On meaning of Panchakshari

सदाशिव समारम्भम् शन्कराचार्य मध्यमम्

अस्मद् आचार्य पर्यन्तम् वन्दे गुरु परम्परम्
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We meditate on meaning of the great mantra 

Aum Namah Shivaya 

ॐ नम शिवाय

शं नित्यं सुखं आनन्दम्
इकारः पुरुषः स्मृतः
वकारः शक्तिः अमृतं
मेलनं शिव उच्यते

Siva = शं (Sam) +   इ (i) + व (va)

शं Sam stands for eternal calm and quietude;   इ stands for Self and va stands for Shakti and everlasting life. Therefore the Self should be adored in the form of Siva.

One name by which Siva is known is : the one deity with five faces. (पंच वक्त्र)

According to  Shiva Purana, the five faces represent five distinct aspects in cycle of creation and in evolution:

1. Creation सृष्टि (Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Space are expressed)
2. Preservation स्तिति (Water, Fire, Air, Space are expressed)
3. Destruction नाशनम् (Fire, Air, Space are expressed)
4. Concealment तिरोधानम् (Air, Space are expressed)
5. Grace अनुग्रहम् (Space is expressed)

That aspect of Siva who is responsible for (1) is Lord Brahma the creator. That aspect of Siva who is responsible for (2) is Lord Vishnu. That aspect of Siva who is responsible for (3) is Lord Rudra. That aspect of Siva who is responsible for (4) is Lord Mahesh. The Saguna form of Siva is (5) that provides grace (Eswara). Mahesha is lord of time (time wheel   कालचक्र). Thus beings are in a cycle of 1,2,3. Some beings evolve to 4 and 5.

Formlessness of Siva is indicated by Siva Linga. Shiva Purana talks about several ways of formless could be worshipped through Linga since formless could not be conceived. The Saguna form could be worshipped as well. This could be done through japam of Pranava or japam of  the five lettered Mantra or both.

अलिग्ङो लिग्ङमूलं तु अव्यक्तम् लिग्ङमुच्यते

अलिग्ङः शिव इत्युक्तः लिग्ङं शैवमिति स्मृतम्

The absolute is basis of the one with qualities (प्रधान). Siva is absolute while Prakriti is Saiva (शैव : of Siva). The absolute and Prakriti are one and same. That is to say Prakriti or Pradhana originate out of absolute.

In Linga Purana, the five avatars are described as in table below:

Creation is not possible without a mixture containing rajo and tamo gunas which belong to Prakriti or Pradhana. The five avatars represent this aspect.

Creation occurs at five different levels

 
Creation occurs at the above five levels. The four forms ( चतुर्व्युह) of Isana are Tatpurusha, Aghora, Vamadeva, Sadyojata. Each form produces a Deity and four forms (चतुर्व्युह). In the 3rd Skanda and chapter 26 of Srimad Bhagavatham it is said that Sri Vasudeva represents Mahat Tatva; Sri Sankarshana represents Ahankara; Sri Pradyumna represents Buddhi; Sri Aniruddha represents mind.

Aum ( ॐ) is called Pranava Nada. Creation is also expressed as a union of nada (नाद) and bindu (Shakti as बिन्दु). Along with the three vowels and the two part of union it represents Siva.

Image of Siva is different from Siva and they are not same. Siva has no image.

Meaning of Pranava (प्रणव)

 प्र=  प्रपंच (पंच=five) projections of five rudimentary elements: space air fire water earth. We live in a biosphere of these five elements. The Self is expressed as a deity for each of the five elements.

ण = नावम् (no existence)
व = to you
Your essential nature is not in projections of the five rudimentary elements. ॐ

ॐ could be meditated at six levels:

1. As a mantra that protects
2. As a tantra that clarifies
3. As a Diety (देवार्थ)
4. As a means for achieving prosperity (लोकार्थ)
5. As a teacher
6. As a student of Sadhana

                                    Meaning of Namas नमस्

According to Mahabharata, नमः = न ममः (not mine). According to Panini the root word नम् means प्रह्वण bowing in reverence.

 ॐ नम शिवाय