Om (??) or ? is a sacred sound and a spiritual symbol in Indian religions. In Hinduism, it signifies the essence of the ultimate reality, consciousness, or Atman. More broadly, it is a syllable that is chanted either independently or before a spiritual recitation in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. The meaning and connotations of Om vary between the diverse schools within and across the various traditions. Siddha Spirituality of Swami Hardas Life System considers that everyone in this universe to know the origin and the spiritual and health significance of Om.
Om Meaning
Seed mantras like Om are no ordinary words with dictionary definitions. These mantras are more about the vibrational content than the meaning. Frawley again: “Om is the Word of God.” The sound OM is a vibration from which all the manifest universe emanates. Form and creation come from vibration, which is the most elemental of vibrations. It is the sound of the void. Frawley says: “Om is the prime mantra of the Higher Self or Atman. It attunes us with our true nature, which is the sound of the creator, preserver, and destroyer of the universe, who is also the inner guru and prime teacher. It reflects both the manifest and un-manifest Brahman, sustaining the vibration of being, life, and consciousness in all worlds and all creatures.”
The spiritual significance of Om (?? ?? ?????????? ?????)
The syllable Om is referred to as pra?ava. Other used terms are ak?ara (literally, letter of the alphabet, imperishable, immutable) or ek?k?ara (one letter of the alphabet) and omk?ra (meaning literally “Om syllable”, and connoting: a beginning and female divine energy). Udgitha, a word found in Sama Veda and Bhasya (commentaries) based on it, is also used as the name of the syllable. The word has three phonemes: “a-u-m”, though it is often described as trisyllabic despite this being either archaic or the result of translation.
Upanishad (??????)
The syllable ? is first mentioned in the Upanishads, the mystical texts associated with the Vedanta philosophy.
Vedic texts (????? ?????)
In the Aranyaka and the Brahmana layers of Vedic texts, the syllable is so widespread and linked to knowledge, that it stands for the “whole of Veda”. The etymological foundations of Om are repeatedly discussed in the oldest layers of the Vedantic texts (the early Upanishads).
Rig Veda (??????)
The Aitareya Brahmana of Rig Veda, in section 5.32, for example, suggests that the three phonetic components of ? correspond to the three stages of cosmic creation, and when it is read or said, it celebrates the creative powers of the universe. The Brahmana layer of Vedic texts equates Om with Bhur-Bhuvah-Svah, the latter symbolizing “the whole Veda”. They offer various shades of meaning to Om, such as it is “the universe beyond the sun”, or that which is “mysterious and inexhaustible”, or “the infinite language, the infinite knowledge”, or “essence of breath, life, everything that exists”, or that “with which one is liberated”.
Sama Veda (??? ???)
The Sama Veda, the poetical Veda, orthographically maps ? to the audible, the musical truths in its numerous variations and then attempt to extract musical meters from it.
Max Müller and other scholars state that these philosophical texts recommend Om as a “tool for meditation”, explain various meanings that the syllable may be in the mind of one meditating, ranging from “artificial and senseless” to “highest concepts such as:
- The cause of the Universe
- Essence of life
- Brahman
- Atman
- Self-knowledge
-
Health significance of Om (?? ?? ????????? ?????)
According to yogic texts, Hinduism, and Buddhism, Om is also the mantra related to the third eye chakra, as chanting Om can help to cleanse and balance your third eye (pineal gland). Om also relates to the crown chakra, which represents one’s connection to Divine Source.
Helps reduce stress (???? ?? ?? ???? ??? ??? ???? ??)
A study published in the International Journal of Yoga found that Om chanting reduced activity in the limbic system, which is the portion of the brain associated with stress, emotions, learning, and motivation. By monitoring brain activity using a functional MRI machine, researchers found that Om chanting relaxed the brain, and thus could reduce stress. Another study found that it could be used to treat depression.
Improves concentration (???????? ??? ????? ???? ??)
If you’re familiar with meditation, you can imagine how chanting a mantra like Om could improve concentration. Yogic texts discuss the eight limbs or branches of yoga, and the sixth one is Dharana, the Sanskrit word for concentration. In practicing concentration, one can meditate and chant mantras in order to achieve maximum concentration. In this context, this means that the yogi is fully present and thus able to slow down the mind in order to either concentrate on one subject or to completely silence the mind.
Balances emotion (??????? ?? ??????? ???? ??)
If you’re ever feeling a little down or slightly off, chanting Om can help you connect to the Self and balance your emotions. You may find that, as you chant, your mind starts to clear. This is because you’re concentrating on one thing: the sound or vibration that Om gives off. Om holds the same frequency as that of everything in nature, allowing you to connect further and look inwards.
Helps get enough sleep (???????? ???? ???? ??? ??? ???? ??)
It is mainly the stress and busy lifestyle that has taken a toll on the health of people. Working in shifts has distorted the sleep pattern of people. But people who meditate and chant OM before sleeping can enjoy sleep with a peaceful mind. Your sleep patterns will gradually regularize and the quality of sleep will also enhance.
Strengthens spinal cord (???? ?? ????? ?? ????? ????? ??)
When you pronounce the first part of Om, making the “Aaaa” sound, the vibration is generated in the abdomen, which can help support your spinal cord. It is said that the more often an individual chants Om, the more efficient their spinal cord may become.
Mitigates stomach problem (??? ?? ???????? ?? ?? ???? ??)
A Harvard study found that meditation can mitigate symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and improve gut health. The study showed that by inducing the Relaxation Response, participants showed reduced symptoms of IBS as well as decreased anxiety and overall better quality of life. Chanting Om can also induce the Relaxation Response, as this is a common meditation practice. So, next time you have a stomach ache, perhaps chanting Om could help your stomach issues as well!
Improves heart health (??? ?? ????????? ??? ????? ???? ??)
A study performed in 2006 looked at the effects of Transcendental Meditation (TM), a form of meditation whereby the practitioner continuously repeats a mantra and concluded that TM can improve blood pressure and cardiac autonomic nervous system tone and decrease the risk of coronary heart disease.
Improves mental alertness (?????? ??????? ??? ????? ???? ??)
A 2010 study looked into the effects chanting Om has on the mind. Researchers found that chanting Om resulted in a combination of both mental alertness and physiological rest. This makes sense given the fact that meditation and chanting can improve concentration!
Helps get rid of negativity (??????????? ?? ??????? ???? ??? ??? ???? ??)
Chanting Om creates a positive vibration in the body, which can then attract positivity into your life. Chanting Om allows you to focus on your third eye chakra and gaze inward, silencing your mind. If you find yourself engaging in negative self talk a lot or can’t seem to stop thinking, try chanting Om a few times and see if that can help your mind slow down!
Detoxifies Body (???? ?? ??????????? ???? ??)
If you regularly perform Om chanting, it contributes to improving the detoxification process of the human body. When you chant Om, you have to breathe deeply. This deep breathing process helps to get rid of toxins. That is why; ancient people believed that Om chanting restores your sexuality and youthfulness externally and internally.
Om in Hinduism (????? ???? ??? ??)
It is the most sacred syllable symbol and mantra of Brahman, the highest Universal Principle, the Ultimate Reality in Hinduism. Om connotes the metaphysical concept of Brahman in Hinduism. It signifies the Brahman as the ultimate reality, consciousness, or Atma. The Om sound is the primordial sound and is called the Shabda-Brahman. In Hinduism, Om is one of the most important spiritual sounds.
Atman (?????)
? refers to Atman and Brahman. The syllable is often found at the beginning and the end of chapters in the Vedas, the Upanishads, and other Hindu texts. It is a sacred spiritual incantation made before and during the recitation of spiritual texts, during Puja and private Prayer, in ceremonies of rites of passages (sanskara) such as weddings, and sometimes during meditative and spiritual activities such as Yoga.
Om came to be used as a standard utterance at the beginning of mantras, chants, or citations taken from the Vedas. For example, the Gayatri mantra, which consists of a verse from the Rigveda Samhita (RV 3.62.10), is prefixed not just by Om but by Om followed by the formula bh?r bhuva? sva?. Such recitations continue to be in use in Hinduism, with many major incantations and ceremonial functions beginning and ending with Om.
Upanishad (??????)
The syllable “?” is described with various meanings in the Upanishads. Descriptions include “the sacred sound, the Yes!, the Vedas, the Udgitha, the infinite, the all-encompassing, the whole world, the truth, the ultimate reality, the finest essence, the cause of the Universe, the essence of life, the Brahman, the Atman, the vehicle of deepest knowledge, and Self-knowledge”.
Chandogya Upanishad (??????? ??????)
The Chandogya Upanishad is one of the oldest Upanishads of Hinduism. It opens with the recommendation that “let a man meditate on Om”. It calls the syllable Om as Udgitha (??????, song, chant), and asserts that the significance of the syllable is thus the essence of:
- All beings are earth
- Earth is water
- Water are the plants
- Plants are man
- Man is speech
- Speech is the Rig Veda
- Rig Veda is the Sama Veda
- Sama Veda is the Udgitha (song, Om)
Rik (???, ?c) is speech, states the text, and S?man (?????) is a breath; they are pairs, and because they have a love for each other, speech and breath find themselves together and mate to produce a song. The highest song is Om, asserts section 1.1 of Chandogya Upanishad. It is the symbol of awe, of reverence, of threefold knowledge because Adhvaryu invokes it, the Hotr recites it, and Udgatr sings it.
Struggle between Devas and Asuras (????? ?? ?????? ?? ??? ??????)
The second volume of the first chapter continues its discussion of syllable ?, explaining its use as a struggle between Devas (gods) and Asuras (demons). Max Muller states that this struggle between gods and demons is considered allegorical by ancient Indian scholars, as good and evil inclinations within man, respectively.
Katha Upanishad (??? ??????)
The Katha Upanishad is the legendary story of a little boy, Nachiketa, who meets Yama, the Vedic deity of death. Their conversation evolves into a discussion of the nature of man, knowledge, Atman (Soul, Self), and Moksha (liberation). In section 1.2, Katha Upanishad characterizes Knowledge/Wisdom as the pursuit of good, and Ignorance/Delusion as the pursuit of pleasure.
An essence of Veda is to make man liberated and free, look past what has happened and what has not happened, free from the past and the future, beyond good and evil, and one word for this essence is the word, ?.
Maitri Upanishad (?????? ??????)
The Maitrayaniya Upanishad in sixth Prapathakas (lesson) discusses the meaning and significance of Om. The text asserts that Om represents Brahman-Atman. The three roots of the syllable, states the Maitri Upanishad, are A + U + M. The sound is the body of Soul, and it repeatedly manifests in three as:
- Gender-endowed body – Feminine, masculine, neuter
- Light-endowed body – Agni, Vayu, and Aditya
- Deity-endowed body – Brahma, Rudra, and Vishnu
- Mouth-endowed body – Garhapatya, Dakshinagni, and Ahavaniya
- Knowledge-endowed body – Rig, Saman, and Yajur
- World-endowed body – Bh?r, Bhuva?, and Sva?
- Time-endowed body – Past, Present, and Future
- Heat-endowed body – Breath, Fire, and Sun
- Growth-endowed body – Food, Water and Moon
- Thought-endowed body – Intellect, mind, and psyche
Meditating on Om is acknowledging and meditating on the Brahman-Atman (Soul, Self).
Mundaka Upanishad (?????? ??????)
The Mundaka Upanishad in the second Mundakam (part), suggests the means of knowing the Self and the Brahman to be meditation, self-reflection, and introspection, that can be aided by the symbol Om. Adi Shankara, in his review of the Mundaka Upanishad, states Om as symbolism for Atman (soul, self).
Mandukya Upanishad (???????? ??????)
The Mandukya Upanishad opens by declaring, “Om!, this syllable is this whole world”. Thereafter it presents various explanations and theories on what it means and signifies. This discussion is built on a structure of “four fourths” or “fourfold”, derived from A + U + M + “silence”.
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (??????????? ??????)
The Shvetashvatara Upanishad, in verses 1.14 to 1.16, suggests meditating with the help of syllable Om, where one’s perishable body is like one fuel-stick and the syllable Om is the second fuel-stick, which with discipline and diligent rubbing of the sticks unleashes the concealed fire of thought and awareness within. Such knowledge, asserts the Upanishad, is the goal of Upanishads. The text asserts that Om is a tool of meditation empowering one to know the God within oneself, to realize one’s Atman (Soul, Self).
Bhagavad Gita (???? ????)
The Bhagavad Gita, in the Epic Mahabharata, mentions the meaning and significance of Om in several verses. According to Jeaneane Fowler, verse 9.17 of the Bhagavad Gita synthesizes the competing dualistic and monist streams of thought in Hinduism, by using “Om which is the symbol for the indescribable, impersonal Brahman”.
Yoga Sutra (??? ?????)
Johnston states this verse highlights the importance of Om in the meditative practice of Yoga, where it symbolizes three worlds in the Soul; the three times – past, present and future eternity, the three divine powers – creation, preservation and transformation in one Being; and three essences in one Spirit – immortality, omniscience, and joy. It is, asserts Johnston, a symbol for the perfected Spiritual Man.
Puranas (?????)
The medieval era texts of Hinduism, such as the Puranas adopt and expand the concept of Om in their own ways, and to their own theistic sects. According to the Vayu Purana, Om is the representation of the Hindu Trimurti and represents the union of the three gods, viz. A for Brahma, U for Vishnu, and M for Shiva. The three sounds also symbolize the three Vedas, namely Rigveda, Samaveda, and Yajurveda.
The Shiva Purana highlights the relation between deity Shiva and the Pranava or Om. Shiva is declared to be Om, and that is Shiva.
Modern reception (?????? ??????)
The Brahmic script om-ligature has become widely recognized in Western counterculture since the 1960s, mostly in its standard Devanagari form (?), but the Tibetan alphabet om (?) has also gained limited currency in popular culture. Regular recitation of Om helps control anger, maintain health, peace, and progress!
Reference:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Om
- https://www.look4ward.co.uk/spirituality/10-scientifically-proven-health-benefits-of-om-chanting/
- https://www.gaia.com/article/what-meaning-om
Thank you sir nice information. Om is helps to get rid of negativity.If we regularly perform Om chanting,It contribute to improving the detoxification process of the human body. In our Sidha mantras start from the Om then Sidha then Devta name then namha very effective combinations.
Yes, Satish. You’re very right. Om detoxifies the body, and once it is done, no problem exists. For this – the Siddha spiritual method brought out by Dr. Swami Hardas is a complete spirituality to help any layperson. Every Siddha Mantra is prefixed with OM word so that the desired benefits are easily achieved.
Thanks for your good words! Please stay tuned and look for the next amazing article in the near future, which would enlighten you.
useful article….
Thanks a lot, Dr. Hemangi! Your words give me a unique strength to write useful articles. Please stay connected.
Correct many scientific communities have proved that OM chants affects positively to whoever chants it.
Certainly, Gajanan! The whole world is hidden in one word – OM!
Good
So nice of you, Sanjeev Sir for your good words!
Nice post.
Om sound has great importance in Hinduism since ancient times. Hinduism has been associated with spirituality since ancient times and spirituality is very important in Hinduism, in this article you wrote, you have explained the sound of Om in a very good way. Some aspects were already known to us. But after reading this we have come to know it completely. Thank you for writing an article on this topic.
It’s my pleasure, Shubham! Om is not only associated with Hinduism but also Jainism, Sikhism, and many other Indian religions. Having it’s vital importance with respect to spirituality, it also renders health benefits. The intention behind writing about OM is ‘health’ for which we should try to adopt reciting this great and pious mantra.
I am privileged to have such a great communication of thoughts with you, Shubham! Thanks and stay connected.
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Great post sir. Now even foreign scientist have confirmed that chanting Om with a frequency brings positivity into one’s mind. And can help get rid of various mind related issues.
You’re right, Vishal. A number of researches have been carried out over the simple yet great word – “Om”. It has not only spiritual importance but also great importance for the overall development of humans. Chanting of OM helps get relief from brain-related from like stress, anxiety, depression, anger, tension, hypertension, trauma, sleep disorders, fear, addiction, and so on. Moreover, OM being universal has no limitation of the religion. It’s great to have nice discussion with you. Kindly stay tuned.
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Thanks for your kind attitude and the precious words. I’m highly obliged for being a regular visitor of my site. May God bless you. Have a good day!!