Dr. V.K.Maheshwari, M.A. (Socio, Phil) B.Sc. M. Ed, Ph.D. Former Principal, K.L.D.A.V.(P.G) College, Roorkee, India
Mrs Sudha Rani Maheshwari, M.Sc (Zoology), B.Ed. Former Principal.A.K.P.I.College, Roorkee, India
The Hindu Bible (Bhagavad Gita), the Christian Bible, and the greatest book on yoga (Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras) unanimously declare the Cosmic Sound to be the outward manifestation or witness of the Lord in creation. Krishna, Jesus, and Patanjali all taught that man must receive the Holy Ghost (the Comforter) in order to reach the Christ Intelligence within it and God the Father existing beyond it (beyond Aum or vibratory creation). Paramahansa Yogananda (bg p.617
Most religions indicate that creation began with sound– In the beginning was the word… For the Hindus & Buddhists, Om is the primordial sound, the first breath of creation, the vibration that ensures existence. Om sign signifies God, Creation, & the One-ness of all creation. It has also been adopted by the other three main religions of India – Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. OM is also referred to as “Omkara” which literally means “OM syllable” and “Pranava” which literally means “The primal sound.” In Tamil “Om” literally means “Yes”, or “Yes, it is”.
The Om (or Aum) sign is the main symbol of Hinduism. India’s genius has packed this word aum with far-reaching meanings and immense significance.Aum became tremendously meaningful – so much so that it has no more any meaning. And its significance is limitless, infinite. This aum is an extraordinary word, a rare word. It is extraordinary just because it has no meaningwhatsoever. Every word has some meaning, this aum has none. For this reason this word cannot betranslated into any other language of the world, there is no way. This is perhaps the only word on earth which has no meaning whatsoever.People who discovered aum were in search of something which could be a bridge, a link betweenthe word and silence. While the word has a meaning, silence is neither meaningful nor meaningless;it is beyond both, it is the beyond. Really aum came as a bridge between the word and silence.
Variants of aum are found in other lands and languages. Interestingly, even the word ‘Amen’ used by Christians and of ‘Ameen’ used by Muslims to conclude a prayer seems to be akin to Om. In western culture both the spoken word and the written symbol have become synonymous with eastern spirituality, meditation and the very concept of peace itself. The English language has three words: omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent – all of which are constituted with the word aum. Philologists may not be aware that omniscient means that one who has known the aum, omnipresent means the one who is present in the aum, and omnipotent means the one who has become as powerful as the aum.
Om is also used to signify authority as well as divinity. Its similarity with the Latin ‘M’ as also to the Greek letter ‘Omega’ is discernible; this implies a common origin of these latter languages from Sanskrit as well as the importance assigned to the word. Zen sages ask their disciples to go and find out the sound of one hand clapping. The sound of one hand clapping is something unheard of! This is Zen’s own way of saying the same thing – the anahat, the unstruck sound. So Zen Masters direct seekers to go in search of one hand clapping which really means the uncaused sound. Clapping with two hands make for sound, and one hand clapping is aum or amin.
The aum has been found in many forms all the world over. It is available in both the ancient sources of religion – Hinduism and Judaism. If there is anything common between Hinduism and Jainism it is the aum. Aum occupies the same exalted place in Buddhism as in Jainism. It is the one universal word. Amin and aum are words that are not manmade; they have been heard in the depth of meditation. It is difficult to say which of the two, amin and aum, is the more authentic, but one thing is certain that they are one and the same. It is the ultimate sound. When all caused sounds disappear the uncaused aum comes into being. It is the cosmic sound.
The scriptures of Hinduism teach that OM is the symbol of Brahman. Brahman is a term for the Supreme Self, the Infinite, the Absolute, the Divine Allness, the Ultimate Reality. Brahman is all and in all. There is nothing but Brahman.Katha Upanishad “I will give you the Word all the scriptures glorify, all spiritual disciplines express, to attain which aspirants lead a life of sense-restraint and self-denial. It is OM. This symbol of the Godhead is the highest. Realizing it one finds complete fulfillment of all one’s longings. It is of the greatest support to all seekers. When OM reverberates unceasingly within the heart, that one is indeed blessed and deeply loved as one who is the Self.” –
Similarly Chandogya Upanishadholds, “This is the essence of essences, the highest, the eighth rung, venerated above all that human beings hold holy. OM, the imperishable OM, is the Self of all.” –
Mandukya Upanishad considers Aum as “AUM stands for the supreme Reality. It is a symbol for what was, what is, and what shall be. AUM represents also what lies beyond past, present, and future. Brahman is all, and the Self is Brahman.” – “The mantra AUM stands for the supreme state of turiya, without parts, beyond birth and death, symbol of everlasting joy. Those who know AUM as the Self become the Self; truly they become the Self.” Prashna Upanishad explains“ These three sounds when they are separated cannot lead one beyond mortality; but when the whole mantra, a, u, and m, indivisible, interdependent, goes on reverberating in the mind, one is freed from fear, awake or asleep. … Established in this cosmic vibration, the sage goes beyond fear, decay, and death to enter into infinite peace.”
There are two main perspectives from which the A-U-M can be understood in its deeper meaning and significance.
The passage quoted above from the Mandukya Upanishad states that AUM stands for “the supreme state of turiya.” The Vedanta (which is the philosophical core of Hinduism) teaches that there are three main states of consciousness which the human being experiences. These are called the Avastha-Traya and are…
* Jagrat- The waking state –When in the waking state (Jagrat-avastha) we are functioning in the gross body, the dense physical body, which Hinduism calls the Sthula Sharira. Jagrat corresponds to Sthula Sharira and to the A.
* Svapna- The dreaming state – In the dream state (Svapna-avastha) we function in the subtle body, referred to as the Sukshma Sharira. . Svapna corresponds to Sukshma Sharira and to the U.
* Sushupti- The dreamless sleep state – In the state of deep and dreamless sleep (Sushupti-avastha), we are functioning in the causal body, called the Karana ShariraSushupti corresponds to Karana Sharira and to the M.
Transcending all of these three states of consciousness is a fourth state of consciousness called Turiya. This is Pure Consciousness. It is God-consciousness. It is the Superconsciousness “the state beyond time and space.”. Above the gross body, the subtle body, and the causal body, is the Self.. Turiya is the permanent state of bliss, the constant and unchanging state of the Self. Turiya corresponds to the Atman (remember that Atman = Brahman) and to the AUM in its entirety.
Now we can understand why it is said that “AUM [or OM] stands for the Supreme Reality” and why it is Brahman. The correct pronunciation is “oh-m”…like “foam” but obviously without the F.
The other main perspective in which it can be understood is in regard to the three stages of manifestation. This can be represented as follows…
A – Beginning (Adimatva) – BRAHMA (Evolution)
U – Progress (Utkarsha) – VISHNU (Preservation)
M – Limit or End (Miti) – SHIVA (Dissolution)
This threefold divine energy of the manifested universe comes forth from Brahman, which is forever unmanifested, unconditioned, and undifferentiated. Thus AUM in its entirety represents and corresponds to Brahman, the One Supreme Reality.
In Jainism, Aum is regarded as a condensed form of reference to the fiveparameshthis, by their initials A+A+A+U+M (o3m). The Dravyasamgrah quotes a Prakritline: “Aum” is one syllable made from the initials of the five parameshthis. It has been said: “Arihanta, Ashiri, Acharya, Upadhyaya, and Muni“. . Thus, ओं नमः (oṃnamaḥ) is a short form of the Navkar Mantra.
Aum is a very holy name in Jainism. It is an abbreviation of Namaskar.”A” incorporates “Namo Arihantanam” & Namo Sidhanam & Namo Ayariyanam“U” stands for Namo Uvajhayanam“M’incorporates Namo Lowe Sayva Sahunam, (all munis)
The Buddhists place om at the beginning of their Vidya-Sadaksari or mystical formulary in six syllables (viz., om mani padme hum). As a seed syllable (bija mantra), it is also considered holy in Esoteric Buddhism.
Guru Nanak’s concept and vision of the Supreme Being is embodied in the Sikh Fundamental Mool Mantra, literally meaning the Root Formula. “Ek Onkar Satnam Karta Purush Nirbhau Virvair Akal Murat, Ajuni Saibhang Gurprasad. There is One and only One God who is transcendent as well as immanent. True and Eternal Name. Creator and Person. Without Fear and without Enmity. Timeless Form, Unborn, Self-existent. Realized by Divine Grace.
Besides Mool Mantra there is another term Bij Mantra (Seed Formula) which is occurs in Guru Arjun’s composition ‘Sukhmani’ (Pearl of Peace). The original text where it appears runs as:“Bij Manter sarab ko Gyan. Chahu Varona meh japey kou Naam.”All can be enlightened with Bij Mantra. Anyone from four castes can meditate on it.
The term Bij Mantra signifies any word or phrase out of which develops a prayer meant to be meditated upon or chanted to invoke Divine blessing. Almost all the Sikh scholars and theologians are unanimous in recognizing Ek-Onkar as the Bij Mantra out of which has emanated Guru Nanak’s vision of the Supreme Being in the form of Mool Mantra. It is constituted of two components – Ek and Onkar. Ek means one, and is written as a numerical figure ’1′. Onkar stands for the Primal mystical Divine Name of God referred to as Brahma in the Vedic literature. In order to grasp fully the underlying spiritual significance and meaning of Ek-Onkar each of its components needs to be studied in depth, beginning with Onkar.
The root of Onkar is traceable to the Hindu sacred syllable Om, also written as Aum. Historically, in the beginning, Om was used as a reply of approval or consent. So Guru Nanak’s revealed Scripture place numerical figure ’1′ before Onkar thus enhancing his firm conviction in the unity of God.. It was Guru Nanak’s own inspired vision that transformed AUM into Ek-Onkar representing the Supreme Being, the Sole Absolute Eternal Reality which, while manifesting itself in multiplicity as Onkar, is still in its essence ‘Sole and Absolute’; Transcendent as well as Immanent. Impersonal is also Personal in Ek-Onkar.
In conclusion, it can be said that Ek-Onkar is the true symbol of Sikhism given to us by Guru Nanak based on his spiritual experience and inspired vision at the very inception of the Sikh faith.
Thus Om mystically embodies the essence of the entire universe. This meaning is further deepened by the Indian philosophical belief that God first created sound and the universe arose from it. As the most sacred sound, Om is the root of the universe and everything that exists and it continues to hold everything together.
But aum is not meant to be uttered and chanted; it has to be really heard and experienced. Whenyou go deep into meditation, when all words disappear, the sound of aum will begin to vibrateThis real aum is heard when all words disappear, all noises cease. When mind and intellect, thoughtand word all come to an end and silence begins, then an extraordinarily subtle vibration remains,which this country has interpreted as aum. It can be interpreted in other ways too, but they all willbe our interpretations. When the immense emptiness comes into being, it has its own sound, its own music. It is calledthe sound of the cosmic silence, it is called the anahat, the unstruck, the uncaused sound. It is not caused by anything. It is the aum. When you clap your hands, the sound of clapping is created bystriking one hand against the other. This sound is caused; so is the sound of a drum which you beat with your hands. But meditation is a journey into silence; when all sounds disappear, when there is no duality, when you are utterly alone, then the causeless sound comes into being. India’s sages have called it aum.
During meditation, when we chant Om, we create within ourselves a vibration that attunes synchrony with the cosmic vibration and we start thinking of universatality. The momentary silence between each chant becomes palpable. Mind moves between the opposites of sound and silence until, at last, the sound ceases. In the silence, the single thought, Om, is quenched and there is no thought. This is the state of trance, where the mind and the intellect are transcended as the individual self merges with the Infinite Self in the pious moment of realization. It is a moment when the petty worldly affairs are lost in the desire for the universal. Such is the immeasurable power of Om.
Om is not a word but rather an intonation, which, like music, transcends the barriers of age, race, culture and even species. It is constituted with the help of three basic sound forms: a, u, and m. A, u, and m are the basic sounds of the science of phonetics: all other letters of the alphabet are their extensions and combinations. And the same a, u, and m constitute the word aum, although it was not written as a word; it remains a distinct and distinguished symbol. Aum in its original form is available in Sanskrit, where it is a pictorial representation of aum; it is neither a word nor a letter. Aum is not a word but a picture. And it represents the space where the finite world of the word – of sound – ends, and the infinite world of silence begins. It forms the fron-tier, the borderline between the word and the wordless; there is no word beyond aum.
It is made up of three Sanskrit letters, aa, au and ma which, when combined together, make the sound Aum or Om It is believed to be the basic sound of the world and to contain all other sounds. It is a mantra or prayer in itself. Repetition of the word Om is said to slow the breathing, calm the nervous system and send the glands and organs of the body a gentle. If repeated with the correct intonation, it can resonate throughout the body so that the sound penetrates to the centre of one’s being, the atman or soul. As a sacred sound also, the pronunciation of the three-syllabled AUM is open to a rich logical analysis. The first alphabet A is regarded as the primal sound, independent of cultural contexts. It is produced at the back of the open mouth, and is therefore said to include, and to be included in, every other sound produced by the human vocal organs. Indeed A is the first letter of the Sanskrit alphabet.
The open mouth of A moves toward the closure of M. Between is U, formed of the openness of A but shaped by the closing lips.
AUM thus also encompasses within itself the complete alphabet, since its utterance proceeds from the back of the mouth (A), travelling in between (U), and finally reaching the lips (M). Now all alphabets can be classified under various heads depending upon the area of the mouth from which they are uttered. The two ends between which the complete alphabet oscillates are the back of the mouth to the lips; both embraced in the simple act of uttering of AUM.
The last part of the sound AUM (the M) known as ma or makar, when pronounced makes the lips close. This is like locking the door to the outside world and instead reaching deep inside our own selves, in search for the Ultimate truth.
The symbol of AUM consists of three curves (curves 1, 2, and 3), one semicircle (curve 4), and a dot. The large lower curve 1 symbolizes the waking state (jagrat), in this state the consciousness is turned outwards through the gates of the senses. The larger size signifies that this is the most common (‘majority’) state of the human consciousness.
The upper curve 2 denotes the state of deep sleep (sushupti) or the unconscious state. This is a state where the sleeper desires nothing nor beholds any dream.
The middle curve 3 (which lies between deep sleep and the waking state) signifies the dream state (swapna). In this state the consciousness of the individual is turned inwards, and the dreaming self beholds an enthralling view of the world behind the lids of the eyes.
These are the three states of an individual’s consciousness, and since Indian mystic thought believes the entire manifested reality to spring from this consciousness, these three curves therefore represent the entire physical phenomenon.
The dot signifies the fourth state of consciousness, known in Sanskrit as turiya. In this state the consciousness looks neither outwards nor inwards, nor the two together. It signifies the coming to rest of all differentiated, relative existence This utterly quiet, peaceful and blissful state is the ultimate aim of all spiritual activity. This Absolute (non-relative) state illuminates the other three states.
Finally, the semi circle symbolizes maya and separates the dot from the other three curves. Thus it is the illusion of maya that prevents us from the realization of this highest state of bliss.
The semi circle is open at the top, and when ideally drawn does not touch the dot. This means that this highest state is not affected by maya. Maya only affects the manifested phenomenon. This effect is that of preventing the seeker from reaching his ultimate goal, the realization of the One, all-pervading, unmanifest, Absolute principle. In this manner, the form of OM represents both the unmanifest and the manifest, and the phenomenon.
The Bhagavad Gita (9.17) recites: Krsna says to Arjuna – “I am the father of this universe, the mother, the support and the grandsire. I am the object of knowledge, the purifier and the syllable Oḿ.
How to Type it on your Computer
Try this! To get the Om symbol on your computer screen, open MS Word and key in backslash ( \ ) in Wingdings font. You will type in Om!