Om in the Vedas
Om does not appear at all in the Ṛgveda, which shows that it does not belong to the earliest Vedic literature. Scholars opine that Om is not directly mentioned in the Ṛgveda probably because it was considered too sacred to utter, or even write down.
However, scholars also opine that a veiled reference to it is present in one of the hymns (ṚV-I.164.39). It is popularly known as “Asya Vāmasya Sūktam”, seen by Ṛṣi Dīrghatamas, and dedicated to Viśvedevā. It speaks of the syllable (akṣara) that exists in the supreme space, in which all the deities reside.
ṛco akṣare parame vyomanyasmin
devā adhi viśve niṣeduḥ |
yas-tanna veda kim ṛcā kariṣyati
ya ittad-vidus-ta ime samāsate ||
- ṚVS-I.164.39
Tr.: What can one do with the chant, who does not know this? Only those who know it, sit together here. (Only initiates gather to delight in the mystery of the sacred syllable, and the company of the deities). - ṚVS-I.164.39
The word akṣara (na kṣarati iti, akṣaraḥ) means literally ‘immutable’ or ‘imperishable’. This designation is most appropriate, since grammatically syllables are stable parts that make up words. In the case of the Om, this monosyllable came to represent the Absolute One, which is eternally unchanging - akṣara. Indeed the Sanskrit word akṣara (syllable) literally means - the imperishable, and commonly serves as an epithet for Om.
In the Śukla-Yajurveda (Mādhyandina Śākhā), Om is found in the phrase oṃ pratiṣṭha (ŚYV-II.13), oṃ krato smar (ŚYV- XL.15), oṃ khaṃ brahma (ŚYV-XL.17). It is a well-known fact that the fortieth chapter of Śukla-Yajurveda Saṃhitā is Iśāvāsyopaniṣad; the only Upaniṣad to be found in a Saṃhitā. Om is mentioned in Iśāvāsyopaniṣad also.
Atharvaveda (Śaunaka Śākhā) - X.8.10 seems to hint at this with the following riddle:
yā purastād yujyate, ya ca paścād,
yā viśvato yujyate, yā ca sarvataḥ |
yayā yajñaḥ prāì tāyate,
tāṃ tvāṃ pṛcchāmi katamā sarcām ||
- AVS-X.8.10
Tr.: What is joined to the front, and to the back, and is joined all around, and everywhere; and by which the rituals proceeds? That praise (ṛcā) I ask of you. - AVS- X.8.10
Possible reasons for the epithets Udgītha and Praṇava in Upaniṣads
In the earliest Upaniṣads, such as the Bṛhadāraṇyaka, Chāndogya, and Taittirīya, the sacred syllable Om is mentioned many times by name, both as Om, and Oṃ-kāra (meaning the ‘the letter Om’). However, Udgītha is more common.
It is the Chāndogya that first clearly spells out the equation between the words Udgītha and Praṇava (Also used in - Muṇdaka Upaniṣad-II.2.4) (a term not found in the Bṛhadāraṇyaka). Perhaps these two terms came in vogue, because for unknown reasons, Om had by that time, spread beyond the sacred domain, and begun to be used in the sense of ‘Yes, I agree’. The first record of this usage is in the Bṛ.Up.-III.9.1, where Om is employed seven times in this manner (Bṛ.Up.-III.9.1 etc.) Indeed, Chā.Up.- I.1.8 clearly states: ‘That syllable is a syllable of assent, for whenever we assent to anything we say Om.’
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Om in Chāndogyopaniṣad
Chāndogy- opaniṣad, one of the oldest Upaniṣads, commences introducing Om as,
om-ityetad-akṣaram-udg- tham-upāsīta |
om-iti hi-udgāyati tasyopavyākhyānam ||
- Chā.Up.-I.1.1
Tr.- One should meditate on the syllable Om, which is Udgītha. One starts singing Udgītha by uttering Om. Of this, the explanation follow. - Chā.Up.-I.1.1
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It is in Chāndogya that the doctrine of the sacred character of the syllable Om is gradually developed. Chā.Up.-I.1.5 discusses the syllable Om at length, sets forth rules for the chanters of Sāmaveda, and states that ‘One has to know that Om is the imperishable’.
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vāg-eva-ṛk, prānaḥ sāma, om-iti-etad akṣaram udgīthaḥ |
tad vā etān mithunaṃ yad vāk ca prāṇaśca ṛk ca sāma ca ||
- Chā.Up.-I.1.5
Tr.- Vāk is ṛk, prāṇa is sāma, and the word Om is Udgītha. The vāk and prāṇa, of the nature of ṛk and sāma (respectively), are entwined together. - Chā.Up.-I.1.5
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The same Chāndogyopaniṣad subsequently states the origin of Om.
prajāpatir-lokān-abhyat- apat-tebhyo-abhitaptebhyas-tra- yī vidyā samprāsravattām-abhyatapat-t- asyā abhitaptāyā etānyakṣarāṇi samprāsravanta bhūr-bhuvaḥ-svar-iti |
- Chā.Up.-II.23.2
Tr.- Prajāpati discovered this sacred syllable through meditation. Prajāpati (Virāṭ or Kaśyapa) meditated on the worlds; from them, issued forth the three-fold Vedas. He meditated upon this; thus meditated upon, came forth the syllables bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ and svaḥ. - Chā.Up.-II.23.2
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tānyab- hyatapat-tebhyo’bhitaptebhya- oṃkāraḥ samprāsravat, tad-yathā śaìkunā sarvāṇi parṇāni santṛṇāni-evam-oṃkāre- a sarvā vāk-santṛṇā oṃkāra evedaṃ-sarvam, oṃkāra evedaṃ-sarvam |- Chā.Up.-II.23.3
Tr.- (Prajāpati) meditated on them. From them, thus meditated upon, issued forth the syllable Om. Just as all the parts of a leaf are spread by the membranes of the leaf, so are all the words permeated by the syllable Om. All this is Oṃkāra, indeed all this is Oṃkāra. - Chā.Up.-II.23.3
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Om in Taittirīyopaniṣad
The fourth anuvāka of Śīkṣāvallī in Taittirīya is a prayer for intelligence. The prayer is addressed to the Lord, in the form of Oṃkāra. Additionally, the student prays for a healthy body and sense organs, so that he can discover his immortal nature.
yaśchandasām ṛṣabho viśvarūpaḥ |
chandobhyo’dhyamṛtāt sambabhūva |
sa mendro medhayā spṛṇotu |
amṛtasya devadhāraṇo bhūyāsam |
śarīraṃ me vicarṣaṇam |
jihvā me madhumattamā |
karṇābhyāṃ bhūri viśruvam |
brahmaṇaḥ kośo’si medhayā pihitaḥ |
śrutaṃ me gopāya |
-Tai.Up.-I.4.1
Tr.: (That Oṃkāra) which manifested from the hymns of the Vedas, is the greatest among the Vedic mantras, and is endowed with manifold forms. May that Lord (Oṃkāra) strengthen me with intelligence. O! Lord! May I become the possessor of the immortal wisdom. May my body be healthy. May my speech be extremely sweet and agreeable. May I listen (to the scriptures) repeatedly through (my) ears. You are the sheath (abode) of Brahman, (which is) veiled by worldly knowledge. May you protect what is studied by me. - Tai.Up.-I.4.1
This anuvāka is a prayer addressed to Iśvara, the giver of all wishes, seeking mental power and physical fitness, without which the knowledge of Brahman is not possible.
The epithet ṛṣabha according to traditional Advaitic interpretation refers to Om, the sound symbol of Brahman. The mystique syllable Om is set forth in the Upaniṣads as the object of profound meditation, and highest spiritual efficacy is attributed to it.
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In 8th anuvāka of Taittirīya, Om is presented - Oṃkāra-upāsanā:
Taittir- ya equates Om with Brahman, as well as the manifest jagat. The sound system is identical to what it represents - om iti brahma. om itīdagṃ sarvam.
The eighth section deals with Oṃkāra-upāsanā. Oṃkāra is to be meditated on, as Brahman. Through this meditation one attains Brahman, whether para or apara. The Upaniṣad talks about the glory of Oṃkāra in the following portion. In all rituals, Oṃkāra is uttered during Vedic chanting, offering of oblations etc. The very beginning of the Vedic studies is with Oṃkāra. Its utterance makes all pursuits holy and fruitful.
om iti brahma | om itīdagṃ sarvam |
om ityetad-anukṛtir ha sma vā apyośrāvayetyāśrāvayanti |
om iti sāmāni gāyanti | ogṃ śom iti śastrāṇi śagṃsanti |
om ityadhvaryuḥ pratigaraṃ pratigṛṇāti |
om iti brahmā prasauti | om ityagnihotram anujānāti |
om iti brāhmaṇaḥ pravakṣyannāha brahmopāpnavānīti |
brahmaivopāpnoti |
- Tai.Up.-I.8
Tr.- One should meditate upon Oṃkāra as Brahman because this entire (universe) is indeed Oṃkāra i) This Oṃkāra is also an expression of acceptance/compliance. ii) Moreover, (the priests) direct (the assistant) to recite (to the gods) thus - ‘Om, may you recite (to the gods). iii) (The Sāmaveda-priest) chants the Sāma-mantrās after uttering Oṃkāra. iv) (The Ṛgveda-priest) chants the Ṛg-mantrās after uttering Oṃ śom. v) The Yajurveda-priest expresses his permissions by uttering Oṃkāra. vi) The Atharvaveda-priest gives permission by uttering Oṃkāra. vii) The priest permits (the host) to perform agnihotra-ritual by uttering Oṃkāra. viii) Desiring to learn the Vedas, the brāhmaṇa utters Oṃkāra with the intention ‘Let me attain Vedic knowledge.’ Indeed, he attains Vedic knowledge. - Tai.Up.-I.8.
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Swāminī Ātmaprajñānanda Saraswatī is a Vedāntācāryā and Vyākaraṇācāryā. She teaches Vedānta and Pāṇini at Ārsha Vidyā Vikāś Kendra in Bhubaneswar. She is the author of three published books - Nomenclature of the Vedas , Ṛṣikās of the Ṛgveda and Om: The Sound Symbol.
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