Is There a Prayer to say before chanting Om Namah Sivaya?

[Shivam 0]

Like how the Vaisnavas have a prayer before chanting the Hare Krsna Mantra?

[Jahnava Nitai Das 2]

Pray to gurus, sadhus, and santas.

[bhanuchalise 0]

Is the mantra "Om gurur bramha gurur bishnu guru devo...... namaha" that can be used before chanting Om Namah Shivaya.

[Jahnava Nitai Das 2]

om ajnana timirandhasya...

 

mukham karoti vachalam...

 

etc.

[vrajavasi 0]

Radhe Krishna,

 

jndasji, pardon me. Like there is a system to chant "Hare Krishna", there is a dedicated system to chant "panchakshari" . Although likely same - there is still some difference in - "Shiva panchakshari" and "Shakthi Panchakshari" - both of them contain "Panchakshari". But shakthi Beejam differentiates them and accordingly differences in anga nyasa and karanyasa. These things one nedds to properly learn from a guru. Casual chanting of manthras without proper initiation is offense. But I dont understand shivam why u r so obessessed with "Panchakshari". "Hare Krishna" would bless u with each and everything which u imagine to get from "Panchakshari".

Radhe Krishna

[Jahnava Nitai Das 2]

He never asked about anga-nyasa, he simply asked if there was a prayer you can chant before reciting om namah shivaya. Om namah shivaya can be chanted by anyone even without guru diksha.

[vrajavasi 0]

Radhe Krishna,

 

jndasji, I dont know whether you have been told that panchakshari can be chanted without guru diksha. In any of the shaiva sampradaya and as per the smarta sampradaya I belong "Panchakshari" should not be chanted with out proper initiation. But if at all your sampradaya teacher guide you to do so, you are free to and you should. "Panchakshari" and "Ashtakshari" are never chanted without Anganyasa and karanyasa as per tradition.

 

Radhe Krishna

[Jahnava Nitai Das 2]

Ashtakshari (om namo narayanaya) has been broadcast by Ramanuja from the top of the Kanchipuram temple tower to all people with instruction to freely chant.

 

In addition all sadhu sampradayas chant these mantras (om namah shivaya, om namo narayanaya, and om namo bhagavte vasudevaya) in kirtan around their dhunis.

 

There is nothing wrong with being initiated into a mantra, but the idea that only by mantra diksha you can chant these two mantras is not accepted in many sampradayas. Certainly some sampradayas will say you need diksha, but the majority do not.

[vrajavasi 0]

Radhe Krishna,

 

A perfect clarification indeed. A person is supposed to follow as taught by the teachers of a sampradaya to which he belong. That is the safest way. Because sampradaya pravartakas dedicated the sampradayas with divine will. Eventhough, Ramanujacharya standing on the kanchipuram temple gopuram gave the "Ashtakshari" manthra even after being threatened by his Guru - that you will go to naraka - if u reveal it to one and all - the system in vogue in shrivaishnava sampradaya today - both vadakalai and thenkalai - is to strictly get the manthropadesha from Acharyan.

 

Today is Ekadashi. After reading your letter and seeing the krishna's photo near your name, I remember Chaitanya mahaprabhu along with his six goswami sishyas and their grantha saagara. My obeisances to all vaishnavottamas.

 

Radhe Krishna