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.
How Is Namah Sivaya Properly Chanted?
SHLOKA 137
The Panchakshara Mantra, Namah Sivaya, is repeated verbally or mentally, often while counting a mala of rudraksha beads, drawing the mind in upon itself to cognize Lord Siva's infinite, all-pervasive presence. Aum.
BHASHYA
Japa yoga is the first yoga to be performed toward the goal of jnana. In the temple perform japa. Under your favorite tree perform japa. Seated in a remote cave perform japa. Aum Namah Sivaya can be performed on rudraksha beads over and over when the sun is setting, when the sun is rising or high noon lights the day. "Aum Namah Sivaya," the Saivite chants. Aum Namah Sivaya feeds his soul, brightens his intellect and quells his instinctive mind. Take the holy tears of Siva, the auburn rudraksha beads, into your hands. Push a bead over the middle finger with your thumb and hold as the intonation marks its passage. The duly initiated audibly repeats "Namah Sivaya," and when japa is performed silently, mentally chants "Sivaya Namah." There are many ways to chant this mantra, but perform it as you were initiated. Unauthorized experimentation is forbidden. Those prone to angry rage should never do japa. The Tirumantiram announces, "His feet are the letter Na. His navel is the letter Ma. His shoulders are the letter Shi. His mouth, the letter Va. His radiant cranial center aloft is Ya. Thus is the five-lettered form of Siva." Aum Namah Sivaya.
Is Initiation Necessary to Perform Japa?
SHLOKA 138
The most precious of all Saivite mantras, Namah Sivaya is freely sung and chanted by one and all. Mantra dîksha bestows the permission and power for japa yoga. Without this initiation, its repetition bears lesser fruit. Aum.
BHASHYA
The Panchakshara Mantra is the word of God, the name and total essence of Siva. But to chant Namah Sivaya and to be empowered to chant Namah Sivaya is likened to the difference between writing a check without money in the bank and writing a check with money in the bank. Namah Sivaya is the gateway to yoga. Initiation from an orthodox guru is given after preparation, training and attaining a certain level of purity and dedication. The guru bestows the authority to chant Namah Sivaya. After initiation, the devotee is obligated to intone it regularly as instructed. This forges the shishya's permanent bond with the guru and his spiritual lineage, sampradaya, and fires the process of inner unfoldment. From the lips of my Satgurunatha I learned Namah Sivaya, and it has been the central core of my life, strength and fulfillment of destiny. The secret of Namah Sivaya is to hear it from the right lips at the right time. Then, and only then, is it the most powerful mantra for you. The Siva Samhita affirms, "Only the knowledge imparted by a guru, through his lips, is powerful and useful; otherwise it becomes fruitless, weak and very painful." Aum Namah Sivaya.
What Is Saivism's Affirmation of Faith?
SHLOKA 139
The proclamation "God Siva is Immanent Love and Transcendent Reality" is a potent affirmation of faith. Said in any of Earth's 3,000 languages, it summarizes the beliefs and doctrines of the Saivite Hindu religion. Aum.
BHASHYA
An affirmation of faith is a terse, concise statement summarizing a complex philosophical tradition. "God Siva is Immanent Love and Transcendent Reality," is what we have when we take the milk from the sacred cow of Shaivism, separate out the cream, churn that cream to rich butter and boil that butter into a precious few drops of ghee. "God Siva is Immanent Love and Transcendent Reality" is the sweet ghee of the Saivite Hindu religion. In the Sanskrit language it is Premaiva Sivamaya, Satyam eva Parashivah. In the sweet Tamil language it is even more succinct and beautiful: Anbe Sivamayam, Satyame Parashivam. In French it is Dieu Siva est Amour omniprésent et Réalité transcendante. We strengthen our mind with positive affirmations that record the impressions of the distilled and ultimate truths of our religion so that these memories fortify us in times of distress, worldliness or anxiety. The Tirumantiram proclaims, "Transcending all, yet immanent in each He stands. For those bound in the world here below, He is the great treasure. Himself the Parapara Supreme, for all worlds He gave the way that His greatness extends." Aum Namah Sivaya.
How Is the Affirmation of Faith Used?
SHLOKA 140
Intoning the affirmation of faith, we positively assert that God is both manifest and unmanifest, both permeating the world and transcending it, both personal Divine Love and impersonal Reality. Aum Namah Sivaya.
BHASHYA
On the lips of Saivites throughout the world resounds the proclamation "God Siva is Immanent Love and Transcendent Reality." It is a statement of fact, a summation of truth, even more potent when intoned in one's native language. "God Siva is Immanent Love and Transcendent Reality," we repeat prior to sleep. "God Siva is Immanent Love and Transcendent Reality," we say upon awakening as we recall the transcendent knowledge gained from the rishis during sleep. These sacred words we say as we bathe to prepare to face the day, God Siva's day, reminding ourselves that His immanent love protects us, guides us, lifting our mind into the arena of useful thoughts and keeping us from harm's way. Devotees write this affirmation 1,008 times as a sahasra lekhana sadhana. It may be spoken 108 times daily in any language before initiation into Namah Sivaya. Yea, the recitation of this affirmation draws devotees into Siva-consciousness. The Tirumantiram says, "The ignorant prate that love and Siva are two. They do not know that love alone is Siva. When men know that love and Siva are the same, love as Siva they ever remain." Aum Namah Sivaya.
Scriptures Speak on Affirmation of Faith
Namastaraya namah shambhave cha mayobhave cha, namah shankaraya cha mayaskaraya cha, namah shivaya cha shivataraya cha.
* * *
Homage to the source of health, and to the source of delight. Homage to the maker of health and to the maker of delight. Homage to the Auspicious and to the more Auspicious.
From all knowledge, yoga practice and meditation, all that relates to the Aum sound is to be meditated on as the only blissful (Siva). Indeed, the Aum sound is Siva.
By means of the hymns one attains this world, by the sacrificial formulas the space in-between, by holy chant the world revealed by the sages. With the syllable Aum as his sole support, the wise man attains that which is peaceful, unaging, deathless, fearless--the Supreme.
Mantra yields early success due to practice done in previous life. Self-fulfilling, too, is the mantra which is received according to the line of tradition, with due diksha, obtained in the right way. Innumerable are the mantras; they but distract the mind. Only that mantra which is received through the grace of the guru gives all fulfillment.
Japa is the happy giver of enjoyment, salvation, self-fulfilling wish. Therefore, practice the yoga of japa and dhyana. All blemishes due to transgressions of rule, from the jiva up to the Brahman, done knowingly or unknowingly, are wiped away by japa.
The bank of a river, the cave, the summit of a hill, the place of holy bath, the confluence of rivers, the holy forest, the vacant garden, the root of the bilva tree, the slope of the hill, the temple, the coast of the sea, one's own house--these are the places lauded for the sadhana of mantra japa.
Have faith in God. Believe in Him with all your heart. Think that in the world He is for you the sweetest of all sweet things. Think that there is nothing other than God. Sitting or standing, walking or lying down, think of Him.
Through the Letters Five can God's holy feet be seen. Through the Letters Five, the whole world you can rule. Through the Letters Five, mind's action can be stilled. The Letters Five have come and entered my heart.
Let not the effect of past deeds rise in quick succession andoverpower you. Chant the Panchakshara--the mantra of the five letters.
Thinking of Him, great love welling up in their heart, if they finger the rudraksha beads, it will bring them the glory of the Gods. Chant our naked Lord's name. Say, "Namah Sivaya!"
The mystic expression "Namah Sivaya" is the sacred name of Lord Siva, is the sum and substance of the four Vedas and conveys in the sacred path souls which are full of devotion and do utter it with a melting heart and tears trickling from their eyes.
The Lord of Appati is both inside and outside, form and no form. He is both the flood and the bank. He is the broad-rayed sun. Himself the highest mystery, He is in all hidden thoughts. He is thought and meaning, and embraces all who embrace Him.
Yajur Veda
Atharva Veda
Atharva Veda
Kularnava Tantra
Kularnava Tantra
Kularnava Tantra
Natchintanai
Natchintanai
Guru Vachagam
Tirumurai
Tirumurai
Tirumurai
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Index of Contents
Mandala Twenty-Nine: Monism and Dualism