expression, interjection
O Great God of Arms, I beseech your aid against my enemy!
A fixed invocation calling on Hachiman Daibosatsu, the syncretic Buddhist-Shinto deity of war, for divine assistance in battle. Used in historical, literary, or dramatic contexts; not part of modern everyday speech.
武士は戦の前に「南無八幡大菩薩」と唱えた。
The warrior chanted 'Namu Hachiman Daibosatsu' before battle.
A set phrase combining the Buddhist invocation 南無 (namu, 'hail') with the name of the syncretic deity 八幡大菩薩 (Hachiman Daibosatsu, 'Great Bodhisattva Hachiman'). The exact historical origin is uncertain, but it was used as a battle cry by samurai seeking divine protection.