Greatness of the Five Syllabled or Six Syllabled Mantra: Aum Namah Shivaya

शिव षडाक्षरी मंत्र

ॐ नम: शिवाय

In the Shiv Puran, Vayaviya Samhita, Chapter 13, the Greatness of the Shadakshari षडाक्षरी Mantra, ॐ नम: शिवाय , is given out by Lord Mahadev himself. Mata Parvati, the great Goddess, for the benefit of all, asks Lord Shiva, how the devotees of Shiva can be liberated in Kalyug (Age of Kali).In Chapter 17 of the Vidyeshwara Samhita also the Mantra Mahima is described.

Lord Shiva replies:-

Only the devotees of the Lord can be liberated in Kalyug, when they are purified by devotion after resorting to the most powerful Shadakshari Mantra, ॐ नम: शिवाय

Nama Mahima

v  In the Age of Kali (Kalyug), there is no greater protection than the Shadakshari Mantra to a fallen or low born person devoid of good conduct.

v  This mantra is effective when repeated by a person whether walking, standing or doing any other work. ¹

v  This mantra is effective even if it is not imparted by a Preceptor (Guru). It is effective even for a person whose conduct is imperfect or who has not purified the six paths. ²

v  There is no doubt that this mantra become fruitful in the man (person) who is endowed with devotion. ³

v  The Japa of the five syllabled mantra नम: शिवाय shall always be performed alonwith Pranav ॐ, making it the Shadakshari Mantra, ॐ नम: शिवाय

v  A man can achieve anything by means of Japa. ⁴

v  After performing the Purascharna of the Mantra, the householder becomes endowed with the efficacy of the Mantra.

v  If he performs another 5 Lakh (500,000) Japas , all sins get wiped off.

v  Another 5 Lakh Japas makes him eligible for all the wealth and prosperity of different Lokas starting with Atala and ending with Satyalok.

v  Another 5 Lakhs , he derives benefit of assimilation of Brahman.(Brahmalok).

v  Another 10 million(100 lakh or 1 crore) Japas makes him identical to Brahma.In the next Kalpa he will be born as Lord Brahma’s son.

v  Further Japa sadhana is required to go beyond Brahmalok.

Ser No	Benefit	Vidhi	No of Japas	Time Pd (yrs)	Per month (min)	Per day (min)
1	Mantra Siddhi	Purascharna	5 Lakh(500,000)	1	41,667	1389 (13 Malas )
2	Wipe out all sins	-do-	10 Lakh	2
3	Wealth and Prosperity of Atala	Purascharna	15 Lakhs	3
4	Next higher Lok5 (six)	Purascharna	20 Lakhs- 60 Lakhs(for each Loka)	4-12
5	Tapa Lok	Purascharna	65 Lakhs	13
6	Satya  or Brahma lok	Purascharna	70 Lakhs	14
7	Be born as Brahma’s son	Purascharna	1 Crore 70  Lakhs (1,70,00,000)	35
8	Vishnu Lok		2 Crore 70  Lakhs (2,70,00,000)	54
9	Rudra Lok		3 Crore 70  Lakhs (3,70,00,000)	74
10	Shiva Lok		4 Crore 70  Lakhs (4,70,00,000)	94

So don’t worry about anything, just do Japa sincerely. Even if you do 13 malas daily without fail, then you can achieve Salukya in 94 yrs of Sadhana. If you start at 20 yrs of age, then by 74 yrs you will be eligible for Vishnu Lok and by 94 yrs and by the grace of Lord Shiva and the mercy of Lord Ganapati and Shiva devotees you can achieve Rudra Lok.

The divine cosmology as per Shiv Puran I shall describe along with Japa sadhana to achieve each lok and siddhi in another post. Also, as per my understanding of Shiv Puran, all humans are born Sudra as part of the Varna Ashrama Dharma. It is the karma both Past and Present being performed that will lead to higher states.

Most people use the word Sudra in a negative sense. That is just pure ignorance. It only means that we have not yet received the knowledge and do not have at the moment the mental or physical attributes to be accomplished, in Vedic studies or gain divine knowledge or to be a good administrator or a good business man. However all of us at birth have the natural capacity to love and be loved and to serve God. This is our natural constitutional position.

The qualities of a Sudra are a must to be a good devotee of the Lord i.e. humility, sincerity, ability to work hard. We must proudly claim to be Servants of Shiva, or rather, Servants of the Servants of the Lord ( Das Anu Das). Only then can we attain Siva Lok in this Kalyug.

As the Vaisnavas proclaim

Harer Naam Harer Naam Harer Naam Eva Kevalam

In the same way we must also understand, only Pure unalloyed Bhakti (devotion) is the way to reach Sivalok and to serve Lord Shiva. Be proud to be a Das of Shiva…Shivadas. We must all strive to 24 hrs do Sravanam , Kirtanam and Mananam of Siva.

 ॐ नम: शिवाय   ॐ नम: शिवाय   ॐ नम: शिवाय   ॐ नम: शिवाय   ॐ नम: शिवाय

Ref:-

1.     Verse 63 ,Chapter 14, Vayaviya Samhita , Shiv Maha Puran.

2.     Verse 64 ,Chapter 14, Vayaviya Samhita , Shiv Maha Puran.

3.     Verse 65 ,Chapter 14, Vayaviya Samhita , Shiv Maha Puran.

4.     Verse 33-34 ,Chapter 17, Vidyeshwara Samhita , Shiv Maha Puran.

5.     The Lokas

a.     In the Puranas and in the Atharvaveda, there are 14 worlds, seven higher ones (Vyahrtis) and seven lower ones (Pātālas), viz. bhu, bhuvas, svar, mahas, janas, tapas, and satya above and atala, vitala, sutala, rasātala, talātala, mahātala, pātāla and naraka below.

b.      In Vishnu Purana, Patalas are named as from the highest to the lowest as: Atala, Vitala, Nitala, Garbhastimat, Mahatala, Sutala and Patala.

c.      In the Bhagavata Purana and the Padma Purana, they are called Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Talatala, Mahatala, Rasatala and Patala.

d.     The Shiva Purana, they are named as from the highest to the lowest as: Atala, Vitala, Nitala, Garbhastimat, Tala, Sutala and Patala. Then the seven higher lokas. Beyond this there are 14 Vishnu Lokas,14 Devi Lokas ,Rudra Lokas and Finally Siva Lokas.

e.     The Vayu Purana calls them Rasatala, Sutala, Vitala, Gabhastala, Mahatala, Sritala and Patala.