Hinduism Spirituality

Meaning of OM

Meaning of Om

Most of us have heard the word “AUM” or more popularly known as “OM”, but do we know what it really means ? Why it is considered the most sacred sound in Eastern religions ? Why is it chanted in meditation ?The answers can be found in Mandukya Upanishad, which are shortest of the Upanishads, the scriptures of Hindu Vedanta consisting of twelve verses written around 800BC. Aum is said to be the essence of all mantras and Vedas, the highest of all mantras or divine words, symbolizing the infinite Brahman (the Ultimate and the Absolute) and the entire universe.

A stands for Creation, representing Brahma
U stands for Preservation, representing Vishnu
M stands for destruction of dissolution, representing Shiva

Aum stands for the Supreme Reality. It is the symbol of what was, what is, and what shall be. It also represents what lies beyond past, present and future.The Upanishads explain that “AUM” has four states of consciousness:Vaishvanara: the waking state, consciousness with senses turned outwards, awareness of the external world.Tijasa: the dreaming state, consciousness with the senses turned inwards.

Prajna: deep sleep, consciousness with no mind, no dreams and no desires, the source and end of all.

Turiya – super consciousness, beyond the senses and the intellect, represented by AUM.

To sum it up on one sentence, AUM is the primordial vibration of the consciousness which created the universe.


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  • OM has multiple meanings. OM is Brahman. Highest syllable. A U M mean creation,preservation and destruction. It means waking, dream, and deep sleep merge in Tutiya state. Brahma, Vishnu and shiva. Three gunas rajas, satya and tamas. Three planes of existence, heaven(swarga), earth (martya) and Netherlands (patiala) . A for akara, Krishna, Ukara Smt Radharani (pleasure potency of Krishna , m akara denote living entities (Jiva). A for balarama ( son of Rohini) substratum of entire universe, U denotes prdyumna, supersoul of universe. M Anirudha soul of each individual, dot above denote Krishna. Three Vedas Rig ,Yajur, and sama. As mentioned Bhuh, Bhavam, Suvah. When written in another form symbolizes Lord Ganesha. The upper curve is the head, lower large one the stomach. The side one the trunk. Semicircular mark with the dot, the sweet ball(modaka) in Lord Ganesh hand. Thus OM symbolizes everything. Finally in Gita Krishna said at time of death also if any one meditate OM and thinking of Him they will reach Paramagati.

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