala-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!