Om Namah Shivaya (Panchakshari Mantra)
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya, the five-syllable Panchakshari mantra of Lord Shiva: meaning, the significance of each syllable, how to chant it on a rudraksha mala and a 108 jap counter.
Om Namah Shivaya (Panchakshari Mantra) · ॐ नमः शिवाय
By Shri Rudram, YajurvedaLanguage Sanskrit2 verses
ॐ नमः शिवाय॥
Om Namah Shivaya.
I bow to Shiva, the auspicious one, the Self within all beings.
न · म · शि · वा · य
Na · Ma · Shi · Va · Ya
Tradition links the five syllables with the five elements, earth, water, fire, air and space, so that chanting them offers the whole of creation, and oneself, back to Shiva.
What each word means
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ॐ | Om | the primordial sound |
| नमः | namah | I bow; literally ‘not mine’, the surrender of the ego |
| शिवाय | Shivaya | to Shiva, the auspicious one |
Count your jap here
Tap the centre for each mantra, press Space, or turn on voice counting and chant aloud. Your count is saved on this device.
Tap the centre, press Space, or chant aloud with voice counting.
More mantras and malas in the full Jap Mala.
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How to chant the Om Namah Shivaya (Panchakshari Mantra)
108 (one mala) a day; on Mondays and Shivaratri as many malas as you can.
Any time. Pradosh (evening twilight), Mondays, the month of Sawan and Mahashivaratri are especially dear to Shiva.
- Sit facing north or east; if you can, first offer water or milk to a Shivling.
- Hold a rudraksha mala in the right hand and move one bead with each mantra.
- Chant aloud at first; with practice let it become a whisper and then silent, in rhythm with the breath.
- End by sitting quietly for a minute and offering the jap to Shiva.
Benefits in tradition
- Settles anger, restlessness and fear.
- The most accessible of Shiva mantras: in the Shaiva tradition anyone may chant it.
- Chanting the five syllables is said to purify the five elements of the body.
These are the benefits described in scripture and tradition. Mantra and prayer support, but never replace, medical or professional care.
About the Om Namah Shivaya
Na-Ma-Shi-Va-Ya, the Panchakshari, is the heart of the Shri Rudram in the Krishna Yajurveda, where Shiva is saluted as namah Shivaya cha Shivataraya cha, to the auspicious and the most auspicious. With Om before it, it becomes the six-syllable mantra. The Shaiva saints call it the easiest of mantras: it needs no special time or place, and Shiva is said to be pleased by it more quickly than by any ritual.
Questions
Where does Om Namah Shivaya come from?
From the Shri Rudram (Namakam) of the Krishna Yajurveda, one of the oldest hymns to Shiva.
Do I need initiation to chant Om Namah Shivaya?
No. It is traditionally chanted by everyone; a guru's initiation deepens the practice but is not required to begin.
How many times should I chant it?
Start with one mala of 108 each day at a fixed time. Consistency matters more than the number.
Have a question about this mantra?
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