Good morning to all. What is Om? It is the smallest manŧra (मंत्र). It is also called praṇav-manŧra. Probably praṇav (प्रणव) means primordial (मूल; mūl). A shlok (श्लोक) is a Sanskṛiŧ verse, typically two line . A manŧra is a phrase (or rarely a word) used for meditation and chanting. Manŧra and shlok are not synonyms! Sacred ancient Indian texts like Veđ (वेद), are collections of shlok/s. Some of these shlok/s are used as manŧra/s. It is a common practice to begin other manŧra/s with Om, like - 1. Om namaḥ Shivāya - ॐ नमः शिवाय, 2. Om shānŧi shānŧi - ओम शांति शांति. Jainism, Buđđhism and Sikhism originated from India after Hinđūism. These religions adopted some of the Hinđū philosophies and practices. These religions have their own form and understanding of Om. Many followers of these religions believe that Om is the ultimate, hyper or super-natural sound! In ĐevaNāgarī, this word can be written as ओम् or ओम. It is general practice in ĐevaNāgarī to drop the last halant (्). So ओम is generally preferred over ओम्. The spelling ओम is used in literature (mostly as noun); while the symbol ॐ is used for religious purposes. The Meaning of Om or AUm We are not yet very sure of the precise meaning of the word Om! It is certainly related to the God/Heaven! Twelve verses of Veđ collectively called Māndūkya Upaniṣhad (माण्डूक्य उपनिषद) tries to explain this sacred word AUm. As per the Sanskṛiŧ grammar (Vyākaraṇ; व्याकरण) the vowel O (ओ) is sometimes substituted for two consecutive vowels A (अ) and U (उ); Generaly public too prefer Om instead of AUm (अ-उ-म्)! Gāyaŧrī Manŧra (गायत्री मंत्र) like many other Veđik shlok/s starts with Om. Thats why I assumed that Om (ओम) means O my (our) Lord (हे परमेश्वर); I may be wrong. Some people say there is a relation between the words Om and Amen; others doubt it! The Om symbol - ओंकार An Om symbol is a sign (glyph, shape) to write (scribe, represent) the Om sound. Om symbol is called Oṅkār (ओंकार) or Omkār (ओम्-कार). As discussed earlier, the Om sound can be written as ओम in ĐevaNāgarī. So ॐ is a symbol of the word ओम in ĐevaNāgarī. People use this sign/symbol for meditation and worship. Om symbol is drawn mostly as in the picture below i.e. as ॐ. If you want a bigger picture of the Om symbol, click the above picture. Is Om a religious symbol? YES. It is the main religious symbol for Hinđū/s and Buđđhists (Bauđđh; बौद्ध). Sikhs have a derived form called एक ओंकार (Ek Oṅkār). In Hinđī and Sanskṛiŧ, shape = Ākār (आकार) or Ākṛiti (आकृति) glyph = Akṣhar (अक्षर) or Akṣharākṛiti (अक्षराकृति) indicate = sanket (संकेत) symbol = sanket + Akṣhar (संकेत-अक्षर) sanket + Akṣhar = sanketākṣhar (संकेताक्षर) sign = chihn (चिह्न) In Hinđī đharm means religion (or religious duty). A religious symbol can be called a đhārmik chihn (धार्मिक चिह्न). What is ओ३म् (O3m)? Đayānanđ Sarasvaŧī (दयानन्द सरस्वती) was the founder of the Ārya Samāj. He used to write ओ३म् instead of ओम. The ३ (ĐevaNāgarī digit 3) between O and m is called plūŧ (प्लूत). Đayānanđ used plūŧ to emphasize long pronunciation of O. Only members of Ārya Samāj write ओ३म् instead of ॐ. So ओ३म is to be pronounced as OOOm (o..m). Is Om the most powerful symbol? There is no scientific study to prove that the ॐ is better or more powerful than any other symbol or letter for meditation etc. No symbol can bring good luck, wealth or power. This symbol is sometimes misused by greedy preachers. Can Om symbol help you in meditation? IMHO, if a dark circle (or a point) can help you in meditation then the Om symbol can also help. Proper Use of Om Someone wrote that a reverse (flipped) Om brings bad luck. Luckily most Hinđū/s do not believe in such nonsense. If you care for sentiments of Hinđū/s (who are mostly peace-loving), avoid drawing this symbol on footwear, near dirty places, etc. If you want to make tattoos including this symbol, please try to maintain the shape and avoid tattooing it on leg, thigh, etc. By Jagjeevan
Posted on: Fri, 15 Aug 2014 09:21:40 +0000
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