General Rules For The Rituals And Essential For Reciting Mantras

1. IT IS ESSENTIAL BEFORE BEGINNING ANY MANTRAS - ONE SHOULD START THE TASK OF WORSHIP AFTER TAKING BATH. IF ONE IS UNCLEAN ALL EFFORTS WILL GO IN VAIN.
2. THE PLACE OF WORSHIP SHOULD BE QUITE AND CLEAN AND INCENSE (DHOOP OR AGARBATTI) BURNING IN ROOM AND IT SHOULD BE FULL OF ITS FRAGRANCE.
3. IT IS ALSO VERY NECESSARY THAT AN IDOL OR PHOTO OF THE DEITY SHOULD BE BEFORE THE PERSON IN ORDER TO OFFER THE PRAYERS.
4. THE PERSON SHOULD FACE EAST WHILE RECITING MANTRAS. THE ASANA ON WHICH YOU MAY BE SEATED SHOULD NOT BE A BLANKET.
5. IT SHOULD BE ON THE FLOOR AND NOT ON ANY KIND OF BED. A PITCHER OF WATER SHOULD BE KEPT BEFORE HIM.

THE RECITATION OF MANTRAS SHOULD NEITHER BE IN LOUD VOICE OR IN A WHISPER. THE MANTRAS SHOULD BE PRONOUNCED CORRECTLY. FOR THIS A LITTLE PRACTICE WILL BE NECESSARY.

IT IS ALSO ESSENTIAL THAT THE NUMBER OF RECITATIONS OF A MANTRA SHOULD BE THE SAME EVERY DAY UNTIL THE PRESCRIBED NUMBER IS COMPLETED. IF ONE HAS TIME, ONE CAN INCREASE THE NUMBER OF RECITATIONS BUT THEN THE SAME INCREASED NUMBER WILL HAVE TO BE ADHERED TO ON FOLLOWING DAYS.

ONCE THE NUMBER IS INCREASED ITS REDUCTION IS NOT PERMISSIBLE. ONCE A MANTRA IS STARTED, THE RECITATIONS HAVE TO BE DONE EVERY DAY WITHOUT FAIL UNTIL THE PRESCRIBED NUMBER IS COMPLETED.

 WHEN FOR ANY REASON, THERE IS A BREAK IN THIS ROUTINE; THE WHOLE ROUTINE HAS TO BE STARTED AFRESH. ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT REQUIREMENT IS THAT THE PERSON WHO HAS TAKEN UP A PRESCRIBED COURSE OF MANTRAS SHOULD.

DURING THE WHOLE PERIOD OBSERVE CELIBACY (BRAHMACHARYA) AND SHOULD NOT TAKE NON-VEGETARIAN FOOD.  

Mantra AUM NAMAH SIVAAYA
What Is the Holy AUM Namah Sivaaya Mantra?

AUM Namah Sivaaya is among the foremost Vedic mantras. It means "adoration to Shiva," and is called the Panchakshara, or "five-letters. Within its celestial tones and hues resides all of the intuitive knowledge of Saivism. Na is the Lord's concealing grace, Ma is the world, and Shi stands for Shiva, VA is His revealing grace, and Ya are the soul.  

The five elements, too, are embodied in this ancient formula for invocation. Na is earth, Ma is water, Shi is fire, Va is air, and Ya are ether, or akasha.  

Many are its meanings. AUM Namah Sivaaya has such power; the mere intonation of these syllables reaps its own reward in salvaging the soul from bondage. AUM Namah Shivaaya quells the instinct, cuts through the steel bands and turns this intellect within and on itself, to face itself and see its ignorance.

Sages declare that this mantra is life, that this mantra is action, this mantra is love and that the repetition of mantra, japa, bursts forth wisdom from within. AUM Namah Sivaaya is our souls, our bodies and possessions.

AUM Namah Shivaaya can be performed on Rudraksha beads over and over when the Sun is setting, when the Sun is rising or high noon day. The duly initiated audibly repeats AUM Namah Sivaaya, and when japa is performed silently, mentally chants AUM Namah Sivaaya

His feet are the letter Na. His navel is the letter Ma. His shoulders are the letters Shi. His mouth, the letter Va. His radiant cranial center aloft is Ya. Thus is the five-lettered form of Siva. AUM Namah Sivaaya.

The Panchakshara Mantra is the word of God, the name and total essence of Shiva. But to chant AUM Namah Shivaaya and to be empowered to chant AUM Namah Shivaaya is likened to the difference between writing a cheque without money in the bank.

God Shiva is Immanent Love and Transcendent Reality

We strengthen our mind with positive affirmations that record the impressions of the distilled and ultimate truths of our religion so that these memories fortify us in times of distress, worldliness or anxiety.

These sacred words we say as we bathe to prepare to face the day, His immanent love protects us, guides us, lifting our mind into the arena of useful thoughts and keeping us from harm's way.

 From all knowledge, yoga practice and meditation, all that relates to the AUM sound is to be meditated on as the only blissful (Shiva). With the syllable AUM as his sole support, the wise man attains that which is peaceful, ongoing, deathless, fearless--the Supreme