There are several Shiva panchakshari stotras composed by various saints. This panchakshari stotra, composed by Sri Adi Shankaracharya, is based on the moolamantra of Lord Shiva "Namashivaya". Each stanza starts with one of the five syllables, na, ma, shi, va, and ya.
Om Namaha Shivaya
Nagendraharaya Trilochanaya
Bhasmangaragaya Maheshvaraya
Nityaya Shuddhaya Digambaraya
Tasmai
Na karaya Namah Shivaya .. 1
Salutations to Shiva, who wears the king of snakes as a garland, the three-eyed god, whose body is smeared with ashes, the great lord, the eternal and pure one, who wears the directions as his garment, and who is represented by the syllable ``na ''
Mandakini salila chandana charchitaya
Nandishvara pramathanatha Maheshvaraya
Mandarapushpa bahupushhpa supujitaya
Tasmai
Ma karaya Namah Shivaya .. 2
I bow to Shiva, who has been worshipped with water from the Ganga (Mandakini) and anointed with sandalwood paste, the lord of Nandi, the lord of the host of goblins and ghosts, the great lord, who is worshiped with Mandara and many other kinds of flowers, and who is represented by the syllable ``ma. ''
Shivaya Gauri vadanabjavrunda
Suryaya Dakshadhvara Nashakaya
Shrinilakanthaya Vrushhadhvajaya
Tasmai
Shi karaya Namah Shivaya .. 3
Salutations to shiva, who is all-auspiciousness, who is the sun that causes the lotus face of Gauri (Parvati) to blossom, who is the destroyer of the yajna of Daksha, whose throat is blue (Nilakantha), whose flag bears the emblem of the bull, and who is represented by the syllable ``shi. ''
Vasishhtha kumbhodbhava gautamarya
Munindra devarchita shekharaya .
Chandrarkavaishvanara lochanaya
Tasmai
Vakaraya Namah Shivaya .. 4
Vasishhtha, Agastya, Gautama, and other venerable sages, and Indra and other gods have worshipped the head of (Shiva's linga). I bow to that Shiva whose three eyes are the moon, sun and fire, and who is represented by the syllable ``va. ''
Yakshasvarupaya Jatadharaya
Pinakahastaya Sanatanaya
Divyaya Devaya Digambaraya
Tasmai
Ya karaya Namah Shivaya .. 5
salutations to Shiva, who bears the form of a Yaksha, who has matted hair on his head, who bears the Pinaka bow in his hand, the primeval lord, the brilliant god, who is digambara (naked), and who is represented by the syllable ``ya. ''
Phalastuti
Panchaksharamidam Punyam Yah Pathechchhivasannidhau.
Shivalokamavapnoti Shivena Saha Modate.
Anyone who recites this sacred five-syllable mantra, (Namah Shivaya) near the Shiva (linga), attains the abode of Shiva and rejoices there with Shiva.
