The Symbolism of ‘Om’: The Sacred Sound of the Universe

Mentioned in the oldest Vedas and Upanishads, the sacred symbol of Om has always been omnipresent in the world that has gone through so many changes in the course of a billion years, but what has stayed the same is the word Om, the only constant which has connected the humans to not just the universe but the creators of it, be it the Gods or the energy that formed the very existence of this universe. Om represents reality and what lies behind it. ‘Om Tat Sat’ 

ॐ इत्येतदक्षरभमदं सवंतस्योपव्याख्यानं

भूतं भवद् भभवष्यभदभत सवयमोङ्कार एव

यच्चान्यत्भत्कालातीतं तदप्योङ्कार एव ॥ १॥

Om. This is imperishable. The explanation of this all: the past, the now, and

the future – verily, all of this is Om. And what is beyond three states of time

– that too is Om.

(From the Mandukya Upanishad)

What sets humans apart is the way we communicate with each other. Unlike any other species known to humans, only we can communicate with each other using words to convey and understand messages. These languages that we speak are either ancient or evolved over time to be what it is today.

Oblivious to any other language that might exist in the universe that may help us communicate with anything that lies hidden behind the great filter.

But what if I tell you that there is a word that might crack the mystery of the living, the universe and can help us communicate with anything that lies behind this galaxy that we live in? And furthermore, what if I tell you that this word has only two letters, one syllable and represents our four stages of consciousness?

Also known as the sound of the Universe or Sabda Brahman, Om is the most sacred mantra and symbol primarily in Hinduism and Buddhism. The word Om put in simpler terms also means Ishwar (God) or Brahman (the Universe).   The presence of this word is so remarkable that it has not only fascinated philosophers and adherents but has also intrigued scientists who posit it as the cosmic sound that triggered the birth of the universe.

The first mention of the word was found around 5,000 years ago in the Mandukya Upanishad, the shortest Upanishad in the Hindu philosophy which explores the profound significance of Om. Apart from the Mandukya Upanishad, There are seven additional Upanishads that contain sections discussing the meaning and practical applications of Om. Om is a very complex and intricate mantra with concealed spiritual, religious, and scientific significance.

The spiritual symbolism of Om unfolds in its three constituent syllables: A, U, and M. Not only do these three consonants represent the correct pronunciation of Om, but they also signify the three distinct stages of consciousness.

A-    This stage is called Vaiśvānara. It represents the waking stage (Jagrat). It is our everyday, ordinary consciousness. The outer world and the physical self, when we are awake and aware of the external world. It also signifies the beginning of things, the creation of the world.

U – The state of Taijasa represents the astral or the dreaming stage (Swapana). The mind is active but disconnected from the external state of reality. It acts as a bridge, linking us to an inherent awareness of something exceeding the limits of what our senses can perceive.

M – Known as the Prājña state represents the deep sleep where you don’t desire anything nor do you dream (Sushupti). In this state, individuality dissolves into an undivided, unified consciousness, a profound and blissful essence that thrives on its own blissful nature.

These three stages, if taken into account from a religious perspective, embody the three deities, the holy trinity, that are said to be infinite. A (अ) represents Lord Brahma, the creator of the world. U (उ) exemplifies Lord Vishnu – the preserver of the universe and keeps the cosmic balance and the M (म) in Om (Aum) symbolizes Lord Shiva – the cosmic power of destruction and the transformer of the universe.

The Mandukya Upanishad describes Om as time itself. It is the past, the present and the future. Om is also what cannot be understood or seen and lies behind and ahead of the three tenses of time.

When reading the Vedas we can often draw parallels in today’s theory about the universe and truth that was written in the Vedas and Upanishads.  Rishi’s (Sage’s) firmly believes that Om is Omnipresent. They believe that Om is engraved in the deep cosmic silence of space. A theory similar to this was proved in 1978 when two scientists discovered what we call CMBR- cosmic microwave background radiation. It is a faint microwave radiation that is said to be the reverberation that fills the universe and is a remnant of the Big Bang.

Om has also been proved to have vibrations and resonance produced during the chanting of ‘Om’ and has shown great effects in calming the mind and balancing the soul. Numerous studies have shown that even five minutes of Om chanting induces a meditative state that can improve parasympathetic nervous system activity, promote relaxation, and provide calmness. The secret of the Om lies in its frequency, the rhythm of the universe.

Om is not just a sacred symbol and mantra in the Hindu Religion but also in Sikhism (Ik Onkar), Jainism, and Taoism. Even though other religions might not believe in the concept of Om their religion does believe in the sound of it. Be it Amen, Ameen or any other culture or religion that follows meditation.

To understand Om you have to understand the different ways Om has been represented. However, the complexity of Om is endless and even after thousands of years of research, understanding, and enlightenment, one thing that stays immutable is the fact that Om is absolute.