Mantra
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
Meaning
I bow to Shiva — the auspicious one, destroyer of illusion, pure consciousness itself.
Significance
The Panchakshara — five sacred syllables Na, Ma, Shi, Va, Ya — represent the five elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether. These five elements compose all of creation. Sustained japa dissolves the ego and leads to liberation (Moksha).