Om Namah Shivaya

Om Namah Shivaya (Devanagari: ॐ नमः शिवाय; IAST: Oṃ Namaḥ Śivāya) is one of the most popular Hindu mantras and the most important mantra in Shaivism.

The mantra without the initial Om was originally a verse in the eighth hymn of the Namakam section of the Shri Rudram, (TS 4.5.8.1) itself taken from the Taittirīya Samhita, a recension of the Black Yajurveda.

[2] This mantra also appears in the Rudrashtadhyayi, a part of the Shukla Yajurveda.

[3][4] Namah Shivaya means "Adoration to Lord Shiva"; this is preceded by the devotional syllable "Om".

In Siddha Shaivism and Shaiva Siddhanta Shaivism traditions, Namah Shivaya is considered as Pancha Bodha Tatva of Lord Shiva and his universal oneness of five elements:[5] Its total meaning is that "universal consciousness is one".