Shiva Panchakshara: Connecting to the Divine

The Shiva Panchakshara Mantra

Original Text: Om Namah Shivaya

Transliteration: Oṃ Namaḥ Śivāya

Breakdown

• Om: The primordial sound.
• Namah: Salutations, adoration, homage.
• Shivaya: To Shiva.

The Mantra and Its Meaning

Om. Salutations to Shiva.

Associated Deity

Lord Shiva, the destroyer and transformer, representing ultimate reality.

Origin Story

This mantra is one of the most fundamental and widely used in Shaivism, representing the essence of Shiva.

How and When to Chant

Chant this mantra at any time, but especially during meditation or worship of Shiva. It is often recited during Mahashivaratri.

Benefits

• Spiritual purification.
• Inner peace and tranquility.
• Connection to the divine.
• Destruction of negative tendencies.