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) is the most sacred syllable in Hinduism, symbolizing the infinite Brahman and the entire Universe. This syllable is sometimes called the "Udgitha" or "pranava mantra" (primordial mantra), because it is considered to be the primal sound, and because most mantras begin with it. It first came to light in the Vedic Tradition. As a seed syllable (bija), it is also considered holy in Esoteric Buddhism.

is a ligature of Devanagari + (, encoded in Unicode at U+0950 , the Tibetan script variant at U+0F00).

The Significance of the Symbol Om

The symbol Om (also called Pranava), is the most sacred symbol in Hinduism. Volumes have been written in Sanskrit illustrating the significance of this mystic symbol. Although this symbol is mentioned in all the Upanishads and in all Hindu scriptures, it is especially elaborated upon in the Taittiriya, Chandogya and Mundaka Upanishads. From the Katha Upanishad (- I, ii, 15-17):

''The goal, which all Vedas declare, which all austerities aim at, and which humans desire when they live a life of continence, I will tell you briefly it is Om. The syllable Om is indeed Brahman. This syllable Om is the highest. Whosoever knows this symbol obtains all that he desires. This is the best support; this is the highest support. Whosoever knows this support is adored in the world of Brahman.

The symbol of Om contains of three curves, one semicircle and a dot. The upper curve symbolizes the waking state; the lower curve denotes deep sleep (or the unconscious) state, and the right-side curve (which lies between deep sleep and the waking state) signifies the dream state. These three states of an individual’s consciousness, and therefore the entire physical phenomenon, are represented by the three curves. The dot signifies the Absolute (fourth or Turiya state of consciousness), which illuminates the other three states. The semicircle symbolizes Maya and separates the dot from the other three curves. The semicircle is open on the top, which means that the absolute is infinite and is not affected by maya. Maya only affects the manifested phenomenon. In this way the form of Om symbolizes the infinite Brahman and the entire Universe and the world. Aum is made out of the three gods Shiva and Ganesh and Gayatri.

Uttering the monosyllable Om, the eternal world of Brahman, One who departs leaving the body (at death), he attains the superior goal.
-Bhagavad Gita, 8.13

When OM is a part of a place name (for example Omkareshwar), or is used as a man's name, it is spelled phonetically using ordinary letters of whatever Indian alphabet is used in the area.

Aum in Hindu tradition

Origin

Found first in the Vedic scriptures of Hinduism, Aum has been seen as the first manifestation of the unmanifest Brahman (the single Divine Ground of Hinduism) that resulted in the phenomenal universe. Essentially, all the cosmos stems from the vibration of the sound 'Aum' in Hindu cosmology. Indeed, so sacred is it that it is prefixed and suffixed to all Hindu mantras and incantations. It is undoubtedly the most representative symbol of Hinduism.

The OM symbol's left part, which looks like a figure 3, looks like the form of the ū vowel used as a syllable with no attached initial consonant (in the Devanagari script ऊ (Unicode U+090A); but it is actually based on a Brahmi version of ओ (the vowel ō as written without an initial consonant). The nasal sound is indicated by a chandrabindu (U+0901).

Philosophy of AUM

According to Hindu philosophy this syllable is combined of three components: the letter A (alpha), which represents creation, when all existence issued forth from Brahma's golden necleus; the letter U, which refers to Vishnu the god of the middle who preserves this world by balancing Brahma on a lotus above himself. The letter U with the A, produces the sound of the long Ō (omega). The M produces the prolonged resonance of the nasal cavity with the mouth closed: it is the final part of the cycle of existence, when Vishnu falls asleep and Brahma has to breathe in so that all existing things have to disintegrate and are reduces to their essence to him. This is the M of Mahesha, also known as the great Lord Shiva, whose long period of yoga begins so that the sensual world ceases to exists.

Gods and Goddesses are sometimes referred to as Aumkar, which means Form of Aum, thus implying that who are limitless, the vibrational whole of the cosmos. Ek Onkar, meaning 'one god' is a central tenet of Sikh religious philosophy. In Hindu metaphysics, it is proposed that the manifested cosmos (from Brahman) has name and form (nama-rupa), and that the closest approximation to the name and form of the universe is Aum, since all existence is fundamentally composed of vibration. (This concept of describing reality as vibrations, or rhythmic waves, can also be found in quantum physics and superstring theory, which describe the universe in terms of vibrating fields or strings.) In advaita philosophy it is frequently used to represent three subsumed into one, a common theme in Hinduism. It implies that our current existence is mithya, or 'skewed reality,' that in order to know the full truth we must comprehend beyond the body and intellect and intuit the true nature of infinity, of a Divine Ground that is imminent but also transcends all duality, being and non-being, that cannot be described in words. Within this metaphysical symbolism, the three are represented by the lower curve, upper curve and tail of the ॐ subsumed into the ultimate One, represented by the little crescent moon-shape and dot, known as chandrabindu. Essentially, upon moksha, mukti, samadhi, nirvana, liberation, etc. one is able not only to see or know existence for what it is, but to become it. In attaining truth one simply realizes fundamental unity; it is not the joining together of a prior manifold splitting. When one gains true knowledge, there is no split between knower and known: one becomes knowledge/consciousness itself. In essence, Aum is the signifier of the ultimate truth that all is one.

For the scriptural esoteric explanation of Aum see Mandūkya Upanishad.

Dvaita (Vaishnava) philosophies teach that 'Aum' is an impersonal sound representation of Vishnu/Krishna while Hari Nama is the personal sound representation. A represents Krishna, U Srimati Radharani and M jivas. According to Sridhara Svami the pranava has five parts: A, U, M, the nasal bindu and the reverberation (nada). Liberated souls meditate on the Lord at the end of that reverberation. For both Hindus and Buddhists this syllable is sacred and so laden with spiritual energy that it may only be pronounced with complete concentration.

Examples of Three into One:

  • Creation (Brahma)- Preservation (Vishnu)- Destruction (Shiva) into Brahman
  • Waking- Dreaming- Dreamless Sleep into Turiya (transcendental fourth state of consciousness)
  • Rajas (activity, heat, fire) - Tamas (dullness, ignorance, darkness) - Sattva (purity, light, serenity/shanti) into Brahman
  • Body, Speech and Mind into Oneness

The Chandogya Upanishad (1.1.1-10) states, "The udgitha is the best of all essences, the highest, deserving the highest place, the eighth."

"Aum" can be seen as Sri Ganesh, whose figure is often represented in the shape of Aum. He is thus known as Aumkar (Shape of Aum). Sri Nataraja, or the Hindu god 'Shiva' dancing his dance of destruction, is seen in that popular representation mirroring the image of Aum. It is said to be the most perfect 'approximation' of the cosmic existence within time and space, and therefore the sound closest to Truth.

"The First Word Om (Aum) It is also called Pranav because its sound emanates from the Prana (vital vibration), which feels the Universe. The scripture says "Aum Iti Ek Akşara Brahman" (Aum that one syllable is Brahman).

Aum according to Vedic Scholars

Vedic scholars do not believe in several gods. According to them God is one but his names are plenty. God is omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient and formless. Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma etc are names of the God. The meanings of Veda mantras are fully understood after studying Rishi Panini's Ashtadhyi and Mahabhashya. So according to Vedic scholars:-

Aum has three Hindi words. Ā and Ū and Ma. Ā is meant for Ākāra from which three names of God are built: Virât, Agni, and Vishwadi. From Ū = ūkara from which the holy names of God Hiranyagarbha, Vāyu and Tejas come, and Ma = makāra from which the holy names of God Ishwara and Āditya and Prājyan ādi come. Rigveda mantra 1/164/46 says that God is one but His names are several. But here AUM the holy name of God is only being explained.

VIRĀT: The word Virāt is made from "dhatu" 'Rajrideeptau' i.e., manifest. Therefore Virāt means "He who manifests the universe". As God manifests the universe, thus Virāt is the name of God. Rigveda mandal 10, sukta 129 states that like a potter makes a pot from clay, similarly God creates the universe from non-alive matter called "prakrti", which means "making or placing first". Prakrti is unseen matter. From unseen matter, the whole universe is created in the visible form. Science also says that matter is never destroyed but changes its form. If a paper is burnt, the paper changes its form into ashes. Then the ashes are crushed and thrown in air. At this moment, the paper changed into ashes becomes invisible but was never destroyed. Similarly the whole universe at the time of final destruction is turned into prakrti i.e., into unseen form.

AGNI: From dhatu, "ANCHU GATI PŪJANAYOHO" the word "AGNI is made. Its meaning is --- He who is a form of wisdom. "SARVAJAYEN" i.e., omniscient, i.e., knows even every atom of the universe and even beyond the universe too. He who is to be known, to be gained and worshippable. So Agni is a name of God.

VISHWA: the word Vishwa is made from dhatu, "VISHPRAVESHANE". Its meaning is "in whom the universe is entering" or "He is entering the universe". So being omnipresent, Vishwa is the name of God.

HIRANGARBHA = i.e., " JYOTIRVAYIHIRANYAM". Its meaning is, who is the base of all sun, etc., luminous lokas or He who is the living place of all luminous lokas.

VĀYU: The word vāyu came from "VA GATIGANDHANYOHO". Its meaning is "He who holds, gives life and destroys and the mightiest amongst all". So a name of God is Vāyu.

TEJ: Thwe word Tej is made from "TIJA NISHANE", who is self-made and self-enlighted and gives light to sun, moon, stars etc. God does not take light from anywhere else but gives light to sun, moon, stars, etc. so the unbroken, unobstructed/unproduced, and eternal shape of light is Almighty God and not sun, moon etc. So a name of God is Tej.

ISHWAR: The word Ishwar came from dhatu, "ISH ASHWERIYE". Its meaning is "whose knowledge is thoughtful and true and has unlimited wealth, fortune and glory etc". Therefore a name of God is Ishwar. Here it is not out of place to mention that soul (man/woman) has limited qualities and are dependent whereas God is independent and has unlimited qualities that is why He is God.

ĀDITYA: The word Āditya came from dhatu, "DO AVAKHANDANE". Its meaning is "the one who cannot be broken into pieces and thus cannot be destroyed". So God's name is Aditya.

PRAJAYEN (PRAGYA): The word Prajayen came from dhatu, "JYEN AVABODHANE", "whose wisdom is totally without any misunderstanding and thus he who knows every manner and behavior of whole the universe without misunderstanding". So God's name is Prajayen. So here also it not out of place to mention that illusion can never attack on God and God is totally free from illusion.

Thus OM is that name of God which contains many other names as well. Therefore, Om is called the "Supreme name of God". Pātanjala Yoga sutra 1/27 says Om is the supreme name of God and it cannot have any meaning other than God. Also Yoga sutra 1/28 says that remembering Om and its abovesaid meaning will make the devotee happy, focused and his enlightened. Yajurveda mantra 40/17 says that Om is the name of Almighty ever existing God. Regarding this Manusmrti shlokas 11 /222,225,265 also refer.

Om in Jain tradition

In Jainism, Om is regarded to be a condensed form of reference to the five parameshthis. The Dravyasamgrah quotes an ancient Prakrit line:
ओम एकाक्षर पञ्चपरमेष्ठिनामादिपम् तत्कथमिति चेत "अरिहंता असरीरा आयरिया तह उवज्झाया मुणियां",
oma ekākşara pañcaparameşţhitāmādipam tatkabhamiti ceta "arihatā asarirā āyariyā taha uvajjhāyā muņiyā"
"om" one akshara, is made from the initials of the five parameshthis. It has been said: "Arihanta, Ashiri (i.e. siddha), Acharya, Upadhyaya, Munis(sadhus)"

Thus ओं नमः () is a short form of the Namokara mantra.

Om in Buddhist tradition

With Buddhism's evolution and breaking away from Vedic/Hindu tradition, Aum and other symbology/cosmology/philosophies are shared with the Hindu tradition. This character often appeared as "唵" in Buddhist scripts in East Asia.

In Buddhism this syllable is almost never transliterated as Aum, but instead as Om.

This syllable is also incorporated in the mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum".

Om in Sikh tradition

Ek Onkar (also , , Ik Onkar) means one God and is a central symbol of the unity of God in Sikhism, and is commonly found on Gurdwaras. Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion, used the word Onkar to state the concept of a monotheistic God rather than the Tri-Deity concept that Om had become mired in at the time of his presence in the world, namely that Om had come to represent the trinity of Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu (The Sustainer) and Shiva (the Destroyer). Instead, Guru Nanak, by placing the number 1 in front of Onkar, propagated the basic principle of Sikhism - that the creative, sustaining and destructive energies are all embodied in the One Almighty, thereby directly opposing the Trinity interpretation that had become commonplace at the time.

This is further clarified by Guru Nanak in his composition:

oua(n)kaar brehamaa outhapath ||

From Ongkaar, the One Universal Creator God, Brahma was created. (Guru Nanak, Guru Granth Sahib, 929).

...defining that Onkar is that which created Brahma and therefore preceded Brahma.

Ek means "one" (Sanskrit eka).
Onkar came from Sanskrit Omkāra, which means "he or it which makes Om", and thus could mean:-
Handwriter's and printer's term for the Om symbol.
Creator, originally referring to the Hindu god Brahma saying "Om" and thereby creating the world (though obviously in conflict with the verse from Guru Nanak quoted above).

Ek Onkar is the start of the Sikh Mool Mantra - the root basis of all Sikh sacred thought, and the first phrase of the Sikh Guru embodied in scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib.

Pronunciation of AUM

"A - emerges from the throat, originating in the region of the navel U - rolls over the tongue M - ends on the lips ; A - waking, U - dreaming, M - sleeping It is the sum and substance of all the words that can emanate from the human throat. It is the primordial fundamental sound symbolic of the Universal Absolute." *.

In fact, when correctly pronounced, or rather, rendered, the "A" can be felt as a vibration that manifests itself near the navel or abdomen; the "U" can be felt vibrating the chest, and the "M" vibrates the cranium or the head. The abdominal vibration symbolises Creation; It is interesting that the "creative" or reproductive organs are also located in the lower abdomen. The vibration of the chest represents Preservation, which is also where the lungs are situated (the lungs sustain or preserve the body through breath). The vibration of the head is associated with Destruction or sacrifice, since all that one gives up or destroys is first destroyed mentally. Hence, the entire cycle of the universe and all it contains is said to be symbolised in AUM.

Today, in all Hindu art and all over India and Nepal, 'Aum' can be seen virtually everywhere, a standard sign for Hinduism and a vast but economical storehouse for the deep philosophy and mythology inherent in the world's oldest religion.

Notes the Chandogya Upanishad, "That syllable, is a syllable of permission; for, whenever we permit anything, we say Aum." However, this is seen by others as a myopic perspective because the same Hindu scriptures, the Upanishads, that aver this function also attribute to it the divine property of the source of the universe. Aum is seen as the source of existence as we know it within the causal dimensions of time and space, and thus affirmatory meanings in languages are a natural progression. Aum is not only affirmation, but negation, and transcends both.

The AUM sound is sometimes called "the 3-syllable Veda". The third syllable arises because in Devanagari and similar alphabets, a consonant at the end of a word is sometimes written as a separate consonant letter with the virama "no vowel" sign, and this combination is treated as a syllable when talking about Devanagari writing rather than about phonetics.

An individual's "Aum" is the sound that can be held steady the longest per breath for the longest consecutive sequence of breaths. It is called "aum" in every culture that is aware of it because it sounds like that in all humans. The lower pitches are more suited because they require less muscular contraction of the abdomen, leading to lower rates of oxygen consumption, allowing for longer time between breaths. The Aum is the exact sound that is easiest for the individual to produce.

Once the minimization of oxygen consumption occurs (by minimization of muscular exertion), the outflow of air will be steady and quite sensitive to any forces that alter the amount of pressure in the chest cavity. One of the most notable consequences of this is that the rhythmic contractions of the heart become audible within the Aum.

Thus, by the use of Aum:

  • one can easily hear their own heart.
  • a person can modify the pace of their heart.
  • a group of people can synchronize their heartbeats.

Omkara

The Sanskrit word omkāra (from which came Punjabi onkār, etc), literally "OM-maker", has two families of meanings:-
  • Brahma (god) in his role as creator, and thus a word for "creator".
  • Writers' term for the OM sign.

Some quotations from Hindu scriptures regarding AUM

In the Rig-veda we find the following information; "One who chants om, which is the closest form of Brahman, approaches Brahman. This liberates one from the fear of the material world, therefore it is known as tarak brahman."

"O Vishnu your self-manifest name, om, is the eternal form of cognizance. Even if my knowledge about the glories of reciting this name is incomplete, still, by the practice of reciting this name I will achieve that perfect knowledge. "He who has unmanifested potencies and is fully independent, manifests the vibration omkara, which indicates Himself. Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan are the three forms He manifests."

"Aum takes the form of Gayatri, then Veda and Vedanta sutra; then it takes the shape of Srimad Bhagavatam and the lila, the divine pastimes, of the Lord."

Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita 7.8 and 9.17, "I am Om", and that one must chant Om thinking of Him in order to attain Him personally ('mam anusmaran', 8.13).

"From the beginning of creation, the three words om tat sat were used to indicate the Supreme Absolute Truth. These three symbolic representations were used by brahmanas while chanting the hymns of the Vedas and during sacrifices for the satisfaction of the Supreme." (Bhagavad Gita 17.23)

"Just as a spider brings forth from its heart its web and emits it through its mouth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead manifests Himself as the reverberating primeval vital air, comprising all sacred Vedic meters and full of transcendental pleasure. Thus the Lord, from the ethereal sky of His heart, creates the great and limitless Vedic sound by the agency of His mind, which conceives of variegated sounds such as the sparsas. The Vedic sound branches out in thousands of directions, adorned with the different letters expanded from the syllable om: the consonants, vowels, sibilants and semivowels. The Veda is then elaborated by many verbal varieties, expressed in different meters, each having four more syllables than the previous one. Ultimately the Lord again withdraws His manifestation of Vedic sound within Himself." (Bhagavata Purana 11.21.38-40)

In Western popular culture

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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Aum".

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