Akshara — 108 Names of Shiva

Akshara is a multi-layered term that literally means 'that which does not melt' or 'that which is indestructible'. In the linguistic tradition of Sanskrit, an 'Akshara' is a letter or a syllable, the building block of all speech and mantra. Shiva as Akshara is identified with the Pranava, the sacred syllable 'Om', which contains the past, present, and future within its vibration. As the Akshara, Shiva is the primordial sound (Nada) from which the entire universe is vibrated into existence. On a metaphysical level, the 'Akshara Para-Brahman' is the immutable foundation of the cosmos. While the 'Kshara' (perishable) aspect of the universe is constantly changing form, the Akshara remains as the silent witness. Contemplating Shiva as Akshara involves moving beyond the spoken word into the silence from which words arise. It is a practice of 'Laya Yoga', where the mind follows the sound of a mantra back to its source. In the Upanishads, the Akshara is described as that by which the Unseen is seen and the Unknown is known. By meditating on this name, the practitioner seeks to attain the 'Avastha' or state that is beyond the reach of time’s decay, becoming one with the eternal vibration of the Absolute.