The Supreme OM
If we start reading any Upanishad the one unifying topic
that it touches upon is that of Supremacy of OM. In the 8 chapter of taittiriya
Upanishad the importance of is explained as below.
To begin with Om is a three syllabled with A, U, M and is symbolically
represented as OM.
“OM is Brahman, all is OM”, this means that OM is nothing
but the representation of Brahman and it encompasses all sounds, it is both
Saguna Brahman and Nirguna Brahman. When one chants OM it means that he starts
to learn about Brahman and any teachings starts with OM with the intention of
“May I obtain Brahman” and by chanting the same leads to reaching the same. Any
ritual starts with OM and any chanting should also begin with OM (meaning any
mantra should start with OM and if the mantra does not start with Om, we have
to add it)
In Mandukya upanishad Om represents as the Past, Present or
Future, all these happen within Om as it is Brahman, and anything beyond
past/present/future is also be Om. Om is the first sound to arise when the
universe was created (Vedic Idea of creation – read Spandakarika).
Further the atman within is Om (manifestation via sound),
the symbol Om, consists of three letters A, U and M which represents the three
state of living, i.e Waking, Dreaming and Deep Sleep. Hence it is for this
reason Om should be meditated upon as Brahman (Atman) to achieve the same.
The letter A in Om represents everything that exists and
this letter is included in every sound uttered. It marks the start of the language.
This is the letter to achieve whatever one desires. (The word used is Vaisvanara
or the waking stage characterized by the individual gross body or sthula-sarira
in the upanishad)
The second letter U represents the Dreaming state and U is
superior to A. It is the link between the Waking and Deep Sleep state and acts
as an intermediary state (Taijasa is the term used - Taijasa or the dream
consciousness which has the subtle body or suksma-sarira as its object)
Finally M is the deep sleep state of a person (prajna is the
word used in the book, prajna means the state of deep sleep, the Atman, limited
by Prana, the vital breath, is called Prajna.)
The state of existence beyond these three is called as Turya
(4th state) where the atman shines and the Atman becomes aware of
itself is the state of supreme consciousness is nothing but OM. At this state
the mind is inactive and there are no thoughts at all, this leads to a state of
pure awareness where the consciousness becomes aware itself and understands the
falsity of illusion of this Mind and body. This state of being as I’m told
cannot be explained but only experienced.
Based on the above we can easily say that one who meditates on
Om verily realizes Brahman. There is no need to chant any other mantra or do
any rituals. Just meditating Om will give as everything as it is both Saguna
and Nirguna Brahman
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