Om Namo Narayanaya
ॐ नमो नारायणाय
oṁ namo nārāyaṇāya
Meaning
Eight syllables — hence the ashtakshara. The meaning: a bow to Narayana. In the Vaishnava tradition this is the mantra of surrender — the valley of Badrinath rings with this very name. Where the twelve-syllable mantra takes Vasudeva's name, the ashtakshara speaks refuge in Narayana directly.
How to do the jaap
Special on Thursdays and ekadashi; otherwise a name for daily jaap. On a mala of 108 — or walking, as on the Badri-Kedar roads.
Paths of this naam
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the ashtakshara and the dvadashakshara?
Both are root mantras of Vishnu. Om Namo Narayanaya has eight syllables; Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya, twelve. Each tradition holds its own as primary — both are on this site.