Sūta said: O excellent brahmins, the eight-syllabled[1] mantra viz. “oṃ namo nārāyaṇāya” and the twelve-syllabled[2] mantra, viz. “oṃ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya” are the greatest mantras of the great Ātman. O brahmins, the six-syllabled[3] mantra, viz. “oṃ namaḥ śivāya” connotes the entire meaning of all the Vedic passages. This mantra is the means of achieving all objects. The divine five-syllabled mantra “Śivatarāya” is very auspicious. So also is the mantra “mayaskarāya” [(obeisance) to one who brings about excellence], The mantra of seven syllables, viz. “namaste śaṅkarāya” is the mantra of Rudra, the Puruṣa (in conjunction with) Pradhāna. O excellent brahmins, Brahmā, lord Viṣṇu, Devas including Indra and the sages worship Śaṅkara, the lord of the chiefs of Devas with these mantras. They worship Siva, the source of origin, of Brahmā, and the consort of Umā, the lord of Devas (with these mantras). They say continuously “namaḥ śivāya”, “namaste śaṅkarāya”, “mayaskarāya”, “rudrāya” and “śivatarāya”. By repeating these (mantras) a brahmin is instantaneously liberated from the sins of brahmin-slaughter, etc.