Om Namah Shivaya - Meaning?

Om Namah Shivaya in Advaita: The Mantra of Non-Duality. What does Om Namah Shivaya truly mean through the lens of Advaita Vedanta? This track explores the mantra not as a chant to an external deity, but as a profound pointer to your true nature.

Om – the sound of pure existence.
Namah – surrender, ego dissolution.
Shivaya – to Shiva, the Self, pure awareness.

In non-duality, Shiva is not a god outside of you, but the infinite, formless consciousness that you already are. This reflection guides you to see Om Namah Shivaya as a path to inner stillness and self-realization.

You are not the body. Not the mind.
You are Shiva—silent, aware, ever-present.

Chant. Reflect. Dissolve. Awaken.
If you enjoy meditating on Shiva, explore our course: Himalayan Silence – I Am Shiva, I Am Presence.

Transcript

Om Namah Shivaya is one of the most powerful and ancient mantras associated with Shiva,

The Supreme Consciousness.

In Advaita Vedanta,

This mantra is not just a devotional chant,

But a profound key to self-realization.

Om,

The primordial sound,

The vibration of existence,

The infinite silence from which all arises.

Namah,

Surrender,

Dissolving the ego,

Letting go of the false sense of separation.

Shivaya,

To Shiva,

But not as an external deity.

Shiva is pure awareness,

The Self,

The infinite consciousness that you are.

When you chant Om Namah Shivaya,

You are not worshipping something outside of yourself.

You are recognizing your true nature as limitless,

Formless awareness.

In non-duality,

Advaita,

There is no separation between you and the Divine.

Shiva is not a person or a being,

It is absolute reality,

Pure consciousness,

Brahman.

The mind and body are transient,

But awareness is eternal.

Shiva represents the unchanging,

Ever-present witness behind all experiences.

This mantra reminds you to drop identification with thoughts,

Emotions and the body and rest as the pure observer.

Chanting Om Namah Shivaya is a practice of dissolving the illusion of ego and recognizing I am not the mind,

I am not the body,

I am the pure,

Formless awareness,

Shiva.

In some traditions,

Om Namah Shivaya is known as the Panchakshara mantra,

Meaning five-syllable mantra.

Namah Shivaya.

These five syllables correspond to the five elements that make up existence.

Na,

Earth,

Stability,

Grounding,

The physical body.

Na,

Earth,

Grounding,

Stability,

The body.

Ma,

Water,

Flow,

Emotions,

Letting go.

Shur,

Fire,

Transformation,

The burning away of illusions.

Va,

Air,

Movement,

Expansion.

Breath,

Prana.

Ya,

Space,

Infinite awareness,

The formless.

By chanting this mantra,

You balance the elements within and attune yourself to the harmony of existence.

How to meditate with Om Namah Shivaya?

First,

Sit in silence and take a deep breath.

Second,

Chant softly or internally Om Namah Shivaya.

Third,

With each repetition,

Feel your sense of I dissolving into vast awareness.

Fourth,

Notice the silence between the chants.

This silence is Shiva.

Fifth,

Rest as the witnessing presence,

Beyond all thoughts and emotions.

With practice,

This mantra leads you beyond words,

Beyond sound,

Into the stillness that is your true nature.