6 minutes
The five syllables
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The five syllables Na-Ma-Si-Va-Ya are more than a prayer. Siddhanta reads them as a map of the whole doctrine: the soul, its bonds, grace and Siva.
This teaching stands on the round of worship and practice. It draws on the words learned at Arrival: the three realities, the bonds, grace, and the guru.
Each syllable a reality
- 1
Na (ந)
Veiling, : Siva's power that holds back knowledge until the soul is ready.
- 2
Ma (ம)
Impurity, : the bonds of Anavam, karma and Maya.
- 3
Si (சி)
Siva Himself.
- 4
Va (வா)
Grace, : Siva's Sakti, that turns the soul towards Him.
- 5
Ya (ய)
The soul, .
Look at the order. In Na-Ma-Si-Va-Ya, the soul (Ya) stands at the end, and veiling and impurity (Na, Ma) stand at the front, between the soul and Siva, pulling its gaze away. This is the soul's present condition.
The mantra turned around
Tradition also speaks of a second form, Si-Va-Ya-Na-Ma. Here Siva comes first, grace beside Him, then the soul, and the veil and impurity have fallen to the back. It describes the soul turned towards Siva by grace.
The soul as it is now: veiling and impurity in front, the soul at the end.
Rendering: Those who chant it with melting love and flowing tears, it leads to the good path. The true essence of all four Vedas is the name of the Lord: Namasivaya.
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Words from this teaching
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