Namasivaya and Sivayanama - What I read, Want to Share
The origin of Namasivaya and the Sanskrit alphabets according to Tirumular. (verse 891) The Panchakshara Mantra (5-letter mantra) has two aspects: Subtle and Manifest (Suksma and Sthula). Suksma Mantra is Sivayanama . The manifest Mantra is NaMaSivaYa . As you may notice the head of the Subtle Mantra is Siva and the tail is Nama. In the Sthula Mantra the head and the tail are inverted or transposed. Significance: Manifest man-embodied soul (Ya) has the head in Nama meaning he suffers from Na - obscuration (unclear) of spiritual knowledge and Ma (a load of Mummalams: Anava, Kanma and Maya Malas). The liberated man Ya (Jivan Mukta) enjoys Si and Va (Siva and Grace; his NaMa left him. Perfected souls who do not want and will not be subjected to rebirth and suffering in this world chant SiVaYaNaMa . By this Mantra one invokes Si and Va (Siva and Grace) to come to Ya (the soul) so that Na and Ma (Tirodhana and Malas) leave the soul. Siddhars chant the Mantra