Shivastakam (PRAYER OF LORD SHIVA)

Prabum pran natham vibhum vishwa natham
Jagannatha natham sada nanda bhajam
Bhavat bhavya bhuteshwaram bhutnatham
Shivam sankaram shambu meshan meda
I pray You, Śiva, Śańkara, Śambhu, Who is the Lord, Who is the Lord of our lives, Who is Vibhu, Who is the Lord of the world, Who is the Lord of Viṣṇu (Jagannātha), Who is always dwelling in happiness, Who imparts light or shine to everything, Who is the Lord of living beings, Who is the Lord of ghosts, and Who is the Lord of everyone.||1||
Gala rundmalam tano sarp jalam
Mahakal kalam ganesha thee palam
Jata jut gangotaram jai vishalam
Shivam shankaram shambu meshan meda
I pray You, Śiva, Śańkara, Śambhu, Who has a garland of skull around the neck, Who has a net of snakes around His body, Who is the destroyer of the immense-destroyer Kāla, Who is the lord of Gaṇeśa, Whose matted-hair are spread-out by the presence of the waves of Gańgā falling on His head, and Who is the Lord of everyone.||2||
Muda makaram mandalam mandayantam
Mahamandalam bhasma bhusha dharantam
Anadinha aparam mahamoh maram
Shivam shankaram shambu meshan meda
I pray You, Śiva, Śańkara, Śambhu, Who scatters happiness [in the world], Who is ornating the universe, Who is the immense universe Himself, Who is possessing the adornment of ashes, Who is without a beginning, Who is without a measure, Who removes the greatest attachments, and Who is the Lord of everyone.||3||
Vata dho nivasam maha tatya hasam
Maha papa nasham sadya suprakasam
Girisham Ganesham suresham mahesham
Shivam shankaram shambu meshan meda
I pray You, Śiva, Śańkara, Śambhu, Who resides below a Vaṭa (Banyan) tree, Who possesses an immense laughter, Who destroys the greatest sins, Who is always resplendent, Who is the Lord of Himālaya, various tormentor-groups (Gaṇa) and the demi-gods, Who is the great Lord, and Who is the Lord of everyone.||4||
Girindratam jasam tuhi tat deham
Giro sansthitam sarvoda sannageham
Parabhrahma brahma dibhivandyamanam
Shivam shankaram shambu meshan meda
I pray You, Śiva, Śańkara, Śambhu, Who shares half of His body with the daughter of Himālaya¹, Who is situated in a mountain (Kailāsa), Who is always a resort for the depressed, Who is the Ātman, Who is reverred by (or Who is worthy of reverence by) Brahma and others, and Who is the Lord of everyone.||5||
Kapalam trishulam karabhayam dadhanam
Padam bhojanam bhray kamam dadanam
Bali vardayanam suranam pradhanam
Shivam shankaram shambu meshan meda
I pray You, Śiva, Śańkara, Śambhu, Who holds a skull and a trident in the hands, Who endows the desires of those who are humble to His lotus-feet, Who uses an Ox as a vehicle², Who is supreme and above various demi-gods, and Who is the Lord of everyone.||6||
Sharad Chandra gatram gunanand patram
Trinetram pavitram dhaneshasya mitram
Aparna kaletram sada saccaritram
Shivam shankaram shambu meshan meda
I pray You, Śiva, Śańkara, Śambhu, Who has a face like the Winter-moon, Who is the subject of happiness of Gaṇa (tormentor groups), Who has three eyes, Who is pure, Who is the friend of Kubera (controller of wealth), Who is the consort of Aparṇā (Pārvatī), Who has eternal characteristics, and Who is the Lord of everyone.||7||
Harm sarpa haaram chitta bhu vibharam
Bhavam ved saram sada nirvikaram
Smashane vasantam manojam dahantam
Shivam shankaram shambu meshan meda
I pray You, Śiva, Śańkara, Śambhu, Who is known as Hara, Who has a garland of snakes, Who roams around the cremation grounds, Who is the universe, Who is the summary of the Veda (or the One discussed by Veda), Who is always dispassionate, Who is living in the cremation grounds, Who is burning desires born in the mind, and Who is the Lord of everyone.||8||

Those who study this prayer every morning with effulgence and emotions for Trident-holding Śiva, achieve Mokṣa, after having attained a dutiful son, wealth, friends, wife, and a colorful life.||9||

What are ancestral problems?

According to the science of Spirituality and unknown to modern sciences, 50% of difficulties in our lives are caused solely due to spiritual factors and another 30% due to spiritual and psychological and/or physical factors.

Please refer to the article on, ‘The breakdown of spiritual root causes of difficulties in life.’
One aspect of these spiritual root causes of problems in our lives is the distress caused to descendants by the subtle bodies of their ancestors who have passed away (died). It is also one of the more common spiritual factors that affects almost all of humanity in some form or the other. Before we give a detailed explanation as to why our ancestors would want to cause any kind of trouble for us, let us first examine the kinds of difficulties that people can experience due to departed ancestors.
The distress caused to us descendants by the subtle bodies of our ancestors manifests in many ways in our day-to-day lives.  It creates obstacles in both, our worldly lives as well as spiritual practice. In some cases, it may seem that the entire family has a dark cloud over it and various family members are undergoing various problems despite all efforts to overcome them. The difficulties that are created due to departed ancestors come in various forms as listed below:

• Inability to get married
• Marital disharmony
• Addictions (a sizeable % of addictions are due to ancestral spirits possessing descendants in order to experience the addictive substance or activity)
• Going blank in examinations despite being well prepared for it
• Loss of job
• Difficulty in conceiving a child
• Miscarriages
• Bearing mentally challenged children or children with special needs
• Death during childhood

Miscarriage, death in childhood, etc. happen when the distress by ancestors is coupled with other major spiritual causes such as destined possible death. It cannot happen solely on account of distress of ancestors. While the above types of problems may be a strong indication of ancestral problems, only a Saint or a Guru (a spiritually evolved guide) can tell with certainty the root cause of a problem.
At an intellectual level, we could use two rules of thumb to decide if the cause of the suffering is spiritual in nature:

• All remedies to solve the problem have failed. This is especially so when the problem should be easily treatable by modern sciences such as a skin rash, chest pain, etc.
• A number of family members (e.g. 4 out of 5) are suffering with any of the above mentioned issues simultaneously. (The reason that all the family members get affected is that they all have the same ancestors.)

Vedas (The most sacred scriptures of Hinduism are the Vedas ("Books of Knowledge")

What are the Vedas?

The most sacred scriptures of Hinduism are the Vedas ("Books of Knowledge"), a collection of texts written in Sanskrit from about 1200 BCE to 100 CE. As sruti, the Vedas are regarded as the absolute authority for religious knowledge and a test of Hindu orthodoxy (both Jains and Buddhists reject the Vedas). "For Hindus, the Veda is a symbol of unchallenged authority and tradition." {1}
Selections from the Vedas are still memorized and recited for religious merit today. Yet much of the religion presented in the Vedas is unknown today and plays little to no role in modern Hinduism.
As historical and religious literature often is, the text is written from the perspective of the most powerful groups, priests and warrior-kings. Scholars say it is therefore unlikely that it represents the totality of religious belief and practice in India in the first millennium BCE. This perspective is especially evident in the earlier parts of the Vedas, in which the primary concerns are war, rain, and dealing with the "slaves," or native inhabitants of India.
Initially, the Vedas consisted of four collections of mantras (Samhitas), each associated with a particular priest or aspect of ritual: Rig Veda (Wisdom of the Verses); Sama Veda (Wisdom of the Chants); Yajur Veda (Wisdom of the Sacrificial Formulas); and Atharva Veda (Wisdom of the Atharvan Priests).
Over the centuries, three kinds of additional literature were attached to each of the Samhitas: Brahmanas (discussions of the ritual); Aranyakas ("books studied in the forest"); and Upanishads (philosophical writings).
In these later texts, especially the Upanishads, the polytheism of the earlier Vedas has evolved into a pantheism focused on Brahman, the supreme reality of the universe. This concept remains a key feature of Hindu philosophy today.

Samhitas

As noted above, the Samhitas ("Collections") are the oldest components of the Vedas, and consist largely of hymns and mantras. There are four Samhitas (also called Vedas): Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, and Atharva Veda.

The Rig Veda

Composed as early as 1500 BC, the Rig Veda or Rg Veda ("Wisdom of the Verses") is the oldest of the four Vedic collections and one of the oldest surviving sacred texts in the world. The Rig Veda consists of 10,552 verses (collected into 10 books) of hymns and mantras used by the hotri priests.
The hymns of the Rig Veda focus on pleasing the principal gods Indra (war, wind and rain), Agni (the sacrificial fire), Surga (the sun) and Varuna (the cosmic order) through ritual sacrifices. Along with governing important matters of life such as rain, wind, fire and war, the Vedic gods also forgive wrongdoing (5.85.7) and mete out justice in the afterlife (1.97.1).
Deceased ancestors are able to influence the living (10.15.6), so they are also appeased with rituals (10.15.1-11). The afterlife of the Rig Veda is eternal conscious survival in the abode of Yama, the god of the dead (9.113.7-11). It is the gods, not karma, that are responsible for assuring justice in this life and the next (7.104).

Yajur Veda and Sama Veda

Both the Yajur Veda ("Wisdom of the Sacrifical Formulas") and the Sama Veda ("Wisdom of the Chants") are liturgical works consisting primarily of selections from the Rig Veda. The Yajur Veda was used by udgatri priests and contains brief prose to accompany ritual acts, many of which are addressed to the ritual instruments and offerings. The Sama Veda was chanted in fixed melodies by the adhvaryu priests. Each contain about 2,000 verses.

Atharva Veda

The Atharva Veda ("Wisdom of the Atharvan Priests) was added significantly later than the first three Samhitas, perhaps as late as 500 BC. It consists of 20 books of hymns and prose, many of which reflect the religious concerns of everyday life. This sets the Arharva Veda apart from the other Vedas, which focus on adoring the gods and performing the liturgy of sacrifice, and makes it an important source of information on the practical religion and magic of the time.
Books 1 through 8 of the Atharva Veda contain magical prayers for long life, prosperity, curses, kingship, love, and a variety of other specific purposes. Books 8 through 12 include cosmological hymns, marking a transition to the loftier philosophy of the Upanishads. The remainder of the books consist of magical and ritual formulas, including marriage and funeral practices.

Brahmanas

The mythology and significance behind the Vedic rituals of the Samhitas are explained in the Brahmanas. Although they include some detail as to the performance of rituals themselves, the Brahmanas are primarily concerned with the meaning of rituals. A worldview is presented in which sacrifice is central to human life, religious goals, and even the continuation of the cosmos.
Included in the Brahmanas are extensive rituals for royal consecration (rajasuya), which endow a king with great power and raise him to the status of a god (at least during the ceremony). Part of the ritual is the elaborate horse sacrifice (asvamedya), in which a single horse is set free, followed and protected by royal forces for a year, then ritually sacrificed at the royal capital.

Aranyakas ("Forest Books")

The Aranyakas contain similar material as the Brahmanas and discuss rites deemed not suitable for the village (thus the name "forest"). They also prominently feature the word brahmana, here meaning the creative power behind of the rituals, and by extension, the cosmic order.

Upanishads ("Sittings Near a Teacher")

The word "Upanishad" means "to sit down near," bringing to mind pupils gathering around their teacher for philosophical instruction. The Upanishads are philosophical works that introduce the now-central ideas of self-realization, yoga, meditation, karma and reincarnation.
The theme of the Upanishads is the escape from rebirth through knowledge of the underlying reality of the universe. The Encyclopaedia Britannica explains how this change in perspective came about:
Throughout the later Vedic period, the idea that the world of heaven was not the end-and that even in heaven death was inevitable-had been growing. For Vedic thinkers, the fear of the impermanence of religious merit and its loss in the hereafter, as well as the fear-provoking anticipation of the transience of any form of existence after death, culminating in the much-feared repeated death (punarmrtyu), assumed the character of an obsession. The older Upanishads are affixed to a particular Veda, but more recent ones are not. The most important Upanishads are generally considered to be the Brhadaranyaka ("Great Forest Text") and the Chandogya (pertaining to the Chandoga priests). Both record the traditions of sages (rishis) of the period, most notably Yajñavalkya, who was a pioneer of new religious ideas. Also significant are:
- Mandukya Upanishad
- Kena/Talavakara Upanishad
- Katha Upanishad
- Mundaka Upanishad
- Aitareya Upanishad
- Taittiriya Upanishad
- Prashna Upanishad
- Isha Upanishad
- Shvetashvatara Upanishad

Worldly people have no time for spiritual practice: Akbar and the Holy man

"When Akbar was Emperor of Delhi there lived a hermit in a hut in the forest. Many people visited the holy man. At one time he felt a great desire to entertain his visitors. But how could he do so without money? So he decided to go to the Emperor for help, for the gate of Akbar's palace was always open to holy men. 

The hermit entered the palace while the Emperor was at his daily devotions and took a seat in a corner of the room. He heard the Emperor conclude his worship with the prayer, 'O God, give me money; give me riches', and so on and so forth. When the hermit heard this he was about to leave the prayer hall; but the Emperor signed to him to wait. 

When the prayer was over, Akbar said to him, 'You came to see me; how is it that you were about to leave without saying anything to me?' 'Your Majesty need not trouble yourself about it', answered the hermit. 'I must leave now.' 

When the Emperor insisted, the hermit said, 'Many people visit my hut, and so I came here to ask you for some money.' 'Then', said Akbar, 'why were you going away without speaking to me?' The hermit replied: 'I found that you too were a beggar; you too prayed to God for money and riches. Thereupon I said to myself, "Why should I beg of a beggar? If I must beg, let me beg of God."

How To Pray ? Ensure Your Prayers Are Heard !

The enclosed excerpt tells us how to pray? We all pray, but many times our prayers are not heard and we face disappointments in worship. Our faith gets shaken and we wonder why our prayers were not heard.
The following quoted text explains to us how to make our prayers meaningful and effective. The enclosed passage is an excerpt from the autobiographical text  "My Life its Legacy and Message" authored by Shriram Sharma Acharya.

Quoted Text:

"The only reason which causes disappointment in the field of religious worship is to consider formal rituals as everything and to pay no attention to our inner cleansing and refinement.

What really matters is the inner vision and steadfastness of faith which acts as manure and water for nurturing the tiny seed that enables a seed to grow into a mighty tree. In fact, it is the radiant personality of the devotee that infuses life in worship, and mere performance of rituals is nothing but a pastime.

Ram of Tulsi, Hare Krishna of Soor, collective singing of devotional songs by Chaitanya, songs of Meera, Ramakrishna’s worship of Mother Kali, did not become radiantly alive for these devotees merely by their ritualistic worship.

Innumerable persons act in an absurd and mechanical manner; what they get in return is therefore nothing . When Valmiki changed the pattern of his life, he became illumined even by doing JAP (chanting of a Mantra) in an incorrect, reverse manner. Ajamil, Angulimal, Ganika and Amrapali were hardly literate but they had moulded their inner lives in conformity with spiritual ideals and achieved greatness.

It is rather a sad irony that people these days mistakenly assume that they have embarked on the path of self-realisation merely by uttering some words, performing certain rituals or making certain offerings to the Deity. They never try to transform their thoughts, character and attitudes in the light of the Indwelling Spirit which is a must for spiritual progress. I have always been cautious not to allow this falsity to enter into my way of worship (Sadhna). This path is realistic, practical and easy to be followed by and beneficial to the common mass of humanity. My way of life should be studied keeping this in view.

When righteous people act together towards righteous ends the result is bound to be good. Thus those who want to understand the nature of Spirituality of the Rishi traditions will greatly benefit from the in-depth study of my way of life. The whole of my life has been spent for this very purpose.

GAYATRI MANTRA , MEAN AND IMPACT ON US

The Gayatri Mantra (1) - Its Origin, Meaning, Scientific Impact on our Mind and Body.

The enclosed article explains the meaning of the Gayatri Mantra, its scientific merits, and the  universal application of its meaning and benefits to all people irrespective of caste, creed, nationality or religion. 
The Gayatri Mantra is a non religious mantra devoted to the promotion of righteous intellect in the world.

"A person can proceed rapidly on the path of spiritual growth and self realization through the devotion of Goddess Gayatri the Supreme creative energy of the Divine. The Mantra endows its devotee with true wisdom.

A subtle uninterrupted current of divine energy starts flowing through the inner being of the devotee, cleansing his intellect , mind and emotions of the perverse ,  dark thoughts , feelings and desires. The effects of sincere and steadfast Gayatri Sadhana are swift and miraculous in purifying, harmonizing and steadying the mind and thus establishing unshakable inner peace and a sense of joyous calm even in the face of grave trials and tribulations in the outer  life of the devotee. 

Darkness has no independent existence of its own. Darkness is nothing but the absence of Light. In the same way unhappiness is nothing but the absence of knowledge. Otherwise in this orderly creation of God, there is no shadow or suffering. God is Sat, Chit, Anand, the embodiment of Supreme Truth, Pure , Awareness and Divine Bliss. Human beings suffer because they choose to aimlessly wander in the wilderness of ignorance - forgetting their true identity as Divine Sparks. Otherwise, birth in a human body is a great boon, which even the Gods covet, because it is the only means through which a soul can attain self realization, the fountainhead of unalloyed Bliss.

The Sadhna of Gayatri is the worship of Supreme Knowledge. It is my personal experience and firm belief that those who worship Gayatri will never be lacking in spiritual enlightenment and worldly happiness."

 Gayatri Mantra the Origin of the Vedas:

It is said that Lord Brahma(Supreme Universal Consciousness)  created the Four  Vedas with the help of the 24 letters of Gayatri Mantra. In order to throw more light on the deep importance  of the knowledge captured in the Vedas, the  Shaastra, Darshan, Brahmana, Aaranyaka, Upanishad, Smritee, Sootra, Purana, Itihaas  were additionally written. In this manner the Gayatri Mantra is known to be the Mother of the Vedas. The Vedas deal  with laws of nature that govern the material and spiritual sciences. If one truly imbibes the meaning of Gayatri (i.e. righteous intellect) we become  adept at the sum and substance of all  Vedic scriptures. 

The 24 syllables of the Gayatri Mantra and what they signify:

The Gayatri Mantra:

ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं भर्गो देवस्यः धीमहि धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् .

The Gayatri Mantra In English:

Om Bhoor Bhuvah Swah Tat Savitur Vareniyam Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi Dhiyo Yonah Prachodayat .

OM : The divine sound of OM teaches us that our individual consciousness is a subset of the Universal Consciousness, that pervades this Universe. Therefore we should  live  life in a manner that upholds the flag of Universal Consciousness.

“Bhoor”: teaches us to  identify and modify those traits that destroy us and replace them with those that uplift us in an all round manner.

“Bhuvaha” : tells us to carry out our appointed duties very meticulously and after having done the same and  accept the results as God’s grace. We should engage in actions and Karma that uphold the welfare of all.

“Svaha” : emphasizes the importance of developing a balanced thought process where we can face both  joy and sorrow, pain and pleasure, profit and loss, good and bad with equanimity of character.

“Tat” : signifies that we should not  look upon the pleasures attained via the body and senses to be the be all and end all of our life. Sensory  pleasures and their benefits are transient in nature (short term feel good pleasures) and spiritual pleasures in contrast are life long and eternal.

“Savitur” : emphasizes that we gain  wisdom, righteous intellect, good health, righteously gained  wealth, righteously gained name and fame etc.

“Varenyam” : tells us to imbibe only those traits that are truly exalted.

“Bhargo” : tells us to imbibe  purity in  our body, mind, wealth, health, home, dress and behavior .

“Devasya”: signifies developing a generous, divine  and farsighted thought process.

“Dhimahi” : signifies developing the ability to imbibe good qualities, great character, divine glories and high thinking.

“Dhiyo” : refers to development of our  intellect . It signifies to us that we should  not blindly follow an  individual, ritual, literature or sect just because a crowd of people is doing so. Instead we should apply discriminating intellect to understand what is just and right and follow the same.

“Yonaha”  : signifies to us that we should imbibe all good qualities for not just our well being but also for the benefit of those around us.

 “Prachodayaat” : signifies the quality of Inspiration. It signifies to us that  we live our life in such a way that we are a source of inspiration to others, so that they too may live life in the same righteous, wise way.

Meaning of the Gayatri Mantra  in Summary:
In short it is a prayer to the Almighty Supreme God, the Creator of the entire Cosmos, the essence of our Life Existence,the  remover of  all our pains and sufferings and the One who grants us our happiness. We beseech HIS divine grace to imbue within us HIS divinity and brilliance which may purify us and guide us on the path of righteous wisdom and intellect.

HEART LINE IN PALMISTRY

The Heart Line reveals your history about intimacy and relationships. Your Heart Line shows everything about your past relationships and their affect on you now. There are no secrets anymore! Below are some examples of what is revealed in your Heart Line:








    

The Heart Line originates on the percussion edge of the hand from one of the four possible main areas (A, B, C or D).

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The Heart Line origin point reveals your subconscious feelings about love and intimacy. Your emotional scars from childhood relationships in the family will even show up in this area.










 

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When your Heart Line origin is low below the Mercury finger (A) it indicates a strong need for love and intimacy. The wide area between Mercury and the Heart Line shows the person desires lots of love and intimacy. These very loving people may appear being flirtatious by those with a higher Heart Line origin.

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The higher the Heart Line originates below Mercury, the more this person (C) is cautious about love and commitment. This person does not feel a strong need for intimacy or for making a commitment to anyone



The Heart Line destination on the Thumb side of the hand reveals a person’s pattern in handling relationships.
There are six destination areas on the hand where the Heart Line generally terminates. They are named according to the type of relationship pattern indicated. Each type is described in more detail in the following pages. For now just become familiar with the six general Heart Line destination areas below and select the one closest to yours.

Look at the hand you write with and click on the image below where your Heart Line ENDS, or is closest to the yellow area.

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The Death Experience Proves Existence Of Self

Reflecting on life Adi Shankracharya in Bhajagovindam asserts, ‘One is interested in play when he is a child, in women when he is young and, when he grows old, he is lost in thoughts. No one is interested in inquiring into what is truly real’. The ‘truly real’ is that which is non-transitory and therefore permanent.
The real is not external but internal to human beings. Since ‘we are created with the sense organs facing outward’ we have to make a conscious, continuous and diligent effort to look inwards. Someone who is wise, desiring immortality, sees the inner Self, by turning his gaze inwards and asking the question ‘Who am I’?
Ramana Maharshi learnt this during his two ‘death experiences’  in 1886 and 1912. The first experience was as a sixteen-year-old and the second was when he was 33 years of age.
In the first experience he, without any physical or psychological reason, suddenly felt the violent fear of death that drove his mind inwards and he said to himself, ‘Now death has come; what does it mean? What is it that is dying? This body dies’.
The question arose in his mind ‘with the death of the body, am I dead? Is the body I? Body is silent and inert, but i feel the full force of my personality and even the voice of I within me’. So I am the Spirit transcending the body. The body dies but the spirit transcending it cannot be touched by death. That means I am the deathless Spirit’.
The second death experience was felt in quick succession thrice. He felt as if a white curtain was drawn and darkness and faintness descended on his vision. His skin turned blue. His breathing and blood circulation stopped.
He says, ‘I could distinctly see the gradual process. There was a stage when I could still see a part of the landscape clearly while the rest was covered by the advancing curtain. It was just like drawing a slide across one's view in a stereoscope’.
About the second and third stages he says, ‘When darkness and faintness came over me a second time I leaned against a rock until it cleared. The third time it happened I felt it safer to sit, so I sat down near the rock. Then the bright white curtain completely shut off my vision, my head was swimming and my circulation and breathing stopped. The skin turned a vivid blue. It was the regular death hue and it got darker and darker’.
Though the body manifested all signs of death, Ramana says, ‘My usual current of awareness still continued in that state also. I was not in the least afraid and felt no sickness at the condition of the body. . . . This state continued for some ten or fifteen minutes. Then a shock passed suddenly through the body and circulation revived with enormous force and breathing as well, while the body perspired from every pore. The colour of life reappeared on the skin’.
Ramana was conscious throughout the period he was undergoing this ‘death experience’ for he says he could distinctly hear and understand the words of his companion. He admits that ‘I also saw the discolouration of my skin and felt the stoppage of my circulation and breathing and the increased chilliness of the extremities of my body. My usual current of awareness still continued in that state also. I was not in the least afraid and felt no sadness at the condition of the body’.

Benefits Of Chanting Om Namah Shivaya

Lord Shiva is the primary deity in Hinduism for many devotees and one of the Trimurti along with Brahma and Vishnu. Most devotees are familiar with the different legends associated with Lord Shiva, which uphold his status as an invincible Divine power.
Om Namah Shivaya is one of the most significant mantras in Hinduism, devoted to Lord Shiva. The chanting of this special mantra has several amazing benefits for a devotee’s life. Let’s have a look at its importance.

Benefits Of Chanting Om Namah Shivaya –

1. Om Namah Shivaya is a salutation to Lord Shiva which consists of the five syllables or Akshars, namely ‘Na’, ‘Ma’, ‘Si’, ‘Va’, ‘Ya’.
2. It is a part of a Hindu prayer, the Shri Rudram Chamakam, that is found in the ancient holy scripture Yajurveda.
3. This mantra has to power to purify one’s soul and guide them towards a virtuous and divine life. The positive vibrations of ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ lifts one’s spirits into previously unexplored planes of existence.
4. Self-realization about the greatness of God and the surrender of one’s ego is another important positive effect of chanting this famous mantra.
5. Om is the primordial sound of creation and the sound produced from the damru or drum of Lord Shiva, during the process of creation. It is a vibration that awakens our subconscious mind and ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ even has healing powers on a person’s body. Continual chanting of this mantra can cure depression, insomnia and mental illness.
6. The five Akshars of this special mantra are symbolic of the five elements of nature – earth, water, fire, air and space. Shiva is omnipresent and universal in nature; and this mantra acknowledges that.