Om Namah Shivaya
ॐ नमः शिवाय
oṁ namaḥ śivāya
Meaning
Five syllables — na, mah, shi, va, ya — which is why it is called the panchakshara mantra. The plain meaning: a bow to Shiva. The tradition says this bow teaches the ego to step aside — not I, but Shiva. In the Shaiva tradition this is the first mantra and the greatest.
How to do the jaap
Special on Mondays and through Sawan, but this is an everyday mantra — chanted at any hour, in any state. Count on a mala of 108; the rudraksha mala belongs to this mantra in tradition.
Paths of this naam
Frequently asked questions
Can Om Namah Shivaya be chanted without a mala?
Yes — the mala is a counting tool, not the practice itself. This naam is chanted while walking, even between chores.
How is it different from the Mahamrityunjaya mantra?
Both are Shiva's mantras, but different ones. The panchakshara is the everyday bow; the Mahamrityunjaya is a longer Vedic mantra taken up with a specific sankalp.