Lord Shiva
Om Namah Shivaya
The five-syllable mantra of Shiva. Simple, steady and deeply loved.
Begin chantingMeaning & traditionShiv mantra in Hindi script
ॐ नमः शिवाय ॥
Om. Salutations to Shiva, the auspicious one.अर्थ
ॐ, कल्याणकारी शिव को नमस्कार है। न-मः-शि-वा-य, ये पाँच अक्षर पंचाक्षर मंत्र कहलाते हैं।
Oṃ namaḥ śivāya
Om. Salutations to Shiva, the auspicious one.Meaning
Om. Salutations to Shiva, the auspicious one.
Om Namah Shivaya
Om. Salutations to Shiva, the auspicious one.Meaning (Hinglish)
Om, kalyaankaari Shiva ko namaskaar. Na-mah-shi-vaa-ya, ye paanch akshar Panchakshari mantra kahlaate hain.
The Panchakshari mantra. The phrase namaḥ śivāya appears in Sri Rudram (Krishna Yajurveda, Taittiriya Samhita 4.5). English meanings are paraphrases; punctuation and Devanagari spelling are normalized.
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About the Om Namah Shivaya
Om Namah Shivaya is the Panchakshari, the five-syllable mantra na-maḥ-śi-vā-ya, with Om placed before it. The words appear in Sri Rudram of the Krishna Yajurveda. It is among the most widely chanted mantras in Shaiva devotion, often repeated on a rudraksha mala.
Best time to chant: Any time of day. Mondays, Pradosh and Maha Shivaratri are especially observed.
Understanding Om Namah Shivaya
Om Namah Shivaya is a salutation to Lord Shiva, also called Shiv. The Sanskrit text is displayed in Devanagari, with a Hindi explanation below and Roman reading options in the tabs. Follow the complete phrase at a comfortable pace, then mark each recitation with the counting button.
ॐ, कल्याणकारी शिव को नमस्कार है। न-मः-शि-वा-य, ये पाँच अक्षर पंचाक्षर मंत्र कहलाते हैं।
Benefits of the Om Namah Shivaya
- The five-syllable mantra of Shiva. Simple, steady and deeply loved.
- Repeated recitation can be used as a practice of attention and devotion.
How to chant the Om Namah Shivaya
- Read each line together with its meaning before beginning.
- Recite the complete prayer slowly, following the script you prefer.
- Use the counter after each complete recitation. Choose a comfortable number of repetitions.
Frequently asked questions
Where does Om Namah Shivaya come from?
The Panchakshari mantra. The phrase namaḥ śivāya appears in Sri Rudram (Krishna Yajurveda, Taittiriya Samhita 4.5).
What does one count represent?
One count represents one complete recitation of the prayer displayed on this page. You can choose a short practice or count 108 repetitions.