What is Om?
Om is Nada
Brahman. Nada is sound. Sound is vibration. Om is the first
vibration of sound. Sound is the first manifestation of the
Absolute. We know nothing about the nature of the Absolute except
that It is. The scriptures have tried to tell us all about creation,
how it proceeded from the Absolute. They say “Brahman
was one and non-dual. It thought, ‘Let me become many.’
That caused a vibration, eventually bringing in sounds, and
that sound was Om, from whence arose all other manifestations.”
Thus sound is the comprehensible basis for all creation. Brahman
is incomprehensible in Its transcendent aspect. The nearest
approach to It is only sound.
All objects
are denoted by sounds, and all sounds merge in Omkara. All speech
or words terminate in one sound - ‘Om’. The humming
of bees, the sweet melody of the nightingale, the seven tunes
in music, the sound of the mridanga and kettledrum, the lute
and the flute, the roaring of the lion, the singing of the lover,
the neighing of the horses, the hissing of the cobra, the ‘hu,
hu’ sound of invalids, crying of the baby, the clapping
of the audience, - are all emanations from Omkara only.
The sound
produced in the flowing Ganga, the sound heard in the distance
from the bustle of the market, the sound produced when the flywheel
of an engine is set in motion, the sound caused when it rains
– it is all ‘Om’ only. If you split any word
you will find ‘Om’ there. Om is all pervading like
akasha, like Brahman.
Om is the
basis of all sounds. Om consists of three letters,
A, U and M. A, U, M cover the whole range of sound vibrations.
The larynx and the palate are the sounding boards. When you
pronounce A, no part of the tongue or palate is touched. When
you pronounce U, the sound rolls from the very root to the end
of the sounding-board of the mouth. M is the last sound which
is produced by closing the two lips. Therefore, all sounds are
centred in Om.
All languages
originate from Om. The essence of the four Vedas is Om only.
One who chants or repeats Om really repeats the sacred books
of the whole world. Om is the source or womb for all religions
and scriptures. Om, Amen and Ahamin are all one. They present
the truth of Brahman, the One Existence. There is no worship
without Om. The world exists in Om and dissolves in Om.
Live in
Om. Inhale and exhale in Om. Rest peacefully in Om. Take shelter
in Om. Sing Om rhythmically. Chant Om loudly. Roar Om forcefully.
Repeat Om mentally. Draw strength from Om. Get inspirations
from Om. Imbibe bliss from Om. Rely on Om. Reflect on Om. Meditate
on Om.
The Sound of Om
From the Teachings of Swami Sivananda Saraswati
