East Meets West – A Gautami Tripathy Column

This column previously ran by Deepak Morris is now taken over by Gautami Tripathy.

The purpose of the column is to bring the culture and joy of mysterious and beautiful India to the world.

March 26, 2007

Brief bio: I am secondary school teacher. I teach Mathematics. I love to write. Poetry, prose whatever. I read a lot too.

 Gautami Tripathy
s_gautami@yahoo.com
http://soulfullymindless.blogspot.com

 

Om or AUM

OM is the symbol of essence of Hinduism. It denotes oneness with the Supreme, the amalgamation of the physical being with the spiritual. It is the most holy syllable, the first sound of the Almighty - the sound from which materializes each and every other sound, be it of music or of language.

In the Upanishads this sacrosanct syllable appears as a mystic sound, regarded by scriptures as the very basis of every other sacred mantra. It is the sound not only of beginning but also of termination. The past, present and future are all included in this one sound. The syllable OM also represents the TRIMURTI (triad) of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

Shiva's drum produced this sound and because of it came the notes of the octave, for ex., SA, RI, GA, MA, PA, DHA, NI. By this sound Shiva created and recreated the universe. OM is also the sound form of Atman.

The Upanishads state that everything, existent and non- existent, can be comprehended by uttering the sacred syllable of OM. Meditation on OM gratifies every need and ultimately leads to salvation. Nearly all the prayers and recitals of sacred passages are prefixed by the sound of OM.

Musically, it is also held that the term OM or AUM is made up by three base notes ' A ' 'U' 'M' or the basic 'SA' 'PA' of the fundamental scale and again Sa (the base note) of the immediately higher scale. When says these notes in continuity, all the basic notes from SA to NI are heard. Similarly when one pronounces AUM correctly, all the basic sounds also echo. It is the traditional way of clearing all the obstacles in the vocal chord to make one chant the hymns correctly. Their unison makes one not only sound resonating but also is essential for chanting a Mantra (Incantation) properly. All the Vedic Mantras have 'OM' or' AUM' as the first word.

(c)gautami.tripathy
http://firmlyrooted.blogspot.com