
Pañcamukha Śiva
The pancākṣara of Bhagavān Śiva is a mahāmantra composed of five letters: Na-Ma-Śi-Vā-Ya. These five letters denote the five actions or pañca-kṛtyam of the Bhagvān Śiva: Sṛṣṭi (creation), Sthiti (preservation), Saṃhāra (destruction), Tirodhāna (veiling), Anugraha (blessing). These five aspects are captured beautifully in Pañcamukha Śiva, the five-fold faces of Bhagavān Śiva.