Om Namah Shivaya Mantra - Lyrics, Meaning, Benefits, Download

Learn everything about this mantra that is known to help you tap into your inherent patience.

"Om Namah Shivaya" is a prayer to tap into deep inner peace, patience, and presence of mind.

It is an invocation of Lord Shiva and one of the most popular meditation mantras.

Through this chant, we seek to imbibe the divine awareness and serenity of Lord Shiva in our daily lives.

Om Namah Shivaay is a unique mantra, since each syllable in it connects with different energy centers in our body, and restores balance within them.

Om Namah Shivaya is part of the Ancient Healing Chants of Shiva album.

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History of the mantra
Lyrics of the mantra
Meaning of the mantra
Benefits of the mantra
Preview the mantra
Download the mantra

History of the mantra

The earliest mention of this mantra can be traced back to the Krishna Yajurveda, a sacred scripture in Hindu mythology.

Among all the mantras of Shaivism, this one stands at its core.

The mantra is often repeated a number of times in one sitting, to further deepen one's practice.

Owing to its power, it is the most common mantra used for Japa yoga, in which the mantra is chanted 108 times.

Lyrics of the Mantra

Om Namah Shivaay

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Meaning of the Mantra

The meaning of the mantra Om Namah Shivaay can be understood in two main ways:

Firstly, as a salutation to Lord Shiva, and second, a way of seeking his blessings.

"Om", the monosyllable mantra is the primordial sound of the Universe, the bridge to our highest awareness. It is considered the source of all consciousness.

"Namah" is a phrase of humble salutation, meaning "I bow to you".

"Shivaay" is the invocation of Lord Shiva, who is known as the Guardian of the Truth and the Dispeller of All Evil.

The second way to understand this mantra is through each syllable within it.

Excluding Om, the sounds in this five-syllable mantra represent and connect to the five basic elements that exist within the human being and in the Universe around him.

Here, "Na" represents earth, the element which corresponds to our well-being and endurance.

"Mah" represents water, the element that symbolizes all our beliefs, emotions, and desires

"Shi" represents fire, the element of strength, willpower, and deeds.

"Va" represents air, the element that is connected with our ability to love and care, and

"Ya" represents space, which signifies our ability to express.

Thus, through this mantra, we activate, vitalize, and balance all these elements within and around us.

Benefits of listening to Om Namah Shivaya Mantra

The mantra Om Namah Shivaya holds several benefits for the mind of both the chanter and listener.

Listening to this powerful healing mantra along with meditation helps you in the following ways.

Benefit 1 - Better control
With regular and intensive chanting, the mantra can help the mind control its varied emotions

Benefit 2 - Control anger
The mantra helps overcome repeated tendencies of uncontrollable anger, ego, and stress

Benefit 3 - Manage stress
Regular practices help you to manage stress and anxiety and keep mental ailments at bay

Benefit 4 - Improves memory
Above all, the mantra polishes the core abilities of the mind, like memory, focus, and creativity.

These are the core benefits of Om Namah Shivaya. It has been known to help in studies.

Preview Om Namah Shivaya Mantra

Here's a preview of the Om Namah Shivaya Mantra, from our YouTube channel

FAQ about Mantras

We answered some of the important questions that
can help you get started with mantra meditation

What is a mantra?

A mantra is an ancient rhythmic chant that is practiced for mental, spiritual or emotional healing. The powerful sounds of a mantra are composed to fulfil a certain intention, both for the chanter and the listener.
The oldest mantra is said to be more than 3000 years old, and mantras are found in various cultures across the world, including Hinduism and Buddhism.

What is mantra meditation?

Mantra meditation is the practice of deep focused listening to a mantra in a meditative state to fulfil a certain intention. Mantra meditation is an excellent tool to raise one's vibrations, overcome suffering and strengthen one's powers of attraction.

How does a mantra heal?

The healing power of a mantra lies in its sounds. Each mantra has been composed in order to create a certain response from the mind, body and spirit.
A mantra, when practiced repeatedly with complete surrender, has the ability to heal in the following ways:
* It swiftly detaches the mind from all current overwhelming thoughts and emotions.
* It elevates one's vibrations, creating a vibrational shield of positivity and clarity.
* It strengthens the powers of intuition and attraction.
* It soothes all pain and suffering with its deep sounds.
* It improves mental faculties like memory, concentration and creativity.
* It is an enhancing additional tool that can deepen the experience of most other spiritual practices.
* It grants these benefits to both the chanter and the listener of the mantra

Do I have to know the words and chant along?

Chanting a mantra is one way of receiving the benefits of that mantra.
However, it might be quite a difficult task to master the pronunciation of a mantra, especially if it is in a language that is foreign to you.
In that case, you can always gain the same benefits of a mantra by practicing mantra meditation. Simply put, mantra meditation is the practice of focused listening to a mantra while being in a meditative state.

Comparing the two, chanting and meditation, you should choose mantra meditation if you are at all in doubt or in difficulty regarding the pronunciation.
That's because not pronouncing the mantra right hampers its power drastically.
That said, even though it can at times be complicated to learn chanting, it is worth the effort.
Chanting a mantra is an intensely satisfying, liberating experience that you must try to gain.

Will the mantra healing really work for me?

You only have to answer three important question to figure out if mantras and mantra meditation will work for you:
Are you ready to move past your suffering and conflicts?
Are you ready to set a strong intention of well-being and give it your sincerest focus?
Are you ready to devote some time and attention to the practice of raising your vibrations every day?
If your answer to these questions is 'Yes,' then mantras will certainly work for you, and guide you on the path of your desired life.

Does the mantra provide healing for medical issues?

Although a mantra is an excellent tool for soothing our suffering and uplifting our lives, it is not an alternative for any medical treatment or therapy.
It is important to remember that while medication, treatment and medical therapy support our physical healing, mantras do the job of aligning our mind and our consciousness to derive the most from such healing.

Why do you charge for mantras?

We love mantras, and we want them to soothe as many lives across the world as possible.
While mantras have been around since as early as 3000 years ago, we bring them to the world in a new, enhanced, and easy-to-practice way.
Mahakatha offers all of these mantras on YouTube for patrons to listen and enjoy for free. However, for our listeners who feel inspired to make these mantras a part of their daily lives, we offer the complete, uninterrupted audios.
We also put together albums that align with specific intentions, that can benefit a beginner and an experienced practitioner alike.
Above all, our patrons have been kind in considering the purchase of our productions as a way of supporting us, and enabling us to create more such healing content.