Om in vedic literature:

Mon, 02/15/2010

Indian mystical and philosophical thinking is impregnated with Om, mentioned widely in the Upanishads, Tantras, Puranas, Samkhyas and in specialised Vedantic texts such as the Yoga Vashishta . It symbolises the essence of Sanatan Dharma (the Eternal Way), the tolerant and profound conglomeration of spiritual thinking and practice of the Vedic times. Om is widely known as the 'Mahat Mantra' (the great mantra).

Om is not directly mentioned in Rig Veda, probably because it was considered too sacred to utter or even write down. Om is first mentioned, albeit indirectly, in the Yajur Veda in verse 1:1 where it is known as the ‘pranava’ – ‘the humming sound’- or ‘udgita’ – ‘the elevating chant’.


Interestingly, no graphic representation of Om has yet been found in the extensive excavations of the Indus Valley civilization (circa 3000 BC, though probably much older). The reason may be either that Om was considered too sacred to be graphically represented, or that it had not yet been realized and brought into mainstream spiritual practice.

The oldest direct references and descriptions of Om are to be found in the Upanishads which are considered to contain the essential teachings of the Vedas.
 

Om in the Mandukya Upanishad

The Mandukya Upanishad is exclusively dedicated to explaining the significance of Om. It says that Om symbolises everything manifest and yet it has its origin in the Unmanifest. In its analysis it writes Om as Aum with each of the three syllables having specific significance.

Tat Shubhram Jyotisham Jyotihi
“Know it as the essence of purity, as the light of light.”

Aum iti evam dhyayat atmanam…Svasti va paraya tamasah parastat
“Meditate on the Aum as your inner self… may you cross over the darkness to the other side”

Aum is a bow, the arrow is the self, and Brahman (Absolute Reality) is said to be the mark.
(Mandukya Upanishad)
 

Om in other Upanishads.

Om is also widely mentioned and discussed in other Upanishads, such as the Chhandogya, Nada Bindu, Amrita Bindu, Maitri, Katha, Sweteshwatara and Dhyana Bindu Upanishads. Below are a few key quotes:

• The essence of all beings is the earth. 

• The essence of the earth is water. 

• The essence of water is the plant.
• The essence of the plant is man.
• The essence of man is speech.
• The essence of speech is the Rigveda.
• The essence of Rigveda is the Samveda.
• The essence of Samveda is Om.
  (Chandogya Upanishad)
   

"The goal which all the Vedas declare, which all austerities aim at, and which men desire when they lead the life of continence … is Om. This syllable Om is indeed Brahman. Whosoever knows this syllable 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 Brahma."
- Katha Upanishad

"Om is the primordial throb of the universe. It is the sound form of Atma (Consciousness)." 
- Maitri Upanishad

"Let Om be the bow, mind the arrow, and Higher Consciousness the target.
Those who want enlightenment should reflect on the sound and the meaning of Om. 
When the arrow is released from the bow it goes straight to the target."
- Dhyana Bindu Upanishad

"Like the continuous flow of an oil stream and like the vibration of a bell ... this is the way to chant Om and the way to really know the meaning of the Vedas." 
- Dhyana Bindu Upanishad

"Concentrate on Om in the heart center as though it is like a candle flame the same
size as your thumb."
- Dhyana Bindu Upanishad

"Fire, though potentially present in firewood,
is not seen until one stick is rubbed against another.
The Atma is that fire; it is realized by the constant awareness of the sacred mantra Om.
Let your individual personality be one stick and Om the other.
Thus you will realize your real nature, which is hidden within just as fire is, 

in a sense, hidden in combustible materials".
- Sweteshwatara Upanishad

From these quotations we can see the enduring importance given to the philosophical meaning of Om and its practical application in chanting, visualization and reflection. It has the power to transform our perception of what we are and our place in the universe.
 

Om in the Purana

In the Puranas the syllable Om became associated in various ways with the major Hindu devotional sects. Saivites mark the lingam (a symbol of Shiva) with the symbol for Om, while Vaishnavites identify the three sounds as referring to the trinity of Vishnu, his wife Sri, and the worshiper. Om is widely mentioned in the Puranas as the following snippets will reveal:

"I pay respects to the Ineffable Intelligence which is symbolized by the sacred syllable Om."
- Bhagavat Purana

"Let him recite the Gayatri Mantra prefixed with the mystic syllable Om, mother
of all the Vedic mantras."
- Garuda Purana

The Shiva Purana states that 1,080,000,000 recitations of Om purify our mind and lead us automatically to salvation. The Narada Purana encourages the Yoga practitioner to fix Om in the heart center while meditating. Om is prescribed as an accompaniment to pranayama. Other Puranas such as the Agni, Padma and Vayu Puranas also mention Om.
 

Om in the Yoga Sutra

In the classical Yoga Sutras, the yogi and sage Maharishi Patanjali defines Om as follows:

tasya vachakah pranavah - 1.27
The sacred word designating Ishwara (pure consciousness) is the sound Om, called pranava.

tasya = of that creative source
vachakah = designator, signifier, indicator, term
pranavah = the mantra Aum or Om

In the following verse he continues and advises combining Mantra and Gyana Yoga: tat japah tat artha bhavanam - 1.28

Om should be repeated over and over again whilst reflecting on its deeper meaning. It is important to remember not only the vibration (japa), but also the deep meaning of the mantra, rather than to perform merely parrot-like repetition in the mind.

tat = its
japah = repeated remembrance
tat = its
artha = meaning
bhavanam = understanding with feeling, absorbing, dwelling upon

As he next points out, this takes us to the state of Meditation: tatah pratyak chetana adhigamah api antaraya abhavash cha - 1.29 From that remembering (practice of using Om), comes the realization of the individual Self and the removal of obstacles.

tatah = thence
pratyak = individual
chetana = consciousness
adhigamah = understanding, realization, attainment
api = also
antaraya = of obstacles or impediments
abhavash = absence, disappearance, removal
cha = and, also

We see that Om is a fundamental part of the practice and teachings of Ashtanga Yoga , also known as Patanjali Yoga.
 

Om in the Bhagavad Gita.

Om is widely mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita where the mantra Om is an essential part of its teachings and practice.

Krishna tells Arjuna (verse 7.8) :
‘O Arjuna, I am the taste of pure water, and the light of the moon and the sun. 
I am the essential nature of the mantra Om mentioned in the holy scriptures, 
the sound in ether, as well as the courage and virility of human beings.’

Krishna, who symbolizes underlying intelligence or consciousness, is the essence of Om. Om, as sound vibration, is an expression of this underlying Consciousness. Therefore, by practising Mantra or Gyana Yoga (or even Bhakti Yoga ) we can trace Om back to its source. In this way, we are enabled to realize the nature of consciousness. 
Krishna talks of death and the importance of chanting Om at the time of death (verse 8.13) :

‘The mantra Om symbolises Reality. At the time of death, repeat Om and 
you will go forth from the body and attain the Supreme Goal.’

From the Yogic viewpoint, death is not just the time of disintegration of the physical body, but also a golden opportunity of directly realizing our immortal essence. Chanting Om at the point of death can be a valuable part of this process.


Krishna also says that all spiritual practices should be initiated with Om (verse 17.24):
‘Before starting sacrifices, holy practices and austerities (as prescribed by the scriptures), serious spiritual seekers should chant Om.’

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