Shiva – The Stillness Within All Things
Mantra: Om̐ Namaḥ Śivāya
(Pronounced: Ohm Nah-mah Shi-vah-yah)
(Transliteration: Oṃ Namaḥ Śivāya)
Lord Śiva is the embodiment of stillness, transformation, and transcendence. Known as Mahādeva—the Great God—he dwells both in the vastness of the cosmos and the quiet centre of our own hearts.
He is the one who destroys illusion, allowing truth to emerge. With ash upon his skin, the crescent moon in his hair, and deep silence as his nature, Śiva teaches us that to return to the Self, we must let go—again and again—into love, into awareness, into the formless.
The Meaning of the Mantra
ॐ नमः शिवाय (Om̐ Namaḥ Śivāya)
- ॐ (Om̐): The universal sound, representing the infinite and the source of all creation.
- नमः (Namaḥ): An expression of devotion and surrender—“I bow to.”
- शिवाय (Śivāya): “To Śiva,” the auspicious one, the still and all-knowing Self within.
This is the Pañchākṣarī Mantra, meaning “five-syllable mantra” (Na-Ma-Śi-Vā-Ya), each syllable representing one of the five elements:
- Na – Earth (Pṛthvī)
- Ma – Water (Āpas)
- Śi – Fire (Agni)
- Vā – Air (Vāyu)
- Ya – Space (Ākāśa)
Through this chant, we align ourselves with the natural elements, the inner Self, and the eternal.
How to Chant with Presence
Integrate – Carry the peace, spaciousness, and clarity with you into daily life.
Sit in stillness – Śiva is the still witness behind all activity. Sit comfortably, spine upright, and become aware of your breath.
Invoke devotion – Offer your chant as a gesture of love, reverence, and longing to merge with the Infinite.
Repeat the mantra – Chant Om̐ Namaḥ Śivāya 108 times, softly or silently. Let each repetition draw you inward.
Let the silence arise – After chanting, simply sit and listen to the silence. Śiva is found in the space between thoughts.
Why This Mantra is So Transformative
Om̐ Namaḥ Śivāya is a sacred key to self-realisation. It purifies the ego, calms the mind, and reconnects us with the truth that we are not separate from the Divine.
To chant this mantra is to bathe in sacred stillness. It teaches that real freedom comes not from control, but from surrender—to truth, to change, and to the Self that never changes.
Call on Śiva in times of transformation, inner turbulence, or longing for truth. He is not far. He is the witness of it all, and he is already within you.
🕉️ Har Har Mahādev! 🙏