Alex Roitblat
Om Namah Shivaya
Mantra
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
Om, salutations to Shiva (the auspicious one)
Meaning
The Panchakshara, the five-syllable mantra (na-ma-shi-va-ya), foremost in Shaivism, from the Sri Rudram (Yajur Veda); it addresses Shiva, "the auspicious one". The Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition honours Shiva as the greatest of Vaishnavas (Bhagavatam 12.13.16).