Shiva Pan.cAkSharI

[Balaji Hebbar]

The  Shiva  Pan.cAkSharI  "namaH  ShivAya"  is  essentially  emphasized
(as  far  as  I  know)  in  both  Tamil  Shaivism  and  the  SmArta
SampradAya.  Is  there  any  reason  why  the  praNava  (OM)  is  left
out.  The  only  Shaivas  that  I  know  who  say  the  ShaDAkSharI
mantra  (with  OM  included)  is  better  than  Pan.cAkSharI  are  the
VIrashaivas  of  KarnATak.  In  fact,  a  speaker  made  a  recent
emphasis  of  this  in  the  Basava  JayantI  celebrations  that  took
place  last  weekend.

In  fact  the  OM  is  included  in  both  the  ViShNu  aShTAkSharI
mantra  "Om  namo  nArAyaNAya"  as  well  as  the  ViShNu
dvAdashAkSharI  mantra  "Om  namo  bhagavate  vAsudevAya".  I  am
curious  to  know  why  the  emphasis  is  on  Pan.cAkShara?  Thanks  to
any  response.

regards,
BNHebbar