Aum namah Śivāya (IAST transliteration, refer to Sanskrit for pronunciation) is among the foremost Vedic mantras. Its general translation is "adoration (namas) to Śiva", preceded by the mystical syllable Aum. It is called Panchakshara, or "having five syllables". Śaivite mystics hold that within its celestial tones and hues resides all of the intuitive knowledge of Śaivism. The Aum namah Śivāya mantra appears for the first time, yet without the Aum, in a traditional Vedic prayer to Rudra called Śri Rudram (Rudra is considered an earlier aspect and name of Lord Śiva). In this context, śiva retains its original meaning as an adjective meaning "auspicious, benign, friendly", an euphemistic epitheton of Rudra.

A Hindu Śaivite view on the Aum namah Śivāya mantra

The meaning of the Namah Śivāya mantra was explained by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami:

Na is the Lord's concealing grace, Ma is the world, Śi stands for Śiva, Va is His revealing grace, Ya is the

Namah Śivaya 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 Śivāya 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 Śivāya is in truth both Āgama and Veda. Namah Śivāya represents all mantras and tantras. Namah Śivaya is our souls, our bodies and possessions. Namah Śivāya has become our sure protection."

See also

• Śiva
• Shri Rudram Chamakam
• Yajurveda