Thread by @HinduMediaWiki

For whom to use “om” and for whom to use “sri” ?

"श्री" literally is used as a form of salutation, as the examples you state. It is also used to signify a start as a form of respect. श्री is often used in beginning of the name.

there is nothing wrong in saying श्री विष्णू etc. The use depends on what you are doing.

In "ॐ नमः शिवाय" om is used as a beeja matra. Every god has a beeja or the mantra in specific uses certain beeja which are like seeds.

For e.g. the om: ॐ, Kreem: क्रीं, Shreem: श्रीं, Hroum: ह्रौं, Hreem: ह्रीं etc. are Beeja Mantra

In general shree is used for god in human form is not true.

It is also used for others like sarpa, yakshas etc. Shree is more used as a salutation and is a signature of good (शुभ चिंतक). Shree is also used for titles like "shree surya sidhanta", "shree Ganpati Atharvashirsha" etc.

One interesting thing is have you heared Shree Shiva?

We have no idea why shree is not used before shiva. But for diffrent names of Shiva specifically "mahesh", "mahadev" we have seen people saying shree before them.

A reason might be shiva also means auspicious and pure and shree is itself a signifier of auspiciousality hence why would three be shree before shiva?

user Proxy replied this answer 18 hours ago at Hinduism StackExchange, which is one of our editorial team.

It was very good answer Proxy!

hinduism.stackexchange.com/users/21353/pr…