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  The Word That Is God–Chapter 2
The Scriptures on Pranava–Continued
Maitri Upanishad
“One should continuously worship Brahman with the Syllable Om. For thus it is said, ‘This Syllable indeed, is holy, this Syllable indeed is supreme. By knowing that Syllable indeed, whatever one desires becomes his.’ And then it has been said elsewhere, ‘This Om is the sound form of this [Self].’ Therefore by the utterance of the Syllable Om all these forms [of Brahman] are praised, worshipped, and ascribed. For thus it is said: ‘This Syllable Om, verily, is the higher and lower Brahman.’” (Maitri Upanishad 6:4,5)
It is the continuous invocation of Om that is the worship of God (Brahman). Om is what is offered, Om is the act of offering, and Om is the One Who receives the offering. Only by the all-encompassing Om can we worship the all-encompassing Brahman. Only God can be offered to God.
“Because in this manner he joins the prana, the Syllable Om, and all this in its manifoldness therefore this is called Yoga [joining]. The oneness of the breath, the mind, and likewise of the senses [through japa of Om] and the abandonment of all conditions of existence, this is designated as Yoga. One draws in the pranas by means of the Syllable Om.” (Maitri Upanishad 6:22-26)
Most of this is found in the Maitrayana recension of the upanishad, but the final part about the union of Om and prana during japa is not. The japa of Om greatly energizes and enlivens the Om Yogi on all the levels of his being. At the same time, though, it gathers up (“draws in”) the scattered life energies, harmonizes, and causes them to flow correctly in their intended channels.
“One should meditate with the Syllable Om on that Unlimited Splendor [that is God].” (Maitri Upanishad 6:37)
“Verily, the nature of the ether within the space [of the heart] is the same as the Syllable Om. With this Syllable, indeed, that rises up, goes upward and pours forth. Verily, it becomes for ever the support of the meditation on Brahman. In the breathing, that [Om] has its place in the heart that casts forth light. In the breathing that [Om] is like the action of smoke; for when there is motion of air the smoke rises to the sky in one column and follows afterward one branch after another. That is like throwing salt into water, like heat in melting butter. On this point they quote: Now why is It [Om] said to be lightning? Because in the very moment of going forth [in repetition] It lights up the whole body. Therefore one should meditate with the Syllable Om, that boundless Light.” (Maitri Upanishad 7:11)
This is very like the Maitrayana recension, but there are some interesting differences, such as more exposition on the relation of Om to the inner movement of prana (“breathing”).
Smoke is used as a simile to illustrate that the cumulative effect of the repetition of Om is as a spiraling upward of smoke, the vibration rising higher and higher to the Absolute and acting as a thread up which the soul ascends to the Absolute.
The invocation of Om is compared to throwing salt into water because It pervades the entire being of the sadhaka with the divine Vibration. It is also like the heating of butter because It causes the form to merge into the Formless, just as butter becomes one homogeneous mass when heated. So those who meditate on Om enter “that boundless Light” that is Om. Mandalabrahman Upanishad
“One who concentrates his mind on the Pranava and its import [bhava] experiences the internal radiance that alone is the real form of the Pranava.” (Mandalabrahman Upanishad 2.2.1)
“That should be known as the other shore reached by one embarked on the boat of knowledge, after crossing the ocean of ignorance. That is the object of the quest through external and internal introspection. In the middle of it the world reposes. That is what lies beyond the range of Nada, Bindu, and Kala, the indivisible expanse [the one essence of consciousness]. That is of the form of the qualified [saguna] and the unqualified [nirguna] atman. He who knows that stands liberated.” (Mandalabrahman Upanishad 2:4)
“Of the sound produced in the anahata of the heart, there is the reverberation of that sound; there is radiance penetrating the interior of that reverberation. There is the mind penetrating the interior of that radiance: which mind is the doer of the deed of creating, sustaining, and destroying the three worlds. Wherein that mind meets with dissolution, that is the supreme state of Vishnu [Brahman].” (Mandalabrahman Upanishad 5:4)
Mandukya Upanishad
The Mukti Upanishad, one of the minor Upanishads, says this about the Mandukya Upanishad, which is completely devoted to the subject of the Pranava: “The only means by which the final emancipation is attained, is through the Mandukya Upanishad alone, which is enough for the salvation of all aspirants.” And the Mandukya Upanishad says:
“Om: this Syllable is all this. All that is past, the present and the future, all this is only the Syllable Om. And whatever else there is beyond the threefold time, that too is only the Syllable Om. …The Self [atman] is of the nature of the Syllable Om. Thus the Syllable Om is the very Self. He who knows It thus enters the Self [Supreme Spirit] with his self [individual spirit].” (Mandukya Upanishad 1,8,12)
Om is the creation that is spread out from cycle to cycle, as well as all that has ever taken place or ever will take place. It is also everything that has ever entered creation as well as That Which transcends creation. It should be no surprise to us, then, that to the enlightened who are united with Om, perfect knowledge of time, space, and beyond is ever at hand. “Man, know thyself” is quite easy to say, but how is it done? Through Om that is our self. When we are out of touch with Om we are out of touch with our selves. But when we enter into Om we enter into our selves. And we pass from uniting our consciousness with our finite self, the jivatman, to union with the “Self of our self”: God, the Paramatman. Mundaka Upanishad
“Taking as the bow the great weapon of the Upanishads [Om], one should place in It the arrow sharpened by meditation. Drawing It with a mind engaged in the contemplation of That [Brahman], O beloved, know that Imperishable Brahman as the target. The Syllable Om is the bow: one’s self, indeed, is the arrow. Brahman is spoken of as the target of that. It is to be hit without making a mistake. Thus one becomes united with it [Brahman] as the arrow becomes one with the target. He in Whom the sky, the earth, and the interspace are woven, as also the mind along with all the pranas, know Him alone as the one Self. Dismiss other utterances. This [Om] is the bridge to immortality. Meditate on Om as the Self. May you be successful in crossing over to the farther shore of darkness.” (Mundaka Upanishad 2.2.3-6)
The “arrow sharpened by meditation” is the inner consciousness that has been refined (sharpened) by the practice of meditation. Om aims at the Highest and reaches It through its japa and meditation. This being so, all other “talk” in the form of discursive “meditations” and prayers, may be forgotten and Om alone made the beginning, middle, and end of our sadhana. Nadabindu Upanishad
This entire upanishad is on the subject of Om, but it is extremely abstruse, and the Sanskrit is so ancient (a part of the Rig Veda) that it is not easy to translate. The first section is better summarized as follows: “The Swan, which is the vehicle of Brahma, of Divine Consciousness, is really the Omkara. All worlds are located within It.” Then the actual translation continues: “An adept in yoga who soars aloft upon the Swan [by meditating on Om] is not affected by karmic influences or by hundreds of millions of sins.”
In Vedic mythology which is profoundly symbolic, Brahma the Creator is said to have a swan as his vehicle. Swans are considered symbols of perfect discrimination since they can separate water from milk by means of an acidic secretion which turns milk into curds, which they then eat, leaving the water. So the idea is that Divine Consciousness “rides upon”–is the crown of–viveka, the discrimination between the true and the false, between God and delusion. There is another meaning when applied to the Pranava. Just as the swan flies on two wings, so also the yogi ascends to the spiritual heights on the two letters O and M combined. Japa and meditation of Om may also be considered as flying on the two wings of the Divine Swan.
“Assuming the meditation posture, and all the while introspecting, the yogi should listen to the sound [of Om]. This sound, when constantly practiced, will drown every sound from outside. By persisting in the practice in the same manner further and further, the sound will be heard subtler and subtler. In this manner will various kinds of sound be heard, growing subtler and subtler. Even when loud sounds, such as of the kettle-drum and the like, are heard therein, the yogi should take into consideration only the subtle, and the subtler ones. He should not shift elsewhere his mind, which is diverting itself in the subtle. The mind, lost in that sound forgetting everything outside, becomes one with it, like water and milk and forthwith merges with the Chidakasha [the Ether of Consciousness]. The yogi with mental control, by constant practice, becomes indifferent to everything else and is attracted by such Nada [the subtle forms of Om experienced in meditation] alone as would transport him beyond his mind. Leaving off all thoughts and devoid of all action, he should meditate upon Nada alone. The mind will then merge completely in the Nada.”
There is a whole school of yoga, called Nada Yoga or Laya Yoga, based on listening to the inner sounds, but it only directs the meditator to listen to the very gross, almost objective sounds that emanate from the various power centers of the body called “chakras.” Here the upanishad give us invaluable counsel: do not bother with those sounds when they arise, but be intent only on the increasingly subtler sounds of Om. This is what makes the meditation of Om distinct from the practices of Nada (Sound) Yoga. Ignoring such sounds we should follow the thread of the subtle Pranava to reach the Pure Consciousness that is the Goal.
Proof that the upanishad is not talking about plugging up the ears and passively listening to inner astral/psychic sounds is its speaking of “practicing” the sound–that is, producing it by inner japa. Furthermore, the so-called “Cosmic Om” or “Cosmic Motor” sound heard by some yogis who plug their ears and listen for it is only the basic sound of the physical universe and the physical body. It is actually the astral sound of the cosmic fire element from which the material plane emerges and into which it is dissolved. It has no spiritual character at all, though through it a yogi can merge his mind into the cosmic energy and become what the Yoga Sutras call Prakritilaya, absorbed in Prakriti. This temporarily produces astounding experiences of expanding awareness and psychic powers, but according to Patanjali, Vyasa, and Shankara, such yogis become caught in the web of the cosmos and cannot be liberated until the final dissolution at the end of the creation cycle (the mahapralaya). Like milk poured into water they become cosmically diluted–and deluded.
In short, all such astral sounds should be ignored. Stay with your intonations of Om. The chakras are inside the body, but they are outside the spirit, and concentration on them in any form, including the sounds emanating from them, leads us away from our spirit-center to external consciousness. In contrast, the subtle Pranavic permutations experienced in meditation lead the mind within to the center that is spirit. “Even as the bee drinks the honey and does not like the sweet scents, the mind, always captivated by nada or sweet sound, has no relish for any other functioning; bound by the rope of a little [or subtle] sweet sound, it gives up its fickle nature in a trice. The mind, the snake abiding in the hole of the interior of the body, caught by the snake-charmer of sweet sound, completely forgetting the world, does not run anywise, becoming one-pointed. For the infatuated lord of elephants of the mind, roaming about the pleasure garden of the objects of desire, this sharp goad of sweet sound commands the ability to bring it under control. Sound plays the part of the net, which ensnares the deer in the interior of the body, viz., the mind. It likewise plays the part of the dike in stemming the tide in the interior of the body, viz., the mind.
“The nada [the Pratyagatman] of the Pranava, wherein manifests Brahman, is self-luminous. The mind finds its repose therein. …As long as the sound persists, so long does the conception of Akasha or Ether persist. The transcendent Atman devoid of sound is termed the Paramatman. As long as there is the sound, so long does the mind persist. When the sound ceases, the mind is out of element. The Pranava is endowed with sound; when its principal letter [either o or m] vanishes, there comes on the quiescent state, the transcendent state of Brahman. From constant application to the nada [sound] of the Pranava, the impressions [samskaras] left by the past will be obliterated. Then the mind and the vital air [prana] will merge in the detached atman; there is no doubt. The myriads of thousands of means to the attainment of the all-witness, the nada [the sound], the myriads of hundreds of devices adopted for the attainment of the Ishwara, the bindu of the Pranava–all of them find their last resting place in the nada of the Pranava, wherein is manifest Brahman, which is no other than the innermost Atman.” (Nadabindu Upanishad, 31-51)
Past life impressions (samskaras), taking the form of reflexive, instinctual actions and thoughts emanating from the subconscious, are themselves the forces of karma. So to wipe out our karma we must wipe out the samskaras through meditation on Om.
All viable spiritual paths (practices) lead to Om. So it is only wisdom to become involved with It from the very beginning. Narada Parivrajaka Upanishad
“He shall receive instructions on the Pranava. …[At the end of his life] he shall discard his body remembering [reciting] the emancipating holy mantra, Om.
“He should ever be intent upon the realization, through meditation, of the Brahma Pranava [the Pranava that is Brahman].” (Narada Parivrajaka Upanishad, Upadesha VII)
To realize Om through continuous japa and meditation is to realize Brahman Itself.
“It is necessary for all to mediate upon the Self [Atman]. Thus the aspirant after liberation should ever be uttering the Pranava which enables one to cross samsara, and be living as a jivanmukta.” (Narada Parivrajaka Upanishad, Upadesha VII)
“Narada asked Parameshthi [the Exalted One: Brahma] to enlighten him about the samsara taraka–that Pranava which lifts one out of samsara. Assenting to this, Brahma began thus: ‘Omkara that is Brahman is the vyashti [individual] and the samashti [cosmic]. What is the individual? What is the cosmic? The Brahma Pranava is of three kinds: Samhara [destructive] Pranava, Shrishti [creative] Pranava, and Ubhayatmaka [belonging to both] Pranava, as being of two forms, internal and external.’” (Narada Parivrajaka Upanishad, Upadesha VIII)
It is the Pranava, Om, that delivers us from the sea of rebirth and confers liberation upon us. Although one, and of a single, unified consciousness, yet, being Brahman, It is also many; and some of Its aspects are being presented here.
Om is samhara–that which cuts off and dissolves–in relation to all impurity and ignorance. At the same time it is the power of creation, of manifestation, in relation to all that is true and divine in nature. It is therefore ubhayatmaka–simultaneously destructive and creative. This also is the nature of Brahman, the producer of both manifestation and dissolution. Pranava cuts off and dissolves that which is unreal and brings about the rise and establishment of That Which is Real. And It does so on the level of the microcosm, the vyashti, and on the level of the macrocosm, the samashti. All states of existence are embraced by It, both the part and the Whole. It is the life of the individual spirit and of the Supreme Spirit equally. And it is That which unites the two into One.
“It is also eight: Antah Pranava, Vyavaharika Pranava, Bahya Pranava, Arsha Pranava, Ubhayatmaka or Virat Pranava, Samahara Pranava, Brahma Pranava, and Ardhamatra Pranava.” (Narada Parivrajaka Upanishad, Upadesha VIII)
It is the Antah Pranava, the internal or indwelling Pranava, for it is the nature of consciousness–our own nature. It is the inmost, the most subtle, productive of all internal states and movements. Yet It is also the Vyavaharika Pranava, the power that manifests in all cosmic activity, producing all phenomenon. Thus It is also the Bahya Pranava, the external Pranava. It is the primal, holy mantra revealed to the Vedic Rishis, the Arsha Pranava. It is the all-containing (Ubhayatmaka) or cosmic (Virat) Pranava. But it also dissolves the cosmos as the Samahara Pranava. It is The Word That Is God, the Brahman Pranava of subtle (Ardhamatra) Form. All things are the Pranava; the Pranava is all things.
“Om is Brahman. Know that the mantra of the one-syllabled Om is Pranava. …It is saguna [with qualities] and nirguna [beyond all qualities]. Though the Brahma Pranava is one only, It is the substratum of all, the support of the whole universe, of the form of all letters, time, Vedas, and Shiva. This Omkara that is mentioned in the Upanishads of the Vedas should be sought after. Know that this Omkara is the atma that is indestructible during the three periods of time–past, present, and future–able to confer liberation and eulogized by the Vedas. Having experienced this one Om as immortal and ageless, and having brought about the Brahma-nature in this body, become convinced that your atma, associated with the three bodies [physical, astral, and causal], is Parabrahman. …This alone is Brahman, the Brahma Pranava. This should be known. There is no other Turiya [transcendent consciousness]. To the aspirants after liberation, It is the support, like the sun, everywhere; It is the Atma Jyoti [Light of the Self]. As It alone is Brahman, this One-Lettered Brahman is shining always.” (Narada Parivrajaka Upanishad, Upadesha VIII)
Narasingha Tapini Upanishad
“The Pranava is the true form of the Savitri Gayatri which has the sun as its presiding deity. Once Prajapati [the Creator] spoke to the gods, saying: “The Pranava is both the atman and Brahman; they are united to each other. The Atman of the four states and the Pranava are one.” (Narasingha Tapini Upanishad)
Here, again, we see that those who invoke Om obtain the result of reciting the Savitri Gayatri for enlightenment.
When those greatly evolved beings we call “gods” sought for spiritual knowledge so they could evolve to even higher states, God Himself taught them about Om.
The “four states” are waking, dreaming, dreamless sleep, and pure consciousness (turiya).
“There is no time limit on the meditation and japa of the Pranava, but rather this should be continued until one casts off one’s body. …Should for some unforeseen reason or other the actual perception of the turiya-turiya be unattained in this life, such attainment is surely to be had at least in the next, next after, or another incarnation.” (Narasingha Tapini Upanishad)
Those who practice Om Yoga will attain total and perfect liberation in at least four lifetimes. So the upanishad assures us, and so we can prove for ourselves.
“So, in the culmination of the turiya-turiya Omkara, one actually perceives in one’s own atman and with one’s own self, the truth that the unsurpassed state of the transcendent Brahman is the atman alone.” (Narasingha Tapini Upanishad)
“The culmination of the turiya-turiya Omkara” is reached through the practice of meditation.
“That on which I have so long discoursed unto you, and which you have now realized in the two aspects of transcending the known, and transcending the unknown, and the unknowable, is verily ‘this Brahman’ which is non-dual and eternal. It is a peerless state of sentience and bliss. And that is the atman, and that is the monosyllable Om.” (Narasingha Tapini Upanishad)
God is often spoken of as Higher or Lower, With Form (Saguna) or Without Form (Nirguna), as Immanent or Transcendent, as Personal or Impersonal. But there is a state beyond these metaphysical dualities where “the question” of either/or simply cannot arise; where no appellations whatsoever can be used, or are even possible. This verse affirms that fact. Through Om that state which is really beyond all states can be attained.
“[When the gods asked what the ascent to Brahman was, he replied:] This ascent alone is the atman, as ascent is expressed by the japa of Om at the highest level of the turiya, which is identical with Brahman devoid of all attributes.” (Narasingha Tapini Upanishad)
This upanishad also contains two sections, virtually impossible to translate, which tells how Om unites the individual soul with the Universal Soul and the Absolute Brahman, making the three into one. In these sections there are references to Om as having four “horns,” to which the consciousness is to be bound, the “horns” representing the four states of consciousness, individual and cosmic. Narasingha Purva-Tapiniya Upanishad
“He Who is the exalted God Narasingha [Vishnu] is also Om; to Him be salutations.”
“At the center of the wheel of creation is the Deliverer, the Syllable Om, which single Syllable denotes Narasingha.”
Most of the material on Om in the Mandukya Upanishad is cited in this upanishad, but the likening of Om to the hub of a wheel is unique to it and presents two ideas: 1) Creation has emanated from Om as its center. 2) Om binds all creation into a unity. On the personal level this tells us that Om is the center, the seed-core of our very being, and that meditation on Om will bind our scattered forces back into their primal unity, thus making us one with ourselves as a prerequisite for becoming one with God. This upanishad also lists the various scriptures and their adjuncts at length with the concluding statement: “One who studies the Pranava thereby studies everything–yea, he thereby studies everything.” Narasingha Uttara-Tapiniya Upanishad
“Once the gods said to Prajapati [the Creator]: Proclaim to us Om which, being that atman, is minuter than the minute [subtler than the most subtle]. Let it be so, said he.
“Om! this Syllable is the whole world. Its explanation is as follows. The past, the present, and the future–all this is Om. And besides, what still lies beyond [these three modes of time], that also is Om. All this, verily, is Brahman, but Brahman is this atman.
“While one makes this atman one with Brahman by means of the word Om, and makes Brahman one with the atman by means of the word Om, one should experience that one, ageless, immortal, fearless [One] in the word Om, should merge in It this whole threefold world, for one should know that the world consists of It, and should compress it [the world] in the word: Om. Thereby one should combine the threefold atman and the threefold supreme Brahman into each other.
“One should make the atman one with the Unborn by means of Om.
“There is no difference between atman, Om, and the universe.
“Om is the atman himself. One who knows this has his jivatman merged in the Paramatman.
“On the great throne of one’s own heart one should install the atman by means of Om.
“With the Pranava consisting of bliss and immortality one should worship Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.
“This atman, the highest Brahman, the Om sound, Who shines as Turiya at the top of the Om sound, one should worship and encompass Him in the word Om and meditate upon Him.
“This atman, the highest Brahman, the Om sound, Who shines as Turiya at the top of the Om sound, one should meditate upon through the Pranava and make himself one with Brahman.
“Therefore, one who follows the way of life of the gods, he passes away in the Om sound, the highest Brahman. He sees in his self the Highest Self [Paramatman], the highest Brahman.
“Woven lengthwise and crosswise [in the fabric of the cosmos] is the Om. Om is indeed speech [Vak]; and speech is this whole world. Therefore both the atman and Om are one in the highest God.
“Though not seeing Him [Brahman], you should see Him through the word Om. This is the truth, is the atman, is Brahman, for Brahman is the atman. Indeed this is not to be doubted: Om is the Reality. That is what the wise see.”
Narayana Upanishad
“He [Narayana: Vishnu] merged into one with the inner bliss, Brahman, the Purusha, the holy Syllable consisting of a, u, and m; and It became the sound Om. The yogi who has seen [experienced] this is free from birth and samsara.
“‘So pious was Devaki’s son, so pious was Madhusudana,’ as it is said, [because he perceived] Him Who dwells in all beings, one, Narayana, the cause, the causeless, the highest Brahman in the Omkara.” (Narayana Upanishad 5)
Here again Vishnu (Narayana) is declared to be the mantric syllable Om. Furthermore, this verse indicates that Krishna (the son of Devaki, also called Madhusudana), Who is considered an incarnation of Narayana (Vishnu), meditated upon God by means of Om. Parabrahman Upanishad
“The Pranava is the atman. …To the ascetics seeking liberation, the basis of the sacred thread is Pranava alone. …The Pranava is the sacred thread.”
In Vedic religion, the sacred thread (yajnopavita) must be worn for the performance of the fire sacrifice (yajna). This verse thus means that Om both qualifies the yogi for the “sacrifice” of self-realization as well as being that sacrifice itself. That is, Om is both the means and the end. Moreover, the sacred thread is formed of three strands that represent the three letters of Om (a, u, and m). Paramahansa Parivrajaka Upanishad
The Paramahansa Parivrajaka Upanishad refers to Om as “the Brahma Pranava”–Pranava-that-is-God–and has a section in which, like the Tarasara Upanishad, it is stated that Om contains all the sixteen states of consciousness. Pashupatabrahman Upanishad
“Brahman, the Self-Existent, says: ‘Om is My very life.’” (Pashupatabrahman Upanishad 4)
“The Pranava is the Sacred Thread [Brahmasutra] and the Divine Sacrifice [Brahmayajna] as well.” (Pashupatabrahman Upanishad 17)
“The consciousness ‘I am He’ [Soham] is inherent in the Pranava. There is no difference between the [Mahavakya] ‘I am He’ and the Pranava.” (Pashupatabrahman Upanishad 19)
“Liberation is not within the reach of any but the person who has developed the faculty of meditating on the Pranava.” (Pashupatabrahman Upanishad 26)
“I am the Pranava, which is the Deliverer [Taraka], the radiance of ‘I am He.’” (Pashupatabrahman Upanishad 32)
“Brahman, indicated by Om, is Ishwara [God the Lord].” (Pashupatabrahman Upanishad Uttarakhanda 1)
Pranava Upanishad
“Brahman created Brahma in a lotus flower. The latter deliberated: ‘Which is the one Word by which all desires are obtained and all worlds, gods, Vedas, sacrifices, rewards of the sacrifices, everything movable and immovable is known?’ He practiced tapas [meditation]. After he had practiced the tapas, he saw that Syllable [Om] which is all-encompassing, all-ruling, ever new, the Brahman. Then he obtained all desires, all worlds, gods, Vedas, sacrifices, all the movable and the immovable. [There follows a long list of divine and created things which Brahma obtained by doing japa of Om.]”
All things can be obtained or known through the Pranava.
“This Pranava, the one Syllable [Om], originated before the tapas, is Brahman, the seed of the Veda; all mantras have sprung from this Pranava.”
It is stated that Om preceded the tapas of Brahma lest it be thought that Om is not eternal, but originated in response to the meditation of Brahma. Being Brahman Itself, Om has never come into existence, nor will It ever cease to be. Sri Ramakrishna said: “From the same Om have come Om Shiva, Om Kali and Om Krishna.” All mantras are but extensions or evolutes of Om. Thus by the invocation of Om Itself we can obtain or produce the results and effects of all mantras.
“The gods said ‘Om’ and defeated the asuras by the help of the Pranava. Therefore one says the word Om in all sacred activities, and one who does not know It is not capable of accomplishing such activity. But one who knows It has the Veda in his power. That is why when one utters It at the beginning of the Rig Veda, It is the Rig Veda; when one utters It at the beginning of the Yajur Veda, It is the Yajur Veda; when one utters It at the beginning of the Sama Veda, It is the Sama Veda. And in every work, because one utters Pranava at the beginning, That is its form–the form of it.”
Om should be orally or mentally intoned whenever spiritual work is to be done. Being Pranava–lifegiver–it suffuses us with the power to perform that work successfully and completely. In all spiritual actions we need the divine power of Om to empower us for their accomplishment.
The statement about how, when recited at their beginning, Om is the Veda that is going to be recited, means that the mantras (verses) of the Vedas are all extensions, variations, and permutations of Om. And the statement that the Pranava uttered at the beginning of a work becomes its form indicates that Om becomes the subtle thoughtform which is the matrix around which the projected action is formed and successfully accomplished.
“Like Brahman, Om encompasses everything. Om is particularly the glory of the Vedas. Everything, movable and immovable, has arisen from Om.
“One suffering from the ignorance of the atman is cured by the Pranava. And it is the fruit of the meditation of the Pranava that one becomes the pure atman. By meditating on the Pranava one should unite in the heart the jivatman and the Paramatman; then one leaves all scriptures and remains as consisting of the Paramatman. ‘I am Om!’–this is the state of samadhi; in this state one lets go of all duality and obtains nirvikalpa samadhi in which one remains without ‘I’ [the ego] and without ‘this’ [objective, separative consciousness] as the pure atman.”
Prashna Upanishad
“Then Satyakama, son of Shibi, asked him [the Rishi Pippalada]: ‘Venerable Sir, what world does he who meditates on Om until the end of his life, win by That?’ To him, he said: ‘That which is the sound Om, O Satyakama, is verily the higher and the lower Brahman. Therefore, with this support alone does the wise man reach the one or the other.’…If he meditates on the Supreme Being [Parampurusha] with the Syllable Om, he becomes one with the Light, the Sun. He is led to the world of Brahman. He sees the Person that dwells in the body, Who is higher than the highest life. …That the wise one attains, even by the mere sound Om as support, That Which is tranquil, unaging, immortal, fearless, and supreme.” (Prashna Upanishad 5:1,2,5,7)
All plant, animal, and human life on this planet depends upon the sun. It is the subtle powers of sunlight which stimulate growth and evolution. Sunlight particularly stimulates the activity of the higher centers in the brain, especially that of the pineal gland. Even in the depths of the earth a sensitive man can tell when the sun rises and sets above him. The sun truly awakens us in the deepest sense. As the germinating seed struggles upward toward the sun and out into its life-giving rays, so all higher forms of life reach out for the sun, which acts as a metaphysical magnet, drawing them upward and outward toward ever-expanding consciousness. Sunlight is the radiant form of Om. The sun initiates the entire solar system into Om. Human beings are solar creatures, therefore to intone Om is the most natural things they can do. Rama-Rahashya Upanishad
“As regards the japa of Om [Pranava] alone: whoever is qualified to do japa of the six-syllabled mantra of Rama is also eligible to do the japa of Om [Pranava japa], and I bring about their well-being.” (Rama-Rahashya Upanishad)
The Rama-Rahashya Upanishad in several places refers to Om as “The Tara”–the Deliverer, the Crosser-Over [Omkara Taraka], and so does the Rama Tapini Upanishad. The Rama-Rahashya Upanishad further describes Om as a characteristic mantra of Lord Rama. Here again we see that there is no need for specialized mantras to worship or invoke any particular aspect of God. Om is sufficient for all. Rama Tapini Upanishad
“Brahman of absolute radiance and infinitude is identified with [one with] Om. The turiya-turiya of Brahman pervades the entire Pranava. Salutations to that Om which is the true form of Rama, and is the foremost of the Vedas.” (Rama Tapini Upanishad)
The first sentence may be translated in two other ways: “Om unites with the Brahman of absolute radiance and infinitude,” or “Om unites to Brahman and Its infinite Radiance [Tejas]”–Tejas being a reference to the infinite Mahashakti or Mulaprakriti, which is also known as the Brahma Jyoti (Light of God; Light that is God). Om is the true form of God. Rama Uttara Tapiniya Upanishad
“The Syllable Om is to be worshipped as consisting of Brahman, Who is Satchidananda.” (Rama Uttara Tapiniya Upanishad)
“Because it delivers [saves], Om is called the Deliverer [Saving One: Taraka]. It should be known as the saving [delivering] Brahman which should be worshipped–mark this well. Because it saves from conception, birth, old age, death, samsara, and from the great fear, therefore It is called the Saving One. He who always remembers [through meditation and japa] this Saving One is saved by It from all sin, from all death, from samsara–from everything. He attains liberation, becomes great, and enters immortality.” (Rama Uttara Tapiniya Upanishad)
Being Brahman Itself, Om is the unfailing Savior of those who invoke It, saving them not only from the evils attendant on earthly life, but from taking future births as well. “Sprung from the a-sound, Lakshman is like the Wishwa; sprung from the u-sound, Shatrughna is the Tejasa. Sprung from the m-sound, Bharata is like the Prajna. To the Nada corresponds Rama, the embodiment of the bliss of Brahman. Nestling close against Rama, as the bestower of bliss on the world, creating, sustaining, dissolving all beings, one should know Her: that exalted Sita, She Who is called Mulaprakriti; because She is the Pranava, the knowers of Brahman call Her Prakriti.” (Rama Uttara Tapiniya Upanishad)
All the brothers of Lord Rama, and Sita His consort, are declared to be manifestations of Om. All five are considered divine incarnations–avatars. So when we invoke Om we invoke them–as well as all gods and avatars.
“Om! This Syllable is the whole world. Its explanation is as follows. The past, the present, and the future: all this is Om. And besides, what still lies beyond the three matras [or letters], that also is Om. All that, verily, is Brahman, and Brahman is the atman.” (Rama Uttara Tapiniya Upanishad)
“‘I’ denotes Om. …I am that which consists of Consciousness [Chit], I am Om. That is Ramabhadra, the supreme light. One should grasp the atman in the word ‘I’ [Om] and should unite him in spirit with Brahman.” (Rama Uttara Tapiniya Upanishad)
“The illustrious Rama, the exalted One, is Om: salutations to Him.” (Rama Uttara Tapiniya Upanishad)
Rudrahridaya Upanishad
“That, the Immortal, the Real, is the target of the seeker. The bow is Om [the Tara], the arrow is the atman, the center of the target is Brahman. The practitioner will become one with the target.” (Rudrahridaya Upanishad 37)
Sannyasa Upanishad
“[The aspirant] shall devote himself all the time to meditation on Brahman and the Pranava, and this way attain liberation, the state of a jivanmukta even while alive.” (Sannyasa Upanishad)
“[The aspirant] should take to the repetition of the Taraka-Nama, as it annihilates all sins. The Supreme Brahman shines in him who takes to this Taraka-Nama.” (Sannyasa Upanishad)
Satyayani Upanishad
“[The sage’s] inner possession is Om, the Pranava. Till his final breath is out, he shall not abandon it.” (Satyayani Upanishad)
He who possesses Om possesses everything. Saubhagyalakshmi Upanishad
“Pranayama is accomplished through concentrating the mind on Om.” (Saubhagyalakshmi Upanishad)
Prana not only means breath or the life force behind the breath, it also means life itself. Thus pranayama in the higher sense is control of life, mastery of birth, death, and all that lies in between the two. Japa and meditation of Om accomplishes all this, and are the truest forms of pranayama. Shandilya Upanishad
“The Pranava alone becomes the pranayama.” (Shandilya Upanishad 6:2)
“‘I am that Om alone, having been freed from every other thing.’ This [realization] results from meditation on Om, as well as the knowledge of the nature of Brahman.” (Shandilya Upanishad 6:32)
“Pranayama is accomplished through the right realization of the true nature of the sound which is at the extreme end of the pronunciation of the syllable Om, when sushupti [the dreamless sleep state] is rightly cognized [experienced] while conscious.” (Shandilya Upanishad)
Meditation is the true pranayama. Shaunaka Upanishad
“Indra said: ‘The Pranava will protect you. …Its greatness is superior to all and does not share in the greatness of others. The whole world rests on Its greatness.’” (Shaunaka Upanishad)
Indra is the king of the gods in Indian cosmology, but “Indra” is also a title of the Supreme Being. The import of this verse is that the Pranava imparts Its greatness to all, but there are none that can impart glory to It as It is the Self-existent All.
The entire cosmos rests upon the vibration of Om. And whenever Om is invoked, the vibrations that emanate strengthen and stabilize the creation itself. In this way the Om Yogi benefits not only himself but the entire universe and all within it.
“When one says ‘Om,’ all names and forms are contained in It; for the Pranava is everything and contains everything; therefore one calls It ‘the One Syllable [ekakshara].’…This sound grants victory and is constant and contains in it all beings; It is only a Syllable and yet infinite; being infinite It is one and contains all forms, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches. Therefore they call the Pranava Indra. Verily, all syllables and all beings are linked with this one Syllable, all the Vedas and all the sacrifices are under Its power. And just as everything is under Indra’s power, because he is the king above all, so everything is under the power of the Pranava; It is the king of all syllables.” (Shaunaka Upanishad)
Om is said to be constant because It is always efficacious to the same degree–never fluctuating in the level of Its power or effectiveness.
“The Pranava is uttered softly and lightly in the mornings; for when the demons were near, the gods uttered It softly; there the Pranava became light to them and said: ‘Lightly I shall crush your enemies.’…Then the Pranava said: ‘I am everything…I am all syllables.’” (Shaunaka Upanishad)
This verse is a reference to the spiritual practice known as the Sandhya which is done in the morning and evening for the aspirant to attune himself to the evolutionary solar energies and absorb them more readily. If this attunement is practiced daily until the end of life, the aspirant will be enabled to ascend through the sun to the higher worlds beyond rebirth.
All that is inimical to our perfect realization is easily defeated–“lightly crushed”–by the japa and meditation of Om.
“The Pranava pondered: ‘If I am as all syllables, then the gods will see all My forms, and that is not good.’ Then He withdrew all His forms within Himself and concealed Himself in the nada [the subtle sound]. …Therefore they [the gods] ran after Him, in order to search for Him. And they said: ‘The power, the seed, the light, the indestructible, the flawless–all that is the nada.’ Therefore one obtains the light, the indestructible, the flawless through the nada.” (Shaunaka Upanishad)
Meditation on the subtle sound of Om is the way.
“This Pranava is Indra, is everything that exists. …All is the Pranava. Indra is the movable and the immovable, so they say, but Indra is the Pranava. …Indra said: ‘What I am, the Pranava is; It is invoked as My form.’
[When the demons attacked the gods, Indra made Aditya (the Sun) the general of the gods and told him to invoke the Pranava.] “Pranava said: ‘The Udgitha is the manifestation of Aditya [the Sun], the manifestation of Brahman, and I am the manifestation of Brahman and not different from Him.’ And He walked with His full form, which He had previously concealed in the Nada [of Om], in front of Aditya, and Aditya made Him his weapon. Then He defeated the demons, and they were scattered as dust, so that they could not again come together. Thus the Pranava appeared in His full form and thereby earned great fame, for the Pranava is the pinnacle of greatness. All beings are contained in Him, and His abode is in the Nada, for in it He had concealed himself.
“Therefore, whatever one desires, one should request Him for it, and the worship one performs belongs to Him. For it is said: ‘The Pranava has four horns, three feet, two heads, seven hands; threefold is He. Bound, great, loudly roaring, shining brightly, having entered into all the living beings.’ His four horns are the three and one half matra [time measures and letters]; His three feet are a, u, and m; His two heads are o and m; his seven hands are the seven notes [of the scale, svara], because He is sung in all the seven. Threefold bound are Its three letters [a, u, m] with the three fires, the three worlds, and the three Vedas; like these He is also spoken of.
“The Pranava is Indra and therefore great. For it is said: ‘The lord over all gods, great is Indra, granting greatness, mitigating grief, full of light, helping all, ruler, mighty, granting strength, sustaining the universe, well-disposed to all.’ Because Indra supports Himself in this way, therefore it was said that the Pranava rings loudly; and it rings loudly because all who worship Him earn great fame. That He has entered into all living beings means that He dwells in all beings. Therefore one should worship Indra [God] by the Syllable Om.” (Shaunaka Upanishad)
Japa and meditation of Om is the highest possible worship of God. Shiva-Jnanamrita Upanishad
“Om, the Pranava, is the image of Brahman. It is the Word of Power. From Om this world is projected, in Om it exists, and in Om it is involved during the cosmic Pralaya. Om is the essence of the four Vedas.” (Shiva-Jnanamrita Upanishad 6)
Om is the very image-manifestation of God. God being all power, Om is the ultimate Word of Power. Om creates, maintains, and dissolves the cosmos, and is therefore omnipotent and the power of evolution. Om is the essence of the Vedas, for all the Vedic mantras are only variations on Om. The world being God, Om is the essence of the world itself, the most effective means of both its evolution and its transcendence.
“Pranava Sadhana consisting of the repetition of Om will remove all obstacles in the spiritual path.” (Shiva-Jnanamrita Upanishad 9)
“From the japa and meditation of Om result [come] the disappearance of obstacles and the turning inward of consciousness,” say the Yoga Sutras. There are no obstacles or problems that can arise as we tread the spiritual path that Om Yoga will not remove. This is a simple principle, but one that is easy to forget. When you run into snags in meditation, do not look for gimmicks or fixes–meditation itself will clear up the problems. You need nothing more. But what about other obstacles that are more external, especially difficulties in our outer life, including negative karmas of all sorts, and especially negative life situations, including negative people, especially those that actively combat our spiritual endeavors? Om Yoga will take care of that, too. Just keep on practicing; do not slack off or stop meditating in order to placate or alleviate any negative situation or person. If you do, they will overcome you, cause you to lose both momentum and confidence, and derail your spiritual life. I have seen this happen many times. Compromise never works. Keep on, and let the Pranava clear the way. Svetasvatara Upanishad
“Om is the Supreme Brahman, and in It are the Triad. It is the firm support, the imperishable. The knowers of Brahman by knowing what is therein [in the all-containing Om] become merged in Brahman, intent thereon [i.e., on Om] and freed from birth.” (Svetasvatara Upanishad 1:7)
Verse 9 explains that the Triad consists of the Unborn and the Born, Which is Itself twofold. And the Triad is within Om. That is, they are all encompassed by Om. “Triad” refers to several levels of meaning: 1) the physical, astral, and causal worlds, 2) the three components of experience–the knower, the knowing, and the known; 3) past, present, and future; and 4) the Trimurti–Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. All this is Om, which will free us from the bonds of birth and death.
“As the form of fire when latent in its source is not seen and yet its seed is not destroyed, but may be seized again and again in its source by means of the drill [a pointed stick whirled to produce fire for the Vedic sacrifices], so it is in both cases. The Self has to be seized in the body by means of the Syllable Om. By making one’s body the lower friction stick and the Syllable Om the upper friction stick, by practicing the friction of meditation one may see the hidden God, as it were.” (Svetasvatara Upanishad 1:13,14)
The inner consciousness of the yogi and the Pranava, when “rubbed together” by japa and meditation, produce the fire of divine knowledge which reduces ignorance to ashes. It is ignorance that produces all the wrong and foolish actions engaged in by human beings, and those actions produce all the sufferings of human beings. Ignorance, then, is the root of sin and suffering, and eradication of ignorance is the only way to be rid of sin and suffering. Japa and meditation of Om completely burn up our ignorance and reduce the seeds of our karma to ashes, ending ignorance and rebirth for us and enlightening and freeing us.
“The knower of the real nature of Brahman that is identical with the Pranava, after keeping his body erect, by holding the three parts [the chest, the neck, and the head] in an upright posture, placing all the organs of perception and action along with the mind in his heart, should cross all the formidable streams [of samsara] with the ferryboat of the Pranava.” (Svetasvatara Upanishad 2:8)
Meditation gathers up and unites all our inner faculties and the mind, centering them in our “heart”–the core of our being where we and God are one. The upanishad assures us that by doing so we will be able to overcome all the problems and tangles of this life. It is the withdrawal from these problems and tangles through meditation that enable us to then turn and face them and conquer them.
“God is the Syllable Om, out of Him proceeds the Supreme Knowledge.” (Svetasvatara Upanishad 4:17)
Om is the Supreme Teacher of the Supreme Knowledge. Taittiriya Upanishad
“Om is Brahman. Om is all this. He who utters Om with the intention ‘I shall attain Brahman’ does verily attain Brahman.” (Taittiriya Upanishad 1.8.1)
“Om is all this” because Om is the Absolute and Om is the Relative that is the manifestation of the Absolute. Tarasara Upanishad
“Om is a single syllable that is of the nature of the self [atma]. Through Om Brahma is produced.” (Tarasara Upanishad)
The idea of the second sentence is that Brahma is the creator both through his meditation on Om, by means of which he attained his spiritual status, and through his projection of Om as the basic power of the manifested cosmos.
“That which is Om is the indestructible, the supreme Brahman. That alone should be worshipped. …It is called Taraka because it enables one to cross this mundane existence [samsara]. Know that Taraka [Om] alone is Brahman and It alone should be worshipped. …He who knows this becomes immortal.”
Om is “worshipped” by Its japa and meditation.
“Om is the true form of the Self [atman]. The Syllable Om is Brahman. The Syllable Om encompasses and consists of all–whatever belongs to the past, the present and the future, and consists of all the eternal verities, all mantras, all sounds, all the letters of the alphabet, the three hundred thirty million gods beginning from Brahman, all the meters and hymns of the Vedas, and the sixteen divisions of manifestation [kalas]. This is the essence of the Veda.” (Tarasara Upanishad)
In Vedic cosmology it is considered that there are sixteen divisions (kalas) or stages of evolving consciousness, from a germ to that of an Avatara, a Son of God. Thus Om is the root of all possible states of consciousness and evolution, and the manifester of them as well. Tejobindu Upanishad
“The Indivisible One Essence is the Syllable Om. The Indivisible One Essence is the japa of Om. Om is pure consciousness.” (Tejobindu Upanishad 2:20; 6:42)
The very act of japa of Om is said to be Brahman (the Indivisible One Essence) Itself because it is impossible without the will of God coming into play within the individual’s consciousness for him to invoke Om. God is Himself calling on Himself through our japa of Om. And whatever God does is, truly, an extension of His being. Godly action is God. And nothing can be more godly than the invocation of Om. Turiyatita Avadhuta Upanishad
“[The sage] has for his support the supportless Brahman alone, and this sage in the turiyatita state finally remains completely absorbed in the non-dual atman alone…when he gives up his body with the sounding of the Pranava Mantra, Om.” (Turiyatita Avadhuta Upanishad)
Varaha Upanishad
“Like the unbroken stream of oil and the long resounding tolling of a bell, the topmost note of the Pranava cannot be uttered [aloud]. He who knows that [topmost note of the Pranava] is the knower of the Veda.
“The Pranava [Om] burns away sins; the Pranava bestows liberation; the Pranava bestows abundance. By Pranava japa the yogi attains the fruits just mentioned. The Pranava is uttered like the unbroken stream of oil and the long resounding tolling of a bell. He who knows that [Pranava] is the knower of the Veda. Know that the mantra [Om] bestows grace that it might prove fruitful. Hence the Pranava removes all obstacles and destroys all defects.” (Varaha Upanishad 5:68-71)
The “topmost note of the Pranava” is the subtle sound of Om that is experienced in meditation, that cannot be “uttered” in the way of ordinary speech. Vedantasara Upanishad
“Directly realize the self by meditating on Om.” (Vedantasara Upanishad 1)
It is an important principle of all life–including spiritual life–that if you do not start out with what you want you will not end up with it, either. If you do not begin with gold you will not end up with a gold ornament. If you do not begin with marble you will not end up with a marble sculpture. There is no “path” or “thing” that leads to God. You must begin with God to end up with God. God alone is the way to Himself, He alone is the truth regarding Himself, and He alone is the life in Himself. Om, then, being the purest form of Divine Consciousness, is the Way to God. Japa and meditation of Om are the means to “directly realize the self” that is one with God. For Om is not only the true Name of God, Om is the true name of our own atma-spirit. Yajnavalkya Upanishad
“Om is the mantra of liberation and the essence of the Vedas. Brahman is indicated by Om alone.” (Yajnavalkya Upanishad)
The second sentence being so, we can say with assurance that Om is the actual True Name of God, all other “names” being but descriptive titles, however venerable or sacred. Yoga Tattva Upanishad (A)
“He should utter as japa the Pranava [Om], for the purpose of destroying sins accumulated previously. The Pranava mantra removes all obstacles and destroys all defects.” (Yoga Tattva Upanishad 63, 64)
“By the practice at all times of the atma-mantra, Om, the highest Reality, the Transcendent Brahman, Sat-Chit-Ananda, the Immeasurable, the Non-demonstrable Which transcends the range of speech and thought, the Pure, the Subtle, the Aspectless, the Changeless, the Detached, the Endless, the Non-divisible, the peerless and imperishable Brahman manifests Itself.” (Yoga Tattva Upanishad 1:69, 70; 2:5-14, 18,19)
We have already seen in the quotations from the Rama Uttara Tapiniya, Nadabindu, Sannyasa, and Varaha Upanishads that Om purifies us from all sins. But just what is “sin”? In Sanskrit the word is papa–darkness or impurity in the sense of a blot that obscures or mars our consciousness. Think of a glass through which light is shining. “Sin” is anything like dirt, dust, or smudges that hinder the light from shining through. Sin is not the transgression of some arbitrary divine law, but the transgression-obscuration of our own nature. It is in truth an “offense again God” but not in the usual, misunderstood sense. Rather, sin is an offense against our own divinity. Consequently, sin is not removed by tears or prayers to God, but by our own self-cleansing. It is up to us, and none other. And the way we purify ourselves is by the japa and meditation of Om. Yoga Tattva Upanishad (B)
“There are three worlds, three Vedas, three times of day [for worship, the Sandhyas], three gods [Brahman, Vishnu, and Shiva], three sacrificial fires [fire rites], and three Gunas [qualities or modes of Prakriti, the creative energy]. The three-lettered Om comprehends all these in Itself. The lotus flower that occupies the space in the heart is the seat of the mind. With the sound of Om it becomes luminous, opens out, resounds, and is silent. And just as in a crystal the light of the sun is reflected, so Om shines in the soul, inspiring it, the highest Spirit by means of Yoga.” (Yoga Tattva Upanishad 6-11)
Through sound we reach the Silence.
“By fixing the mind well and constantly on the Pranava, peace and tranquillity are attained.” (Yoga Tattwa Upanishad)
Pranava is the surest way to peace.
“Whoever at the end of the three-lettered Om meditates on the half-syllable [the Nada of meditation] also, he pervades through all this and finally goes to the highest place. [Through Om he pervades all things] as fragrance is in a flower, as butter is in milk, as oil is in the sesame, as gold is in the ore.” (Yoga Tattva Upanishad)
Yogachudamanya Upanishad
“One should recite the imperishable Omkara as japa.” (Yogachudamanya Upanishad 71)
“Om is the eternal, the pure, the awakened, the indeterminate, the flawless, the indescribable, That Which has neither origin nor dissolution, the One, the Turiya, That Which ever remains one through the revolutions of the past, the present, and the future, the always indivisible, the transcendent Brahman Itself. All this is the Pranava. …The Pranava is the All-witness in all kinds of jivas, always in their interior, untouched by their actions.” (Yogachudamanya Upanishad 72,73)
“From the Pranava is generated Brahma; from the Pranava is generated Hari, from the Pranava is generated Rudra; the Pranava verily becomes the Transcendent [Para, or Highest]; the Pranava alone is manifest.” (Yogachudamanya Upanishad 77,78)
“The Pranava will tend upwards in the case of the enlightened. Thus will the Pranava stand. He who knows that is the knower of the Veda.” (Yogachudamanya Upanishad 79)
“Like an unbroken stream of oil and the long chiming of a bell is the resonance of the Pranava. That the high-souled ones saw of yore. He who knows that [Pranava] is the knower of the Veda.” (Yogachudamanya Upanishad 80,81)
“Om is the transcendent radiance wherein desire, action, and so also knowledge, inhere in a threefold manner as Brahma, Rudra, and Vishnu. One should utter that by mouth, practice that with his body, and should utter that mentally, every day. Whether in a pure or impure state, he who utters the Pranava always is not smeared with sin, as the lotus leaf is not [wetted] with water.” (Yogachudamanya Upanishad 86-88)
Yogashikha Upanishad
“Now I shall describe the Yogashikha which is by far superior to all forms of jnana [knowledge]. Assuming any posture deemed suitable by the practitioner, and withdrawing the mind from everywhere, one should contemplate upon Om instead. (Yogashikha Upanishad 1:69, 70)
“That mantra, made up of Shiva and Shakti [Divine Consciousness and Divine Power], is the Pranava. He who, having understood its real nature, is capable of expounding or hearing that mantra is rare indeed. This mantra is said to be the seat of divine consciousness, the sound form of Shiva that embodies His qualities. By the mere knowledge of it, a person will become a jivanmukta. It enables one to meditate upon Brahman, increases the prana, and awakens the mind–for it arises from Shiva. Being the root of all mantras, and being the form of the Primal Being, it is known as the mula [root] mantra. Because of its subtle and causal nature, and on account of its state of repose and mobility and its being indicative of the transcendent Ishwara, it is known as the Linga (symbol). On account of its presence in all beings, at all times, and its indicating the form of Brahman, it is called the Thread [sutra].” (Yogashikha Upanishad 2:5-11)
Om, the embodiment of all divine qualities (being divine Itself), has the power to impart those qualities to us who invoke It. Here, too, we see that the effect of Om is not abstract or confined only to the highest levels, but It benefits–through evolution–all the aspects of our being. According to the upanishad Om increases the life force and expands the mind.
In this and all passages regarding the nature of Om the word translated “symbol” does not mean a mere sign or symbol in the usual English sense–the way the word “water” is not water but only a verbal representation for water. Rather it means indicator in the sense that Om is a form of Brahman that actually puts us in direct touch with Brahman. That is, as indicator It not only points out Brahman but attunes and joins us to Brahman, being Itself Brahman.
As the gems of a necklace are held together by the string that passes through their midst, so Om is the “thread” of all existence.
“Pranava is of the nature of Prakriti [all creation], as is borne out by the scriptural statement, ‘knowers of Brahman say that the Pranava arises out of the Supreme Being as Prakriti.’ The Pranava is that by means of which the universe is sustained. By the repetition of the Pranava the Turiya-Turiya Brahman flashes forth in the form of the non-relative atman.” (Yogashikha Upanishad 2:13,14)
“That transcendent radiance is Om in Which there stand all the worlds and Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, all the worlds, all speech, and the Vedas.” (Yogashikha Upanishad 6:56,57)
A Yoga Upanishad
“The Turiya-Turiya, the Brahma Pranava [Om], establishes Itself as the imperishable. In this substratum of the transcendent Brahman, knowers of the Vedas, intent on attaining their beatitude, seek final repose by becoming one with It.” (This is from one of the Yoga Upanishads, but I failed to get the reference.)
Turiya-Turiya means “the consciousness of consciousness,” the absolute substratum of reality: the Absolute. Sri Upanishadbrahmayogin comments that Pranava “establishes Itself as the imperishable” by “causing the dissolution of all perceptions apart from Itself which are perishable and which, though originally considered as the support of all things apart from Itself, proves, on closer scrutiny, to be itself the Unsupported [Brahman].” The Puranas Agni Purana
“That man is no other than the god Hari incarnate on earth, who fully understands the mystery of the mantra Om. Therefore it is incumbent on a man to constantly recite the mantra Om which heads the list of all its compeers in respect of merit and sanctity.” (Agni Purana)
As already pointed out, according to the scriptural principles those who invoke Om do supreme benefit to the entire creation through strengthening, correcting, and evolving it. In this way the Om Yogi is as the Lord Himself in His form as Vishnu (Hari) the Preserver and Savior.
“The man who, having subjugated his senses, repeats every day the Pranava Mantra, shakes off his mortal coil and is converted into the universal expanse of ether [akasha] which is but another manifestation of Parabrahman. [For] the Single-Syllable [Ekakshara; Om] is the Parabrahman [Supreme God] Himself.” (Agni Purana)
“The Vedas are founded upon the Pranava. They begin with It, which should be regarded as the summum bonum of speech. Therefore, you should all repeat that sacred Syllable Om.” (Agni Purana)
“The Pranava is like a bow furnished with an arrow, and the Supreme Brahman is the target to aim at. A man with all assiduity and calmness should shoot the arrow of his mind at this target of Brahman, so that like a shaft it might be driven into and kept fast and invisible in the latter.” (Agni Purana)
“Brahman is the only knowledge, and this mystic Syllable is His only exponent. The man who has fully understood the import of this monosyllable, has attained everything worth obtaining.” (Agni Purana)
Everything but Brahman is ignorance and illusion; therefore the revelation of God in His true nature through the japa and meditation of Om is the only knowledge. Here, too, it is being understood that Om is the Name of God and that which can reveal God to the questing soul.
“The mantra [Om] should be made use of for the attainment of both earthly prosperity and final liberation of the soul. (Agni Purana 215)
“I am the Self, identical with the mystic Om.” (Agni Purana 358)
Linga Purana
“Swadhyaya [self-study] is the repetition of the Om mantra.” (Linga Purana 8:39)
Since one attains self-knowledge by japa and meditation of Om, that is the highest form of self-study, and is the true atma vichara–self-inquiry.
“Rudra [Shiva] is expressible through the single Syllable, Om, which is the divine order, the supreme cause, truth, bliss, amrita, the supreme Brahman, greater than the greatest.” (Linga Purana 17:63)
Om is the causal pattern of the universe as well as the power which objectifies it. Through merging our consciousness with Om we come into harmony with Its aspect of divine order, and that order then manifests in our consciousness and life.
Om is amrita–that which bestows immortality.
“The wise exponents of Yajus say that Om is Brahman. The Rik and Saman srutis, too, have declared similarly.” (Linga Purana 17:70)
That is, the Yajur, Rig, and Sama Vedas all declare: “Om is Brahman.”
“Om is the single-syllabled mantra. The all-pervading Shiva is stationed in it.” (Linga Purana 85:33)
This has two meanings. One is that the aspect of Divine Consciousness known as Shiva, the Auspicious One, is rooted in Om, so that those who invoke It will experience and embody that Shiva aspect of God.
“The Pranava is the unchanging atman that is all-pervasive.” (Linga Purana 85:43)
“The yogi who identifies himself with Omkara shall merge himself in imperishable Being. He shall thus himself become imperishable.” (Linga Purana 91:45)
“The yogi that becomes identical with Om becomes identical with the imperishable Being. Pranava is the bow, the atman is the arrow, and Brahman is the target. It [Brahman] should be pierced [entered into] by one who does not err. He shall be concentrated therein as in regard to the arrow. The single-syllabled word, Om, is hidden in the cave.” (Linga Purana 91:49a)
Like the arrow in the target, through Om the yogi becomes centered and absorbed in Brahman. The cave is “the cave of the heart,” the center of our being. There Om is concealed as the inmost core of our consciousness. If through meditation we “hide” Om in our inner consciousness…we will find It already there!
“The Omkara is identical with the three worlds, the three Vedas, the three sacrificial fires, the three steps of Vishnu, the three scriptures–the Rig, Saman, and Yajur Vedas. It should be known that they are really the Pranava. The yogi who utters it attains identity with the deity.” (Linga Purana 91:49b)
It is said that Vishnu measured the three worlds in three divine “steps” or emanations. Om is both the spreading out of the three worlds and the three worlds themselves. As they were spread out by Om, so we can expand our consciousness and life sphere through Its invocation.
To really know the Vedas–the divine knowledge contained in them rather than the mere letter–we must perfect ourselves in the practice of Om Yoga.
“Om represents the three worlds. Its head is heaven; all the worlds constitute Its limbs; and Its feet are Brahmaloka [the world of the Creator, Brahma].” (Linga Purana 91:55)
“The yogi shall worship Maheshwara [“The Great Ishwara,” a title of Shiva], repeating the Pranava.” (Linga Purana 91:71)
Markandeya Purana
“Thou art the embodiment of pure Sound. Thou art the eternal Essence of all letters and the embodiment of the three vowels [a, u, and m]. Thou art the half-vowel [bindu] beyond and its special mode of pronunciation.” (Sri Devi Mahatmyam, verses 72-74)
The Bindu of Omkara is the embodiment of the Divine Creative Power that is the Mother aspect of God. Shiva Purana
“[Shiva said:] Recite the mantra Om to acquire knowledge of Me. I have taught this great auspicious mantra. Omkara came out of My mouth. Originally it indicated Me. It is the indicator and I am the indicated. This mantra is identical with Me. The repetition of this mantra is verily My repeated remembrance.” (Shiva Purana, Vidyeshwara Samhita 10:15-17)
“The two sets of created beings–nama [name] and rupa [form]–are pervaded by this mantra. It indicates Shiva and Shakti. The entire set of Vedas and crores [tens of millions] of mantras were formed of that. Different things are achieved through different mantras, but everything is achieved through Omkara alone. By this root-mantra [mulamantra] enjoyment as well as salvation is achieved.” (Shiva Purana, Vidyeshwara Samhita 10:20, 23, 24)
Om is both the Creator and the Created, both Consciousness and Object, both spirit and creative energy–Shiva and Shakti. Material and spiritual attainment and perfection are both gained through the invocation of Om.
The science of mantra was perfected long ago in India. It is a truly astonishing body of knowledge. The wise, then, heed the scriptures and apply themselves to the perfect practice and knowledge of Om through Om Yoga and thereby attain the benefits of all mantras.
“Ishwara [the Lord] said: O dear sons, recite this Om mantra which is identical with Me. Your knowledge shall be stabilized.” (Shiva Purana, Vidyeshwara Samhita 10:32, 33)
How often do people gain some insight or understanding and then lose it after a while or else find themselves unable to manifest (establish) it in their practical life and make it “theirs.” But through the japa and meditation of Om their knowledge will be stabilized and made manifest.
“[To attain the realm (state) of Shiva], the devotee should repeat the Pranava mantra every day.” (Shiva Purana, Vidyeshwara Samhita 11:36)
The world of Shiva is Shiva–the state of consciousness symbolically called by the name Shiva. We gain that realm of consciousness through meditation on Om.
“[The yogi] shall not omit the practice of the Pranava mantra. While practising the Pranava he shall realize fully the identity of the jiva [individual spirit] with the supreme Brahman.” (Shiva Purana, Vidyeshwara Samhita 13:34,35)
“To understand the meaning of the Pranava is to understand Me [says Shiva]. The Pranava is the seed of all the lores. It shall be understood as very subtle but possessed of great meaning even as the seed of the banyan tree though very small contains a huge tree. It is the initial mantra and the essence of the Vedas. Particularly it has Me [Shiva] for its form. I am Shiva pervading all but stationed in the single-syllabled mantra Om. Whatever object there is, whether synthesized into one or analyzed in parts, is the meaning of the Pranava. It is the imperishable Brahman, the means of attaining all objects. Shiva creates the universe at the outset, saying ‘Om.’ Shiva is the Pranava and the Pranava is Shiva. The brahmin sages, the wise who realize the identity between the word and what it indicates know me as the single-syllabled Om. Hence he who aspires for salvation and is free from aberration shall understand the Pranava as the cause of all, and Me as the Nirguna Parameshwara. I give this crest-jewel of mantras at Kashi for the liberation of all individual souls.” (Shiva Purana, Kailashasamhita 3:2-10)
Although God is everywhere, pervading all things, He is “stationed”–centered–in Om, which is His prime abode.
It is not enough to want something; we have to go after it and get it. Consequently we are being told that “he who aspires for salvation [liberation]” needs something more than mere aspiration. He must also be “free from aberration” to attain success of Om Yoga. The yogi cannot afford to let his mind and senses run amok in an irresponsible manner if he really wants to attain self-realization. Mighty as the Pranava is, the aspirant should observe the disciplines of yama-niyama as set forth in the Yoga Sutras to ensure his success in Om Yoga. Yama and Niyama are often called “the Ten Commandments of Yoga.” Each one of these Five Don’ts (Yama) and Five Do’s (Niyama) is a supporting, liberating Pillar of Yoga. The complete list is given in Yoga Sutras 2:30,32: 1) Ahimsa: non-violence, non-injury, harmlessness, 2) Satya: truthfulness, honesty, 3) Asteya: non-stealing, honesty, non-misappropriativeness, 4) Brahmacharya: continence, 5) Aparigraha: non-possessiveness, non-greed, non-selfishness, non-acquisitiveness, 6) Shaucha: purity, cleanliness, 7) Santosha: contentment, peacefulness, 8) Tapas: austerity, practical (i.e., result-producing) spiritual discipline, 9) Swadhyaya: introspective self-study, spiritual study, 10) Ishwarapranidhana: offering of one’s life to God. All of these deal with the innate powers of the human being–or rather with the abstinence and observance that will develop and release those powers to be used toward our spiritual perfection, to our self-realization and liberation. For they are not a list of the likes and dislikes of a whimsical or dictatorial deity, but are eminently practical and pragmatic. (See “The Foundations of Yoga” chapter in Om Yoga for an exposition of yama-niyama and the yogic attainments made possible by their observance.) It should also be mentioned here that the ingestion of meat (including fish and eggs), alcohol, nicotine, and mind-altering substances–legal or not–to any degree greatly reduces the effectiveness of yoga practice. This does not mean that those who use any of these things should not or cannot practice yoga. They certainly should and can. But they should be aware that such use will hinder their progress and make their practice more difficult than if they were free of them.
It is believed that those who die in Kashi (Benares/Varanasi) attain liberation, and that they do so by being initiated by Shiva into a mantra. Usually it is thought that the mantra given by Shiva is “Rama,” but here we see that it is actually “Om.”
“The Pranava is the vital breath of all living beings from Brahma [the Creator] to the immobile beings [such as plants and minerals]. Being the Prana thus, It is called Pranava. That is Om. …Bindu and Nada cannot be described directly, but are known only by the wise. …I am the source of the Vedas. Pranava expresses Me. Since It expresses Me the Pranava, too, is known as the source of the Vedas. …‘Om is everything, everything is Brahman.’ This Vedic text establishes the link between the Word and Its meaning. …The link of the jiva and the atman with Me and the Pranava is as between the word and its sense.” (Shiva Purana, Kailashasamhita 3:14,15,18,20,33,37,)
Om is the life force within all things, and thus is Life Itself. Om Yogis live to the maximum degree.
“Perfect knowledge consists of the meaning of the Pranava.” (Shiva Purana, Kailashasamhita 14:9)
It should be understood that “the meaning of the Pranava” is far more than intellectual conceptions, however metaphysical or abstract. The “meaning” of the Pranava is the full realization of the nature of Om. That realization is accomplished through Om Yoga.
“The initial mantra of the Vedas is Om, the Pranava that expresses Shiva.” (Shiva Purana, Kailashasamhita 14:14, 15)
“Om is the expresser of the Paramatman [the Supreme Self]. It shall be known as the great mantra [mahamantra] by the expert sages. This great mantra is subtle.” (Shiva Purana, Kailashasamhita 16:38, 39)
This final point is very important, for the true form and nature of Om is that subtle Pranava which is only experienced through the meditation of Om. Its effect is also subtle.
“The devotee should worship with the Syllable Om.” (Shiva Purana, Vidyeshwarasamhita 16:110)
Om is the essence of worship. Being infinite, when we offer It to God we offer Him everything–including His own Self. All other offerings seem worthless and inappropriate in comparison–unless accompanied by the invocation of Om. If we always remember Om our entire life will be an act of worship.
“The Pranava means an excellent boat to cross the ocean of worldly existence [samsara]. Or Pranava may mean ‘There is no world for you,’ or it may mean ‘That which leads to salvation.’ Or it may mean ‘That which leads to new knowledge.’ After annihilating all actions [karmas] it gives the persons who repeat the mantra a fresh knowledge of the pure soul.” (Shiva Purana, Vidyeshwarasamhita 17:4-8)
“Om is for the liberated living soul [jivanmukta]. When the body is destroyed he completely merges in Shiva undoubtedly. The repeater of the mantra [Om] certainly attains yogic communion with Shiva. A person who repeats the mantra [Om] certainly attains yogic communion.” (Shiva Purana, Vidyeshwarasamhita 17:10-12)
“The Pranava shall be recited and repeated by those who desire all their sins annihilated.” (Shiva Purana, Vidyeshwarasamhita 17:15)
“If the devotee repeats the Pranava he becomes pure.” (Shiva Purana, Vidyeshwarasamhita 17:18)
“By repeating the Pranava daily the devotee becomes perpetually pure. Thereafter the repetition of the mantra is conducive to the achievement of desires.
A devotee who [through the] repetitions of the Pranava is thus fully enlightened shall master Shuddha Yoga. A person who has thus mastered Shuddha Yoga becomes certainly a liberated living soul [jivanmukta]. A mahayogi who performs japa and bhavanam perpetually of Shiva in the form of the Pranava, certainly becomes Shiva Himself. The devotee who practises the japa of Pranava becomes a sage.” (Shiva Purana, Vidyeshwarasamhita 17:22-26)
Om Yoga is here referred to as Shuddha (Pure) Yoga–the Yoga of Purification–because it purifies the yogi from the impurities of ignorance and karmic bonds, setting him free into the real of Pure Spirit–Shuddha Atma.
“[In the beginning] there manifested the singly-syllabled Brahman as the word Om. It expressed Brahman.” (Shiva Purana. Vayaviyasamhita 35:1)
“The unmanifest Pranava was transmuted into the Veda.” (Shiva Purana. Vayaviyasamhita 35:6)
“Whatever object there is, whether compounded or separated, is indicated by the Pranava. Therefore, this single-syllabled Brahman is the expression of all meanings. Therefore at the outset Shiva creates the universe, saying ‘Om.’ Shiva is the Pranava and the Pranava is Shiva. That is because there is no difference between that which is named and the name [the designated and the designator]. Rudra is that which is expressed by the single-syllabled Om. …Thus they call Me Om.” (Shiva Purana. Vayaviyasamhita 35:42-46,53)
“Repetition of Om is known as rising to Shiva’s world [loka]. Japa of Om purifies the mind. At the time of meditation the japa of Om should be mental. Repeating it in a low voice can be practiced at all times.”
The tangled mind is the foremost problem for the aspirant. Japa and meditation of Om untangle the mind and make it clear (purified). The Purana also makes it clear that japa and meditation are done in silence, mentally. Srimad Bhagavatam Mahapurana
“The Holy Lord said: Seated on a seat of moderate height with his body erect in a comfortable posture, placing both his hands on his lap and steadying his gaze on the tip of his nose, and having fully controlled his senses, he should manifest in his mind the sound of the Pranava–continuous as the ringing of a bell–as extending uninterruptedly, fine as a fiber of a lotus stalk.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.14.32-34)
The idea is that the meditator should intone Om over and over like the toling of a bell, relaxing his awareness into the inner sound that should become increasingly subtle, “fine as a fiber of a lotus stalk.”
“I am the Pranava.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.16.11)
“In the beginning [in the Satya Yuga] the Pranava alone formed the Veda.” (Srimad Bhagavatam)
In Indian reckoning a Yuga is an Age–one of the divisions of evolutionary time. There are four Yugas, known as Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dwapara Yuga and Kali Yuga. Satya Yuga is four times as long as the Kali Yuga; Treta Yuga is three times as long; and Dwapara Yuga is twice as long. In the Satya Yuga the majority of humans use the total potential–four-fourths–of their minds; in the Treta Yuga, three-fourths; in the Dwapara Yuga, one half; and in the Kali Yuga, one fourth. (In each Yuga there are those who are using either more or less of their minds than the general populace.)
According to this and other scriptures, the Vedas were not utilized in the Satya–the highest age or Yuga–but were only given to the world in the Treta Yuga. So Vedic Dharma is not really based on the Vedas but on Om–of Which they are considered to be a later evolute. The Vedas were the earliest formal scriptures, that is true, but according to this passage from the Srimad Bhagavatam they were revealed to the Rishis only many thousands of years after the appearance of the first human beings. Vayu Purana
“The yogi who is filled with Omkara becomes imperishable in the Imperishable Being. The Omkara is the bow. The atman is the arrow. Brahman is its target. It should be hit unerringly. Like the arrow, the atman shall be wholly absorbed in Brahman. The single-syllabled Om is Brahman hidden in the cavity of the heart. This Om is the set of the three Vedas, three worlds, three fires, three steps of Vishnu and the Rik, Saman, and Yajur mantras. …The Omkara is a set of three worlds. Its head is the heaven. It is the entire universe. It is the region of Brahma.
“The intelligent yogi who engages in meditation attains the knowledge of the Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and the Upanishadic lore through his yogic knowledge. Thus with all his elements dissolved, he becomes elementless. He then transmigrates to the eternal region whence there is no return. …The Brahmanas who know the Omkara are never born again. He who understands properly and again meditates upon the imperishable supreme Brahman called Omkara leaves off the cycle of worldly existence. He becomes liberated from all ties and bondages. Undoubtedly he attains the auspicious eternal region devoid of attributes.
“Omkara is the holiest of holy things. …it is holy and full of sanctifying things. One shall worship Omkara devoid of sound, touch, color, taste and smell [through meditation].
“The Lord created everything at the opportune time with Omkara all round..
“These are the secrets of the ascetics in due order. He who understands meditation attains the highest region.” (Vayu Purana I.20.4-6, 10, 24, 25, 27-30, 33, 35)
Other Scriptures
Aitareya Brahmana
“That which glows [i.e., the sun] is Om.” (Aitareya-Brahmana 5.32)
The life-producing energies of the sun are the energies of Om. Om is the sun of body, mind, and spirit. It is the Life-Giver of all. Bhagavad Gita
“I am the Pranava” (Bhagavad Gita 7:8).
“Having confined the mind in the heart and…engaged in the practice of concentration, uttering the one-syllabled Om–the Brahman–and remembering Me, he who departs, leaving the body, attains to the Supreme Goal. I am easily attainable by that ever-steadfast yogi who constantly and daily remembers Me not thinking of anything else.” (Bhagavad Gita 8:12-14)
“I am Omkara” (9:17).
“Among words I am the Ekakshara [Om]; among sacrifices I am the sacrifice of japa” (10:25).
The word yajna, usually translated “sacrifice,” has more the idea of offering. Japa of Om is certainly the highest offering possible, for it is God Who is being offered. The Mahabharata
The Bhagavad Gita is part of the Mahabharata, so the verses cited in that section may be considered as from the Mahabharata as well. The following comes from a section of the Mahabharata known as the Anugita.
“The gods, rishis, and the nagas, and the asuras, approaching Prajapati [the Creator], said to Him: ‘Tell us the highest good.’ To them who were inquiring about the highest good, the Venerable One said, ‘Om, which is Brahman in a single Syllable.’” (Anugita XI)
Mantra Yoga Samhita
The Mantra-Yoga-Samhita, verse 71, calls Om “the best of all mantras,” adding that all other mantras receive their power from It. And later:
When people hear the Pranava they hear the Absolute itself.
When they utter the Pranava they go to the abode of the Absolute.
He who perceives the Pranava sees the state of the Absolute.
He who always has the Pranava in his mind has the form of the Absolute.
(Mantra Yoga Samhita 73)
Manu Smriti
“The threefold Knowledge is based on the Omkara. It [Om] is another Triple Veda; he who knows that Om is truly learned in the Veda.” (Manu Smriti 11:266)
The threefold knowledge may be interpreted as being knowledge of body, mind, and spirit, knowledge of the physical, astral, and causal worlds, knowledge of the threefold Vedas, or knowledge of the Three Eternals: God, Creation, and Souls. Whichever it might be, it is certain that Manu is saying that Om is the basis of such knowledge. In other places we have already seen that to know Om is to know the Veda.
“The monosyllable Om is the highest Brahman. …Undoubtedly a Brahmin reaches the highest goal by japa of Om alone, whether he performs other rites or neglects them.” (Manu Smriti 2:83,87)
Omkara Pranam Mantra
“The Yogis always meditate upon Omkara which has an anusvara (bindu) on it [and is therefore pronounced Om]. This Omkara is the bestower of all desires and salvation. We bow down to the Supreme Omkara.”
Omkara Smarana Stotra
1) The Supreme Brahman is attained by the devoted contemplation, hearing, japa, and sankirtan of Om at all times.
2) By the mere thought [smaran, remembrance] of Om one attains the highest Brahma Jnana [Knowledge of God], the state of final Liberation and Immortality.
3) He who meditates on the Pranava in a continuous stream of thought like that of oil poured from one vessel to another or the continuous sound [resonance] of a bell, such a man should be considered as the knower of the Vedas.
4) By the long repetition of Om the knower of the Supreme Reality, whose refuge is solitude, overcomes the wandering of the mind due to the taint in the intellect.
(In the third and fourth verses meditation is specifically spoken of, not just a continuous repetition of the Pranava. Rather, it is indicating a continuous stream of sound or resonation–“unstruck Word” in the parlance of Guru Nanak–that moves steadily inward to increasingly subtle levels of perception. This is the “long repetition of Om.”)
5) Concentrating on the tip of the nose with hands and feet controlled, the mind withdrawn from all activities, one should meditate on Omkara, the Pranava.
6) By the meditation on the monosyllable Om, Vishnu attains the status of Vishnu; Brahma attains Brahmanhood and Shiva becomes Shiva.
(Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva are not three gods, but aspects (rays or principles) of the one God. Being made in the image of God, these Three are also in us in a microcosmic manner. And we manifest or attain those states by japa and meditation of Om. Some interpret this to mean that there are great cosmic beings of incomprehensible levels of evolution that became what they are through meditation on Om. Whichever it is, the message is the same: meditation on Om is the way to divinity.) The Ribhu Gita
“The syllable ‘Om’ is the self.” (Ribhu Gita 10:22)
“Brahman is all as Omkara. Brahman Itself is of the nature of Omkara.” (Ribhu Gita 17:40)
“Brahman is just one syllable: OM. The Imperishable is just one syllable: OM.” (Ribhu Gita 24:21)
“The bhavana [meditation] of Omkara is the japa that gives happiness.” (Ribhu Gita 34:8)
The Shiva Samhita
“Let the practitioner [sadhaka], sitting in a retired place and restraining his senses, utter by inaudible repetition the Pranava [Om] in order to destroy all obstacles [to self-realization].” (Shiva Samhita 3:48)
“Let the yogi destroy the multitude of karmas by the Pranava [Om].”
Vishnu Smriti
“Let him repeat the sacred syllable Om.” (Vishnu Smriti 30:33)
“The monosyllable Om is the supreme Brahman. …All religious acts ordained in the Veda perish; but the syllable Om must be known to be imperishable, as It is identical with Brahman, the Lord of Creation. The recitation of Om aloud is ten times better than the sacrifices prescribed [by the Veda]; it is a hundred times better when repeated in a soft voice; it is a thousand times better when repeated mentally. The Four Daily Sacrifices, together with the sacrifices prescribed [in the Veda], all put together are not equal to a sixteenth part of the offering performed by reciting Om. A Brahmin may beyond doubt obtain final emancipation by solely repeating Om, whether he perform any other religious observance or not. One who is benevolent towards all creatures is justly called a Brahmin.” (Vishnu Smriti 55:17-21)
All religious (dharmic) acts are said to perish because the positive karma engendered by them can be used up like a deposit in the bank. Also, the right times for them to be done can pass or the elements needed for them can become unavailable. Since Om is imperishable, so is the positive force produced by Its invocation. Being infinite, Its effect is also infinite. Being divine, It bestows Divinity. Powerful as the Vedic rites certainly are, mental repetition of Om is a thousand times more powerful. Moreover, the essential Four Daily Sacrifices, consisting of offerings to God, sages, (ordinary) human beings, and animals, as well as all other rites prescribed in the Vedas, when combined produce but a small percentage of the effect of japa and meditation of Om. And we can be sure that japa and meditation of Om are considered to produce the effect of all those sacred rites together–and vastly more, for liberation (moksha) itself will be attained by the Om Yogi who meditates upon Om throughout his life.
In this quotation we see that Brahminhood is a matter of spiritual character and not birth. And that quality which marks out a Brahmin is benevolence towards all creatures. We have already seen in preceding sections that japa and meditation of Om are declared to benefit all creatures as well as the creation. So the Om Yogi is beyond doubt a Brahmin of the highest order. Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
“Ishwara [God] is a particular Purusha [Spirit, Person] Who is untouched by the afflictions of life, actions, and the results and impressions produced by these actions. In Him is the highest limit of omniscience. Being unconditioned by time He is teacher even of the ancients. His designator [vachaka] is the Pranava [Om]. Its japa [constant repetition] and bhavanam is the way [or: should be done]. From it result [come] the disappearance of obstacles and the turning inward of consciousness. Disease, languor, doubt, carelessness, laziness, worldly-mindedness, delusion, non-achievement of a stage, instability, these cause the distraction of the mind and they are the obstacles. [Mental] pain, despair, nervousness, and agitation are the symptoms of a distracted condition of mind. For removing these obstacles [there should be] the constant practice of the one principle [the japa and bhavanam of Om].” (Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 1:24-32)
The latter part about obstacles and their removal by Om is found virtually verbatim in the Varaha and Yoga Tattwa (B) Upanishads. Yoga Vashishtha
“The Cosmic Spirit utters Om and by pure will creates the various objects.” (Yoga Vashishtha 3:67)
“The holy word, Om, bestows the highest state.” (Yoga Vashishtha 5:54)
“Pranayama is accomplished by effortlessly breathing and joining to it the repetition of the sacred Om with the experience of Its meaning, when the consciousness reaches the deep sleep state.” (Yoga Vashishtha 5:78)
“I abandon all thoughts and notions; contemplating Om, I shall remain in the self, in total inner silence.” (Yoga Vashishtha 5:81)
“I shall now enter into the self by the self indicated by the culmination of the Om-sound–as a lamp without fuel.” (Yoga Vashishtha 5:87)
“My heart is established in the peace indicated by the resonance of Om.” (Yoga Vashishtha 5:87)
“Brahman is the Truth that is indicated as ‘Om.’” (Yoga Vashishtha 6:1:30)
“[The turiyatita state] is the Eternal, beyond the eternal and the transient; it is a pure mass of consciousness. In it there is no question of diversity. It is all, it is supreme blessedness and peace, it is beyond expression. It is purest Om. It is transcendent. It is supreme.” (Yoga Vashishtha 6:1:34)
“He should repeat Om till the mind gains perfect peace.” (Yoga Vashishtha 6:1:128)
“She [Mahashakti] is known as Uma because She is the very essence of the sacred monosyllable Om. …Since She exists as a ray of light in one who has been awakened by the contemplation of the subtle inner vibrations produced by the sound of Om, She is known as Indukala [ray of the moon].” (Yoga Vashishtha 6:2:84)
“The one that is awakened is the inner self, that is the supreme self whose name is Om.” (Yoga Vashishtha 6:2:48) More of The Word That Is God:
• Forward
• Chapter One–The Scriptures on the Pranava
• Chapter Two–The Scriptures on the Pranava, continued
• Chapter Three–The Masters of Wisdom on the Pranava
• Chapter Four–The Glories and Powers of Om
1) “The [act of] offering is Brahman, the ghee is Brahman–offered by Brahman in the fire of Brahman.” (Bhagavad Gita 4:24) [Go back]
2) Time measure, as in the time required to recite a mantra. [Go back]
3) That this is so is shown by the following upanishadic statement: “This fire which is within a man and digests food that is eaten is Vaisvanara. Its sound is that which one hears by stopping the ears.” (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 5.9.1) [Go back]
4) Mahapralaya: The final cosmic dissolution; the dissolution of all the worlds of relativity (Bhuloka, Bhuvaloka, Swaloka, Mahaloka, Janaloka, Tapaloka, and Satyaloka), until nothing but the Absolute remains. There are lesser dissolutions, known simply as pralayas, when only the first five worlds (lokas) are dissolved. [Go back]
5) Samskara: Impression in the mind produced by previous action or experience; prenatal tendency. [Go back]
6) Ishwara: “God” or “Lord” in the sense of the Supreme Power, Ruler, Master, or Controller of the cosmos. “Ishwara” implies the powers of omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience. [Go back]
7) In this instance, “Shiva” means the Supreme Brahman, not the “god” Shiva. [Go back]
8) Narasingha is a form of Vishnu. [Go back]
9) This is a reference to the ritual known as prana-pratishta–installation of life–which is done to an image when it is set on the altar of a temple at its consecration. This ritual makes the image alive in a subtle–but no less real–sense. [Go back]
10) A proper name of God; the term by etymology means a Being that supports all things, that is reached by them and that helps them to do so; one who pervades all things. [Go back]
11) Great Statement. [Go back]
12) In Indian scriptures creation is often spoken of as an unfolding lotus. [Go back] 13) The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, Majumdar translation: 5.13.1 [Go back]
14) Demons; evil tendencies in the human being. [Go back]
15) An incarnation of God–the King of ancient Ayodhya in north-central India. [Go back]
16) Tejas: Radiance; brilliancy (especially spiritual). [Go back]
17) The Great Power; the divine creative energy. [Go back]
18) The Root [Basic] Energy from which all things are formed. The Divine Prakriti or Energy of God. [Go back]
19) Satchidananda: Existence-knowledge-bliss Absolute; Brahman. [Go back]
20) Mahato bhayat, a technical term used in the Bhagavad Gita for all the attendant sufferings of earthly birth. “In this there is no waste of the unfinished attempt, nor is there production of contrary results. Even a very little of this dharma protects from great fear.” (Bhagavad Gita 2:40) [Go back]
21) The blessing or welfare bestowed by Rama. [Go back]
22) The Delivering Name; Om. [Go back]
23) Here the Pranava is depicted as a conscious being–which, being Sound-Brahman, It is. [Go back]
24) Rig Veda 4.58.3 [Go back]
25) Yoga Sutras 1:29 [Go back]
26) There are two upanishadic texts called Yogatattwa Upanishad. [Go back]
27) Vishnu [Go back]
28) Purana: Literally “The Ancient.” The Puranas are a number of scriputres attributed to the sage Vyasa that teach spiritual principles and practices through stories about sacred historical personages which often include their teachings given in conversations. [Go back]
29) “Among words I am the Ekakshara [Om]; among sacrifices I am the sacrifice of japa.” (Bhagavad Gita 10:25) The word yajna, usually translated “sacrifice,” has more the idea of offering. Japa of Om is certainly the highest offering possible, for it is God Who is being offered. [Go back]
30) “There is no world for you” in the sense that all karmas have been dissolved, all ignorance dispelled, and therefore there is no longer any impulsion toward rebirth in this or any other world. [Go back]
31) All of these are plays on words–the three syllables Pra, Na, and Va being the roots of the words, or vice-versa. [Go back]
32) Unfortunately, the reference was not noted for this. [Go back]
33) Astral beings that often interact with human beings. [Go back]
34) The Dharmashastras are the scriptures which set forth the rules for society and individuals, including spiritual observances. Manu Smriti is the most authoritative–and the foundation–of all the dharmashastras of India. [Go back]
35) From Meditation on Om by Swami Sivananda. [Go back]
36) From Meditation on Om by Swami Sivananda. [Go back]
37) The Ribhu Gita was highly recommended by Sri Ramana Maharshi. [Go back]
38) This text is also known as the Vaishnava Dharmashastra or the Vishnu Sutra. [Go back]
39) The identical passage is to be found in the second section of the Manu Smriti, but since this is a better translation I am giving it and commenting on it here. [Go back]
40) “In Him becomes infinite that all-knowingness which in others is only a germ”–Swami Vivekananda’s translation of the Yoga Sutras. [Go back]
41) “His manifesting word is Om”–Swami Vivekananda’s translation of the Yoga Sutras. [Go back]
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