Aum Namah Shivaya

Aum Namaḥ Shivaya is among the foremost and powerful mantras. Its meaning is "adoration (namas) to Shiva, preceded by the mystical syllable Aum. It is called Panchakshara, or "having five syllables". Shaivite mystics hold that within its celestial tones and hues resides all of the intuitive knowledge of Śaivism. The Aum Namaḥ Shivaya mantra appears for the first time, still without the Aum, in a traditional Vedic prayer to Rudra called Shri Rudram (Rudra is considered an earlier aspect and name of Lord Shiva). In this context, Shiva retains its original meaning as an adjective meaning "auspicious, benign, friendly", a euphemistic epithet of Rudra.