Om Namah Shivaya
Oṃ Namaḥ Śivāya
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Om — the universal sound. Namah — I bow. Shivaya — to Shiva. The Panchakshara (five-syllable) mantra Na-Ma-Shi-Va-Ya represents the five elements: earth, water, fire, air, and space.
About this mantra — Shiva
A Mantra is a sacred sound formula — a concentrated invocation of divine energy in a few syllables. Mantras are the oldest layer of Vedic practice: repeated with attention (japa), they steady the breath, focus the mind and create a protective spiritual vibration around the chanter. Simple mantras can be repeated 11, 21, 54 or 108 times using a mala (prayer beads).
How to chant
Choose a fixed time and place for japa. Sit with a straight spine, hold a mala in your right hand, and repeat the mantra once per bead, rolling each bead with the thumb and middle finger (the index finger is not used). Complete 108 repetitions — one full mala — without breaking concentration. A calm, unhurried pace is more effective than speed.