Om Namah Shivay the most powerful healing Mantra

As per the scriptures, Om Namah Shivay is the most powerful healing mantra, beneficial for all physical and mental ailments. Soulful recitation of this mantra brings peace to the heart and joy to the Ātman or soul. As per the mantra yoga, the recitation of these syllables is sound therapy for the body and nectar for the Ātman.

Om Namaḥ Śivāya is one of the most popular Hindu mantras and the most important mantra in Shaivism. Namah Shivaya means “O salutations to the auspicious one!”, or “adoration to Lord Shiva”, or “universal consciousness is one”. It is called Siva Panchakshara, or Shiva Panchakshara, or simply Panchakshara meaning the “five-syllable” mantra (viz., excluding the Om) and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. This Mantra appears as ‘Na’ ‘Ma’ ‘Śi’ ‘Vā’ and ‘Ya’ in the Shri Rudram hymn which is a part of the Krishna Yajurveda and also in the Rudrashtadhyayi which is a part of the Shukla Yajurveda.

The mantra appears without the initial Om in the eighth hymn of Namakam(TS 4.5.8.1) as Namaḥ śivāya ca śivatarāya ca (Sanskrit: नमः शिवाय च शिवतराय च). This means “Salutations unto Śiva the auspicious one, unto Śivatara the one than whom none more auspicious can exist”

This mantra also appears in the Rudrashtadhyayi, a part of the Shukla Yajurveda. In the Rudrashtadhyayi, the mantra appears in the 5th chapter (also known as Namakam) verse 41.

In Shaiva Siddhanta Shaivism traditions, Namah Shivaya is considered as Pancha Bodha Tatva of Lord Shiva and his universal oneness of five elements:

Na sound represents earth

Ma sound represents water

Śi sound represents fire

Vā sound represents Pranic air

Ya sound represents sky or ether

Its total meaning is that “universal consciousness is one”

Panchakshara mantra

The five-syllable (Panch Akshara) form, omitting the Om

In Shaiva Siddhanta, the five letters also represent:

Na is the Lord’s concealing grace

Ma is the world

Śi stands for Shiva

Vā is His revealing grace

Ya is the Ātman or soul

It appears in the Shiva Purana in chapter 1.2.10 (Shabda-Brahma Tanu) and in its Vidyeshvara Samhita and in chapter 13 of the Vayaviya Samhita of the Shiva Purana as Om Namaḥ Śivāya. It is also referenced many times throughout the Śiva Purana as the “5 syllable Mantra” and “6 syllable mantra” when including “Om”.

Mantra “Om Namah Shivay” is repeated verbally or mentally, drawing the mind in upon itself to Lord Shiva’s infinite, all-pervasive presence. Traditionally it is repeated 108 times a day while keeping count on a strand of rudraksha beads. It is freely sung and chanted by everyone, but it is most powerful when given by one’s guru. Before this initiation which is called the mantra Diksha, The guru whispers the mantra into the disciple’s right ear, along with instructions on how and when to chant it.