Panchakshari and Shadakshari mantra

Shiva is the great purifier as well as the Adiguru (primal guru). He is the deity (or archetypal energy) that purifies our wrong doings and helps us to burn up negative karmas. He is the source of knowledge and educates the heart and mind in the path one follows. He is the original guru as taught by Patanjali: Ishvara is Purusha, Aum is Ishvara, the teacher of the earliest Gurus.

Panchaksari Mantra

Panch means 5 and akshara means syllables, so the Shiva panchakshari mantra is the 5 syllable Namah Sivaya mantra. Namah Sivaya is 2 words and 5 syllables. It takes the energy of the 2 nd house (speech, traditional study, Masters degree, etc.) to the 5 th house (bhakti, mantra, yantra, tantra, intelligence). Shankaracharya was a great jnana yogi who advised the 5 syllable mantra, for its ability to open one to the knowledge of the Self which is Siva.In the Shiva Purana, it is Shiva that teaches the panchaksari mantra to Brahma in order to give Shakti to his forms. When the world is darkened by sins and evils it will be the panchaksari that will embark one on the mukti marga (path of liberation).
The 5 aksharas can be empowered each separately to give birth to the mantra for those who know mantra sadhanna. Aum NaM Namah Sivaya, Aum MaM Namah Sivaya, Aum SiM Namah Sivaya, Aum VaM Namah Sivaya, Aum YaM Namah Sivaya, (can each be done 108 times with Rishi, Chanda, Devata to give birth to the mantra).

	Na	Ma	Si	Va	Ya
Rishi	Gautama	Atri	Vishwamitra	Angirasa	Baradwaja
Chanda	Gyatri	Anustup	Tristup	Brihati	Virat
Devata	Indra	Rudra	Hari	Brahma	Skanda
Face	East	North	West	South	Upwards
Swara	Udatta	Udatta	Swaritta	Swaritta	Udatta

At the end of this chapter in the Shiva Purana (which has much more detail than given here), Shiva talks to Parvati. He tells Devi that Her mula mantra (root mantra) is also panchaksari, but it becomes Namah Shivayai. We then have a similar variation for Shakti Ma.

Shadakshari Mantra

Shad means 6 and akshara means syllables, so the Shiva shadakshari mantra is the 6 syllable Aum Namah Sivaya mantra. Aum Namah Sivaya is three words and 6 syllables- so it takes the 3rd house energy (parakrama) to the sixth house. Sixth house rules karma/works/service and also shad-ripus (our weaknesses). So Aum Namah Sivaya is best for karma yoga and purification of our bad karma and bad habits.
In the Shiva Purana, it is Krsna that teaches the shadakshari mantra. He says it colors peoples heart and makes them happy (loka chitta), it gives artha (wealth and moksa (spirituality) and is ornamented with a variety of siddhis (perfections). It is the essence of divinity (devasara), and the root of all vidya (nikil vidya). It is like and acorn of a banyan tree, giving rise to the greatest vidya (knowledge/science).
The five syllables are the five faces of Shiva, it is Shiva himself, it is naturally part of him as speech. The mantra is the devata, they reside together as speaker and spoken word. When Shiva himself Chants Aum, we have Aum Namah Sivaya.
It is said to be a medicine of all dosas (problems) of samsara. The name of Shiva is specific for removing putra doshas (problems related to having children). When there is no Sun we are enshrouded in darkness, the name of Siva is like the light of the Sun. It gives limitless omniscience (sarvajna), bliss (anandamaya sankara), and liberation (moksa). The Shadakshari is the knowledge of Shiva (Shivajnana), and it is the ultimate objective (paramapada).

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Secret of Panchakshari Manthra - Om Namaha Shivaya

 Panchakshara is a Mahamantra which is composed of five letters, Namassivaya. A Mantra
is that which removes all obstacles and miseries of one who reflects on it and bestows eternal bliss
and immortality. Panchakshara is the best among seven crores of Mantras. There are seven
Skandhas in Yajurveda. There is Rudradhyayi in the centre of the middle Skandha. In this
Rudradhyayi there are one thousand Rudra Mantras. Namassivaya or the Siva Panchakshara
Mantra shines in the centre of these one thousand Rudra Mantras.
Yajurveda is the head of Paramesvara, who is the Veda Purusha. Rudram which is in the
middle is the face, Panchakshara is His eye, Siva which is in the centre of the ‘Namassivaya’ is the
apple of the eye. He who does Japa of this Panchakshara is freed from births and deaths and attains
eternal bliss. This is the emphatic declaration of the Vedas. This Panchakshara is the body of Lord
Nataraja. This is the abode of Lord Siva. If you add ‘Om’ to the ‘Namassivaya’ in the beginning,
then it becomes Shadakshara or six-lettered Mantra. ‘Om Namo Mahadevaya’ is the eight-lettered
Mantra or Ashtakshara.

Panchakshara is of six kinds, viz., Sthula Panchakshara (Namassivaya), Sukshma
Panchakshara (Sivaya Namah), Karana Panchakshara (Sivaya Siva), Mahakarana Panchakshara
(Sivaya), Mahamanu or Mukti Panchakshara (Si).
‘Namah’ means ‘Prostration’. ‘Sivaya Namah’ means ‘Prostration unto Lord Siva’. The
Jiva is the servant of Lord Siva from the Deha-Drishti. ‘Namah’ represents Jivatman. ‘Siva’
represents Paramatman. ‘Aya’ denotes ‘Aikyam’ or identity of Jivatman and Paramatman. Hence
‘Sivaya Namah’ is a Mahavakya, like ‘Tat Tvam Asi’ which signifies the identity between the
individual and the supreme soul.
Pranava denotes the external form (husk) of the Lord (paddy) and Panchakshara, the
internal Svarupa (rice). Pranava and Panchakshara are one. The five letters denote the five actions
or Pancha Krityas of the Lord, viz., Srishti (creation), Sthiti (preservation), Samhara (destruction),
Tirodhana (veiling) and Anugraha (blessing). They also denote the five elements and all creations
through the combination of the five elements.
‘Na’ represents Tirodhana; ‘Ma’, the Mala or impurity; ‘Si’, Lord Siva; ‘Va’, the Arul
Sakti; and ‘Ya’, the individual soul.
Take bath or wash your face, hands and feet. Wear Bhasma and Rudraksha Mala. Sit on
Padmasana or Sukhasana, facing East or North, in a quiet place or room. Repeat silently the
Panchakshara and meditate on the form of Lord Siva. Keep the image in the heart or space between
the eyebrows.
If you practise meditation regularly, your heart will be purified. All Samskaras and sins will
be burnt in toto. You will attain Siva-Yoga-Nishtha or Nirvikalpa Samadhi. You will attain the
glorious Siva-Pada or Siva-Gati and become one with Lord Siva. You will enjoy the eternal bliss of
Sivanandam and become immortal.
May Lord Siva bless you all!

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