Dancing with Siva Shloka 136

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Mantra Mandala

 

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Affirmations of Faith

 

Rudraksha seeds, Eleocarpus ganitrus, are prized as the compassionate tears

Lord Siva shed for mankind's suffering. Saivites wear malas of them always

as a symbol of God's love, chanting on each bead, "Aum Namah Sivaya."

 

What Is the Holy Namah Sivaya Mantra?

 

SHLOKA 136

 

Namah Sivaya is among the foremost Vedic mantras. It means "adoration to

Siva," and is called the Panchakshara, or "five-letters." Within its

celestial tones and hues resides all of the intuitive knowledge of Saivism.

Aum.

 

BHASHYA

 

Namah Sivaya is the most holy name of God Siva, recorded at the very center

of the Vedas and elaborated in the Saiva agamas. Na is the Lord's

concealing grace, Ma is the world, Shi stands for Siva, Va is His revealing

grace, Ya is the soul. The five elements, too, are embodied in this ancient

formula for invocation. Na is earth, Ma is water, Shi is fire, Va is air,

and Ya is ether, or akasha. Many are its meanings. Namah Sivaya has such

power, the mere intonation of these syllables reaps its own reward in

salvaging the soul from bondages of the treacherous instinctive mind and

the steel bands of a perfected externalized intellect. Namah Sivaya quells

the instinct, cuts through the steel bands and turns this intellect within

and on itself, to face itself and see its ignorance. Sages declare that

mantra is life, that mantra is action, that mantra is love and that the

repetition of mantra, japa, bursts forth wisdom from within. The holy

Natchintanai proclaims, "Namah Sivaya is in truth both agama and Veda.

Namah Sivaya represents all mantras and tantras. Namah Sivaya is our souls,

our bodies and possessions. Namah Sivaya has become our sure protection."

Aum Namah Sivaya.

 

 

Mahabhakti

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