What does the Hindu Om mantra mean?

Answer 1

Om is the sanskrit mantra representing God as the cosmic vibration inherent throughout creation.

The ancient yogis discovered that a subtle universal energy coming from the Sun called Prana was actively sustaining the Cosmic drama of creation.

They discovered that this power flows into the human body principally through the medulla oblongata and from there into the seven bodily psychic centers into man's various bodily structures.

This energy coming as it does from the most holiest thing in the solar system was therefore taken as an obvious name for God. In chanting this sacred name one has to use the full capabilities of the mouth and vocal cords - thus it became the root of all languages. As such all words are contained within its sound structure!!!

The Mantra Om, was written in this shortened version by mystics and masters for centuries with great reverence. One of the main reasons it was written in this way rather than as A-U-M was due to the tremendous power of this sacred word.

One of the most important yogic and spiritual injunctions regarding this mantra is that it should not be chanted in its fullness without due discrimination, reverence and love.

It is said that this AUM vibration has three aspects or gunas.

Creation, Preservation and Transmutation.

When a person utters this most holy of all mantras he or she puts into operation one of the three qualities of AUM!

This is another reason behind the ancient religious injunctions to speak truth and more importantly - live it!

So, use this great mantra - by all means - but use it correctly by studying the methods used by the great masters and always with the greatest possible reverence.

As the great masters have said 'Woe unto he who uses this word wrongly for his karma will manifest its fruits many fold!!!'

This great Cosmic vibration can be heard by the yogi in meditation.

The yogi discovers that when kundalini is lodged in the heart center he or she is able to hear the subtle forces within that centre as a tremendous gong-like sound, somewhat similar to the AUM sound coming from the Sun. This is the Anahata sound of the yogis, also referred to as the Omkara Dhvani

In fact this gong or giant long drawn-out bell which is heard will often sound so loud that it will appear to do his ear drums physical damage

Its interesting to note that when this center is fully opened the great power of love can for the first time be understood and used in service to all who need it.

When kundalini opens the throat center in her entirety the yogi can hear the forces within the Ajna or christ center above which physically sound like a roar of an ocean or rushing waters of a gigantic waterfall.

When the goddess kundalini reaches the Ajna chakra the yogi can hear the combined sound symphony of all the bodily nerve centers within the body as well as the great primeveal vibration - AUM.

All the different subtle sounds heard by the yogi in meditation are particular aspects of the Divine Vibration, AUM.

They are different vibrations of the same energy functioning in different ways.

The different aspects of the AUM vibration encased in a sound structure are what are termed as - Mantras.