Om namah shivaya: significance of chanting the lord's name and his other favourite 108 names.

 

 

  In Hinduism there are sixteen sanskars which start from the new creation (birth)to the  old destruction (death) of a body. Among those the Naamkaran sanskara is very important. Sanskara means purification. Like one can't eat rice directly from the paddy and there is a full developed process of purification behind it. It is also same in case of humans. The Naamkaran sanskara deals with the Naam which is given to a new born. Everyone wants their name because a name is a unique way to recognise something or someone. For example when we say ornaments,may be it is made from gold/silver/diamond,it can't be recognisable. But we we say necklace or bracelet or anklet etc,we particularly mention a specific item so that it can easily identifiable. Same in the case of Name also. 

  Chanting of the lord's name holds a crucial place since time immemorial. In our shastras,purans and itihashas we find numerous examples of Naam jap and naam mahima. In every yuga ,the name of the lord's holds a significant place. It may be sages/demons/devotees, everyone chant their respective lord's name to attain their desired goals. In the manner the line OM NAMAH SHIVAYA holds a crucial and indispensable place of it's own.

 The phrase Om namah shivaya is simply tells that, O Lord Shiva! I  salute you. When we chant repeatedly then it is like I salute you again and again. But before one go for it,one must know the importance of this line so that it becomes more interesting and understandable.

According to Shri Rudra Chamkam (krishna Yajurveda) and Rudrastadhyae (shukla yajurveda ) the line Om namah shivaya is made of six letter in total i.e, ॐ , Na, Ma, Shi, Va, Ya.

ॐ + NA+ Ma+ Shi+Va+Ya= Om namah shivaya. 

Na,Ma,Shi,Va,Ya, these are five syllables indicate the five elements (pancha mahabhoots)i.e, earth,water,fire,air,and ether. These five elements are the building block of everything in creation, including the human body and lord Shiva is the master of these five elements. Where Om is the sound of the universe. Om signifies love and peace. So the om namah shivaya chanting is done to harmonise the five elements in the environment. When there is peace,love, and harmony in all the five elements,there is bliss and there is joy everywhere.

Om -peace and love

Na-earth

Ma- water

Shi-fire

Va-air

Ya-ether

Again these five elements are also represent a human's five sense organs. It is like the fire is for eye, water is for tongue, air is for ear, earth is for nose and skin is for ether. The eyes which see the lord everytime, the tongue which chants the name of lord everytime, the ear which hears the sound of lord everytime, the nose which smells the fragrance of lord everytime,the skin which feels the omnipresent lord everytime and finally the six sense of human ,the mind which is more powerful, thinks the Almighty lord everytime and the body which contains all those above mentioned organs is actually a perfect human body. 

(Eye -fire, Tongue -water,Ear-Air,Nose-Earth,Skin-Ether)

As we see the line om Namah shivaya has a significant place and an auspicious mantra of lord Shiva , again there are 108 other favourite names of the lords. These are given below.

 1

Om Shivaya Namah

Always Pure

2

Om Maheshwaraya Namah

Lord Of Gods

3

Om Shambhave Namah

One Who Bestows Prosperity

4

Om Pinakine Namah

One Who Has A Bow In His Hand

5

Om Shashishekharaya Namah

The God Who Wears The Crescent Moon In His Hair

6

Om Vamadevaya Namah

The God Who Is Pleasing And Auspicious In Every Way

7

Om Virupakshaya Namah

Lord Shiva With Oblique Eyes

8

Om Kapardine Namah

The Lord With Thickly Matted Hair

9

Om Nilalohitaya Namah

The One With Red And Blue Colour

10

Om Shankaraya Namah

One Who Gives Happiness And prosperity

11

Om Shulapanaye Namah

The One Who Carries A Trident

12

Om Khatvangine Namah

The God Who Carries A Knurled Club (Khatvanga)

13

Om Vishnuvallabhaya Namah

The One Who Is Dear To Lord Vishnu

14

Om Shipivishtaya Namah

The Lord Whose Form Emits Great Rays Of Light

15

Om Ambikanathaya Namah

Consort of Ambika (Parvati)

16

Om Shrikanthaya Namah

Of Glorious Neck

17

Om Bhaktavatsalaya Namah

The One Who Is Favourably Inclined Towards His Devotees

18

Om Bhavaya Namah

The God Who Is Existence Itself

19

Om Sharvaya Namah

Remover Of All Troubles

20

Om Trilokeshaya Namah

The Lord Of All The Three Worlds

21

Om Shitikanthaya Namah

The Lord Who Has White Neck

22

Om ShivaPriyaya Namah

Beloved Of Parvati

23

Om Ugraya Namah

The One Who Has Extremely Fierce Nature

24

Om Kapaline Namah

One Who Wears A Necklace Of Skulls

25

Om Kamaraye Namah

Enemy of Kamadeva

26

Om Andhakasurasudanaya Namah

The Lord Who Killed The Asura Andhaka

27

Om Gangadharaya Namah

The God Who Holds The Ganges River In His Hair

28

Om Lalatakshaya Namah

One Who Has An Eye In The Forehead

29

Om Kalakalaya Namah

He Is The Death Of Death

30

Om Kripanidhaye Namah

The God Who Is The Treasure Of Compassion

31

Om Bhimaya Namah

The One Who Has Fearful Form

32

Om Parashuhastaya Namah

The God Who Holds Axe In Hands

33

Om Mrigapanaye Namah

The God Who Possess Deer In Hands

34

Om Jatadharaya Namah

The God Who Keeps Tress (Jata)

35

Om Kailashavasine Namah

Native Of Kailasha

36

Om Kawachine Namah

The God Who Possess Armour

37

Om Kathoraya Namah

The God Who Has A Strong Body

38

Om Tripurantakaya Namah

The God Who Killed Tripurasura

39

Om Vrishankaya Namah

The God Who Has A Flag With A Symbol Of Bull

40

Om Vrishabharudhaya Namah

The One Who Rides Bull

41

Om Bhasmodhulitavigrahaya Namah

The One Who Applies Ashes All Over The Body

42

Om Samapriyaya Namah

The One Who Loves With Equality

43

Om Swaramayaya Namah

The God Who Lives In All Seven Notes

44

Om Trayimurtaye Namah

The One Who Possess Veda Form

45

Om Anishwaraya Namah

The One Who Does Not Have Any Lord

46

Om Sarvajnaya Namah

The One Who Knows Everything

47

Om Paramatmane Namah

Everyone's Own Soul

48

Om Somasuryagnilochanaya Namah

The One Who Has Eyes In The Form Of Sun, Moon And Fire

49

Om Havishe Namah

He Who Is Wealthy In The Form Of Ahuti

50

Om Yajnamayaya Namah

The Architect Of All Sacrificial Rites

51

Om Somaya Namah

The One Who Includes The Form Of Uma

52

Om Panchavaktraya Namah

God Of The Five Activities

53

Om Sadashivaya Namah

The One Who Is Eternally Auspicious

54

Om Vishveshwaraya Namah

Lord Of The Universe

55

Om Virabhadraya Namah

Who Is Violent , Yet Peaceful

56

Om Gananathaya Namah

God Of The Ganas

57

Om Prajapataye Namah

The One Who Is The Creator Of Dynasty

58

Om Hiranyaretase Namah

The One Who Emanates Golden Souls

59

Om Durdharshaya Namah

The One who Is Unconquerable

60

Om Girishaya Namah

Lord Of Mountains

61

Om Girishaya Namah

The God Who Sleeps On Kailash Mountain

62

Om Anaghaya Namah

He Who Is Pure

63

Om Bujangabhushanaya Namah

Lord Adorned With Golden Snakes

64

Om Bhargaya Namah

Lord Who Ends All Sins

65

Om Giridhanvane Namah

God Whose Weapon Is A Mountain

66

Om Giripriyaya Namah

Lord Who Is Fond Of Mountains

67

Om krittivasase Namah

God Who Wears Clothes Of Elephant Skin

68

Om Purarataye Namah

Destroyer OF Town Or "Pur" Named Enemy

69

Om Bhagawate Namah

God Of Prosperity

70

Om Pramathadhipaya Namah

God Who Is Served By Goblins

71

Om Mrityunjayaya Namah

Victor Of Death

72

Om Sukshmatanave Namah

God Who Has A Subtle Body

73

Om Jagadvyapine Namah

God Who Lives In The World

74

Om Jagadguruve Namah

Guru Of All The Worlds

75

Om Vyomakeshaya Namah

Whose Hair Spreads In The Sky

76

Om Mahasenajanakaya Namah

Father Of Kartikya

77

Om Charuvikramaya Namah

The Guardian Of Wandering Pilgrims

78

Om Rudraya Namah

The One Who Gets Sad By The Pain Of Devotees

79

Om Bhutapataye Namah

Lord Of Panchabhoota Or Bhootapreta

80

Om Sthanave Namah

Firm And Immovable Deity

81

Om Ahirbudhnyaya Namah

The One Who Possess Kundalini

82

Om Digambaraya Namah

The God Whose Robes Is The Cosmos

83

Om Ashtamurtaye Namah

Lord Who Has Eight Forms

84

Om Anekatmane Namah

The God Who Possess Many Forms

85

Om Satvikaya Namah

Lord Of Boundless Energy

86

Om Shuddhavigrahaya Namah

Lord Of Pure Soul

87

Om Shashvataya Namah

Lord Who Is Eternal And Endless

88

Om Khandaparashave Namah

Lord Who Wears Broken Axe

89

Om Ajaya Namah

The One Who Is Boundless

90

Om Pashavimochakaya Namah

Lord Who Releases All Fetters

91

Om Mridaya Namah

The Lord Who Shows Only Mercy

92

Om Pashupataye Namah

Lord Of Animals

93

Om Devaya Namah

Lord Of Devas

94

Om Mahadevaya Namah

Greatest Of The Gods

95

Om Avyayaya Namah

The One Who Never Subject To Change

96

Om Haraye Namah

Same As Lord Vishnu

97

Om Bhaganetrabhide Namah

The Lord Who Damaged Bhaga's Eye

98

Om Avyaktaya Namah

Shiva Who Is Unseen

99

Om Dakshadhwaraharaya Namah

Destroyer Of Daksha's Conceited Sacrifice (Yagya)

100

Om Haraya Namah

The Lord Who Dissolves All Bondage And Sins

101

Om Pushadantabhide Namah

One Who Punished Pushan

102

Om Avyagraya Namah

Lord Who Is Steady And Unwavering

103

Om Sahasrakshaya Namah

One Who Has Limitless Forms

104

Om Sahasrapade Namah

The Lord Who Is Standing And Walking Everywhere

105

Om Apavargapradaya Namah

Lord Who Gives And Takes All Things

106

Om Anantaya Namah

The One Who Is unending

107

Om Tarakaya Namah

The Lord Who Is Great Liberator Of Mankind

108

Om Parameshwaraya Namah

The Great God

In conclusion,there is a sloka in Shiva Mahapuran i.e,

ॐ भवन्ति विविधा धर्मास्तेषां सद्यः फलोन्मुखाः। येषां भवति विश्वासः शिवनाम जपे मुने ।।

पातकानि विनश्यति यावन्ति शिवनामतः । भुवि तावन्ति पापानि क्रियन्ते न नरैमुर्ने ।। (शिव पुराण वि. २३। २६-२७)

Bhabanti bibidha dharmaasteshaam sadaya phalanmukha ।

Yesham bhabanti biswasa shivanam jape munne ll

Patakani binasyati yabanti shivanamata l

Bhuti tabanti papani kriyante na nareermuneer ll

अर्थात पाप मूलक जो नाना प्रकार के दुःख हैं, वे एकमात्र शिवनाम से ही नष्ट हो जाते हैं। दूसरे साधनों से सम्पूर्ण यत्न करने पर भी पूर्णतया नष्ट नहीं होते हैं। जो मनुष्य इस भूतल पर सदा भगवान् शिव के नामों के जप में ही लगा हुआ है, वह वेदों का ज्ञाता है, वह पुण्य आत्मा है, वह धन्यवाद का पात्र है तथा वह विद्वान माना गया है। जिनका शिवनाम जप में विश्वास है, उनके दवारा आचरित नाना प्रकार के धर्म तत्काल फल देने के लिए उत्सुक हो जाते हैं। भगवान् शिव के नाम से जितने पाप नष्ट हो जाते हैं, उतने पाप मनुष्य इस भूतल पर नहीं कर सकता।

जो मनुष्य भगवान् शिव की उपासना करते हैं, वे धन्य हैं कृतार्थ हैं। श्री शिवाय नमस्यतुभ्यम (हे शिव! आपको नमस्कार है।) बोलने वाला मुख, समस्त पापों का विनाश करने वाला पावन तीर्थ बन जाता है।

भगवान् शिव का नाम, विभूति (भस्म) तथा रुद्राक्ष ये तीनो त्रिवेणी के सामान परम पुण्यमय माने गए हैं। जहाँ यह तीनो शुभतर वस्तुएं सर्वदा रहती हैं, उसके दर्शन मात्र से मनुष्य त्रिवेणी स्नान का फल पा लेता है।

(And which translated as,) the various kinds of sorrows caused by sin are destroyed only by the name of Shiva. Even with all efforts using other men, those are not completely destroyed. The person who is always engaged in chanting the name of lord Shiva an this earth,is a knower of vedas,he is a virtuous soul,he deserves thanks and he is considered a scholar.

Those who have faith in chanting the name of Shiva, various types of religions practised by them become eager to give immediate results. A human being cannot commit as many sins on this earth as are destroyed in the name of lord Shiva.

Those people who worship lord Shiva are blessed and blessed. The mouth that speaks Shri Shivay Namasthubhyam (O Shiva ! Salutation to you) becomes a holy place of pilgrimage that destroys all sins.

Name of lord Shiva, vibhuti, and Rudraksha,these three are considered to be as auspicious as the triveni. Where these three auspicious things remain,a person gets the result of Triveni bath just by seeing that place.

SHIVAHAM, SHIVAHAM, SHIVAHAM

TANMEMANAH SHIVA SANKALPASTU.