Om and Realization of Brahman

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends: I am a Westerner who has now studied different eastern religious belief systems for over 20 years. In addition to my knowledge of the Bible and Western Religious Texts, I firmly believe that the Hindus have identified correctly the purpose of human life: God Realization. I see, now for me at 38 yrs, OM as the best technique, or sadhana, to God Realization. While I respect others' needs, OM is very powerful and the late Guru Sivananda wrote that about 3 years of devoted sadhana is about the time needed to realize Brahman. I am going through great changes in my life now, and see that humanity is very fixed and attached to finite forms of culture, language, economics, money, and thinking in general. But OM can move us beyond all imposed constructs and liberate us. I am disappointed with many of the cults because they are worried about financial gain and typical worldly fame and name. But God has shown me deeply that Realization of Brahman requires us to renounce fame even in spiritual matters. Truly we have to let go of the world of men. The Bible has a powerful verse, it is "the righteous shall live by faith". So, I see now that faith alone will allow the inner guru to guide me to liberation and final enlightenment. Satsang is great, but ultimately we have to put the chat aside and meditate. Comments welcome. Om Shanti, Keith Johnson, Florida, USA

Email: kejohnson@broward.org

[Guest guest]

Satsang is great, but ultimately we have to put the chat aside and meditate

 

so why you partecipate in a forum (=sanga)?

 

do not waste your time

[aum_meditation 0]

It is good to balance meditation and contemplation with some satsang. Balance is the key to healthy living.

Om Shanti, Keith Johnson, Florida, USA

[Guest guest]

this is a better theory than "satsang is not essential"

[maadhav 0]

pick any yoga given in gita

and practice it.

 

even chanting OM with focussed mind will help.

 

an external guru is better than internal.

even krishna had his guru.

 

[Pankaja_Dasa 1]

 

God is realized in three aspects..

 

Brahman

Paramatma

Bhagavan

 

Once you get to Brahman, you have to work, more and more, who knows about the intricacies, the best way, is to chant a Mantra given by Guru, also, should be noted, why you are chanted Om..is it to gain love of God?

 

Or for mystic perfection, any path which leads to Bhakti, is religion otherwise it is just a disturbance in society.

 

Hare Krsna!

[barney 0]

Yes, Om and Realization of Brahman is the ultimate truth in Hinduism but many are still not aware of it. This person had discovered the truth and is sharing his experience with others. Where does it hurt you?

 

[barney 0]

The Word

 

 

If you go through Christian scriptures, in the Fourth Gospel of the New Testament you will find a verse as follows:

 

"In the beginning was the Word

 

And the Word was with God

 

And the Word was God"

 

2. There also a verse in the Vedas that reads as follows :

 

"Prajapati vai idam agre aseet

 

Tasya vag dvitiya aseet

 

Vag vai paramam Brahman"

 

"In the beginning was Prajapati, the Brahman

 

With whom was the Word

 

And the Word was the Supreme Brahman"

 

3. The New Testament does not tell us what the Word is, but in the Maitrayana Upanishad we are told that the Word is AUM.

 

4. Today we shall try to look at some aspects of this sacred syllable AUM.

 

5. Before trying to understand AUM, it is relevant for us to try to understand who we are. Hum hain kaun? Who am I?

 

 

Basically we are little droplets of soul or Atman that have been showered into the Universe during its creation. These droplets of soul originated from the transcendental Godhead, which is the Supreme Soul or Paramatman. We are provided with a temporary material abode, called the body, and also certain tools such as the heart and the intellect.

 

 

Lost in this material world, the Atman hops from one body to another, its fate determined by the Laws of Karma, its ultimate goal being to return to and reunite with the Supreme Soul.

 

 

The soul or Atman within us is the eternal True Self. Unfortunately we tend to become too attached to this illusory material world and develop the mistaken notion that our temporary material body is our True Self. We also tend to misuse the tools like the heart and the intellect.

 

 

Certain negative elements, like our ego, lust, ignorance and submission to the physical senses, act as obstacles to our final goal of reunification with the Supreme Soul. Realisation of the True Self replaces these unfavourable qualities with unconditional devotion and surrender to the Lord.

 

6. So where does the Word come into the picture?

 

 

There is a philosophy derived from the Vedas called the Sphota-Vada or the philosophy of the Word.

 

 

According to this philosophy, at the time when the Universe is created, the Brahman or Impersonal God first manifests Himself as a Word or Logos called the Sphota and then, through the power of the Word, the perceptible Universe comes into being.

 

 

This Sphota is an eternal inexpressible word. It is the essential basis from which all ideas and names are derived.

 

 

The eternal Sphota is symbolised and expressed by the sacred word AUM.

 

 

The syllable AUM is not something that was invented by man. It was revealed directly by God to our ancient rishis in the same way that the ancient Vedic language and philosophy were revealed.

 

 

AUM is accepted as the sound manifestation of Brahman. The sound of AUM is a medium linking Man with God.

 

 

AUM is also variously referred to as Omkara or Pranava. Pranava means "that which runs through the prana or breath".

 

The Sound

 

1. It is a scientific fact that matter and energy are interchangeable. All material things in existence are, at the level of the atoms and molecules, made up essentially of vibrating, pulsating energy. This primal, or fundamental, energy is manifested in our hearing awareness as a continuous humming sound within and around everything. This is the sound of the Universe and in Sanskrit this sound is called Anahata Nada or Unstruck Sound. The audible sound that most resembles this Unstruck Sound is the sound of the syllable AUM.

 

2. AUM is the most natural and universal sound that can be uttered - for example:

 

"Oh my God!" : an English exclamation of shock

 

"Umumum" : a baby's first words

 

"Omni-" : English prefix meaning "all" or "completely", derived from the Latin word "Omnis" meaning "all", it sounds and means like the word AUM

 

"Amen" : Hebrew, Arab and Christian prayers usually end with this word which remarkably resembles the word AUM

 

3. When we chant the mantra AUM, the process covers the full range of vocal elements that produce the sounds of any language.

 

 

The sound commences in the vocal cords as A

 

 

then proceeds through the palate area as U, producing a sense of vibration

 

 

and it ends humming at the gently closed lips as M, resonating in the mouth and nose, and buzzing throughout the head

 

 

We must not forget the fourth sound, the sound of the silence, which begins and ends the audible sound and surrounds it. There is no such thing as absolute silence. Silence is only relative and best appreciated in relation to audible sound. The silence is the word behind the word. Even when the audible sound ends the silence remains.

 

 

 

The Meaning

 

1. There is no literal meaning of the syllable AUM that can be translated into the English language. But there is a tremendous amount of meaning and philosophy behind the sacred word.

 

2. The syllable AUM constitutes the central theme of the Mandukya Upanishad. This Upanishad analyses AUM in terms of the different states or planes of consciousness in which the individual can exist:

 

 

The sound A represents the waking state (jaagrata-avasthaa)

 

 

individual is in the material universe

 

 

subject and object exist as separate entities

 

 

the level of mechanics, science and logical reason

 

 

matter exists on a gross level, is stable and slow to change

 

 

soul + body + heart + intellect

 

 

 

 

The sound U represents the dream state (svapna-avasthaa)

 

 

individual is in the inner world

 

 

subject and object are intertwined in awareness and both are contained within the individual

 

 

the level of spirits (the astral plane), divinities, imagination

 

 

matter becomes subtle, more fluid and rapidly changing

 

 

soul + body + heart

 

 

 

 

The sound M represents the deep-sleep state (sushupta-avasthaa)

 

 

the individual is in the unknown world

 

 

neither subject nor object exists

 

 

all things are beyond the comprehension of the intellect

 

 

the ultimate aim of Yoga is to enter this state while awake

 

 

soul + body

 

 

 

 

The silence represents the state of transcendental consciousness (turiya-avasthaa)

 

 

the individual is in a state of Perfect Bliss, recognising his identity with the Supreme

 

 

neither observing subject nor observed object exists

 

 

all things are one and everything is perceived as it is, infinite

 

 

only pure consciousness exists

 

 

pure soul

 

 

 

3. Thus AUM, in a single syllable, represents the totality of Atman-Brahman, which is the Supreme Reality, the Pure Consciousness and the Ultimate Truth. AUM is knowledge absolute, existence absolute and bliss absolute.

 

4. AUM symbolises the whole Universe, encompassing all planes of being and all phases of existence.

 

5. In the individual, AUM represents the Atman or True Self that pervades the three-fold existence of the waking state, dream state and deep sleep state.

 

6. AUM also represents all the Vedanta and all Hindu philosophy.

 

Practical Application

 

1. The chanting of AUM brings the mind under control, creating a state of mental peace and tranquility, a state in which the individual becomes one with God.

 

2. AUM brings relief from pain, expresses mental moods and brings peace and harmony to the mind even when uttered in distorted forms. So you can imagine the power of AUM when chanted in its true undistorted Vedic form.

 

3. The sacred word AUM is found at the beginning of most Vedic Mantras e.g. Om Namasivaya, Om Namonarayana. It is also by itself a Mantra. Many hymns commence with AUM e.g. Om Jai Jagdish Hare.

 

4. From early Vedic times AUM has been an aid to meditation. Invoking AUM inevitably invokes the Supreme Absolute.

 

Conclusion

 

1. AUM, when chanted with a feeling of total surrender to the Supreme Brahman, takes us through all the planes of consciousness, from the waking state through the dream state and the deep sleep state to the state of Pure Consciousness and oneness with the True Reality, Brahman.

 

2. AUM is the most powerful and most sacred sound, syllable and symbol in the Universe.

 

3. The mantra AUM provides the individual with a direct path to God and a direct line for communicating with God. So, if you wish to contact the Supreme Godhead, just dial A-U-M and ask for the Lord.

 

HARI OM TAT SAT

 

 

[Guest guest]

Basically we are little droplets of soul or Atman that have been showered into the Universe during its creation.

...these droplets are eternal, creation and distruction is periodic

 

These droplets of soul originated from the transcendental Godhead, which is the Supreme Soul or Paramatman.

...who is a transcendental person and he's the source of everything, OM included

 

 

[barney 0]

In Gita also bhagwan Sri Krishna declares :

 

omitykaaksharam brahm vyaharnmamanusmaran

yaa prayati tyjandeham sa yati parma gatim

(Gita 8/13)

The one who understandsAUM and chants it thinking it as my name, he gets the highest abode, after leaving the body.

 

[Guest guest]

om ity ekaksaram brahma

vyaharan mam anusmaran

yah prayati tyajan deham

sa yati paramam gatim

 

SYNONYMS

om--the combination of letters om (omkara); iti--thus; eka-aksaram--supreme, indestructible; brahma--absolute; vyaharan--vibrating; mam--Me (Krsna); anusmaran--remembering; yah--anyone; prayati--leaves; tyajan--quitting; deham--this body; sah--he; yati--achieves; paramam--supreme; gatim--destination.

 

TRANSLATION

After being situated in this yoga practice and vibrating the sacred syllable om, the supreme combination of letters, if one thinks of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and quits his body, he will certainly reach the spiritual planets.

 

 

(the important thing is to think to krsna knowing that om belongs to him)

[Pankaja_Dasa 1]

 

Om, Brahman, and Lord Krsna are not different. The impersonal sound of Krsna is om.

 

If you are doing kirtan which is the best process recommended, then chanting KRSNA Nama is good.

 

Om is more for meditation, which was done in the previous yugas, in the Kali-yuga its not possible, even ARJUNA declared to KRNSA the path of Yoga recommeded by KRSNA, {SITTING IN A PLACE ETC}, was not possible for him {Arjuna}, so considereing the position of Arjuna and his devotion, its very unlikely anybody can practice the Yogic methods of Pranayama yoga etc.

 

Ps. All this is stated in the Gita. www.asitis.com