The most simple, and popular group of mantras, which has the name 'nAma mantras', comprise adoration of a single devata each.
• PurANas such as shrImad BhAgavatam say that the nAma mantra is most effective and easiest way to obtaining the grace of the devata in this Kali Yuga. This is because the name of God is not different from the God, so chanting the name is pleasing to the Lord and is equivalent to invoking him.
• A nAma mantra is not just chanted for a given number of times. It is actually nAma-smaraNa--remembrance of the name, an uninterrupted God-thought that flows like a thin strand of the sesame oil, that is, continuously without any break.
• A nAma mantra when chanted in a group as nAma-saMkIrtanam--celebration of the glory of God, fosters bhakti and chitta-shuddhi. The same mantra chanted as dhyAna mantram--mantra for meditation, with uninterrupted flow, leads to liberation.
• The nAma mantras are popular because of their ease of chanting (unlike the bhIja mantras), flexibility of practice (just the smaraNa-japa is required without any insistence on a method or timings of practice, although they could help too), and their etymological nature (meaningful words with etymological derivations) requiring no experiential knowledge.
• Although a nAma mantra can be chanted without any upadesha--teaching, from a guru, it will be more effective with proper initiation.
A nAma mantra can take these forms:
• Just the name itself: RAmA
• The name prefixed by shrI: shrI RAmA
• shrI and namaH added, indicating that the devotee bows to the devata. Such namaskAra form is the most frequently used form of nAma mantras. In this form, 'ya' is suffixed to the devata's name for a male deity and 'yai' for a female deity.
Examples: AUM shrI RAmAya namaH |
AUM shrI DurgAyai namaH |
AUM namaH shivAya |
AUM namo NArAyaNAya |
GovindAya namo namaH |
• The namaH form of mantras usually start with AUM, to remind that the devata is none other than AUM, the shabda brahman, which is the first manifestation of Brahman.
• The 'jaya' form of mantras celebrate the devata's victory:
shrI RAma jayam |
shrI RAma jaya RAma jaya jaya RAma |
jaya jaya Shankara hara hara Shankara |
• Other forms of nAma mantras include:
pAhi/rakSha--seeking protection:
jaya gaNesha pAhi mAm | shrI gaNesha rakSha mAm |
hare--removing illusion:
hare RAma hare RAma RAma RAma hare hare |
hare KRShNa hare KRShNa KRShNa KRShNa hare hare ||
sharaNa--seeking refuge:
svAmiyE sharaNam aiyappA!
• AUM sharavaNa bhava is a popular mantra for the devata KArtikeya (Skanda, Muruga). It adores one who was born in the sharavaNa bush. Esoterically, the mantra seeks sa--tejas--shine, ra--aishvarya--wealth, va--satchidAnanda--eternal happiness, na--kIrti--fame, bhava--become: May I become endowned with these.
Some verbal conjunctions of namaH
Nama (nama)--to bow, laT lakAr--present tense
Person .. Singular . Dual ...... Plural
First ... namAmi ... namAvaH ... namAmaH
Second .. namasi ... namathaH .. namatha
Third ... namati ... namataH ... namanti
namaH + te = namaste: I bow to you.
namaH + astu + te = namostute: (may the) Salutations (be) to you.
namaH + tubhyam = namastubhyam: My respectful obeisances unto you.
Some related nAma mantras
• A popular GaNesha shlokam:
gajAnanam bhUta gaNAdi sevitam ... namAmi vighneshvara pAda pangkajam ||
• From the Yajur Veda:
shivo namasi (Yaj. S. 3-63)
• A vivAha--wedding, mantra:
AUM viShNu deva viShNu namasi
• From the nIrAjanam in the daily pUjA:
saM bAhubhyAM namati saMpata tryairdyAva pRutvee jana dEva ekaH
with thousands of arms, benefactor of all three kinds of wealth, the only One Supreme God of the entire Universe
• From the ShivashadAkShara stotram:
namanti rishayo deva namantyapsarasanganA |
narA namanti devesham nakArayA namonamah || 2 ||
• From the shrI Rudram:
namaste astu bhagavan-vishveshvarAya mahAdevAya
• From the shloka while lighting a lamp:
dIpa jyotir namostute
• From the DurgA shloka:
AUM sarvamangala mAngalye shive sarvArtha sAdhike
sharaNye trayambake gaurI nArAyaNI namostute
Thou auspicious one, the source of all auspiciousness. Thou art blessed. Thou the bestower of all desires the refuge of all. Thou possesses supreme wisdom and beauty. Salutations to Thee the Power Divine
• From the SarasvatI shloka:
saraswatI namastubhyaM varade kAmarUpiNi |
vidyArambhaM kariShyAmi, siddhirbhavatu me sadA ||
I bow to you, O divinity of learning, giver of boons, giver of form to desire, i am going to start studying, may it always be my success.
Sources:
http://www.hindupedia.com/en/Nama_Mantras
http://sharavanabhava.blogspot.com/2007 ... r-all.html
Here is a good resource of shlokas for children:
http://www.slokakids.com/index.php