Aum - Its Aesthetics, Mysticism, and Philosophy,Nitin Kumar
The open mouth of A moves toward the closure of M.
Between is U, formed of the openness of A but shaped
by the closing lips. Here it must be recalled that as
interpreted in relation to the three curves, the three
syllables making up AUM are susceptible to the same
metaphorical decipherment. The dream state
(symbolized by U), lies between the waking state (A)
and the state of deep sleep (M). Indeed a dream is but
the compound of the consciousness of waking life
shaped by the unconsciousness of sleep.
AUM thus also encompasses within itself the complete
alphabet, since its utterance proceeds from the back
the lips; both embraced in the simple act of uttering of
AUM.
The last part of the sound AUM (the M) known as ma or
makar, when pronounced makes the lips close. This is
like locking the door to the outside world and instead
reaching deep inside our own selves, in search for the
Ultimate truth.
But over and above the threefold nature of OM as a
sacred sound is the invisible fourth dimension which
cannot be distinguished by our sense organs restricted
as they are to material observations. This fourth state is
the unutterable, soundless silence that follows the
uttering of OM. A quieting down of all the differentiated
manifestations, i.e. a peaceful-blissful and non-dual
state. Indeed this is the state symbolized by the dot in
the traditional iconography of AUM.
The threefold symbolism of OM is comprehensible to the
most 'ordinary' of us humans, realizable both on the
intuitive and objective level. This is responsible for its
widespread popularity and acceptance. That this symbolism
extends over the entire spectrum of the manifested
universe makes it a veritable fount of spirituality. Some of
these symbolic equivalents are:
Colors: Red, White, and Black.
Seasons: Spring, Summer, and Winter.
Periods: Morning, Midday, and Evening.
States: Waking-consciousness (jagriti), Dream
(svapna), and deep-sleep (sushupti).
Spheres: Earthly, Heavenly, and Intermediary.
Poetic Meters: Gayatri (24 syllables), Trishtubh
(44 syllables), and Jagati (48 syllables).
Veda: Rigveda (knowledge of the meters),
Yajurveda (knowledge of contents), Samaveda
(knowledge of extension).
Elemental Deity: Fire (Agni), Sun (Aditya), Wind
(Vayu).
Manifestation of Speech: Voice (vak), Mind
(manas), Breath (prana).
Priestly Function: Making offering, Performing
ritual, and Singing.
Tendencies: Revolving, Cohesive, and
Disintegrating.
Quality: Energy (rajas), Purity (sattva), and
Ignorance (tamas).
Ritual fire: Of the home, of the Ancestors, and of
Invocation.
Goddess: Amba, Ambika, and Ambalika.
Gods: Of the elements (Vasus), of the sky
(Adityas), of the sphere-of-space (Rudras).
Deity: Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva.
Action: Creation, Preservation, and Destruction.
Power: of Action (kriya), of Knowledge (jnana),
and of Will (iccha).
Man: Body, Soul, and Spirit.
Time: Past, Present, and Future.
Stages of Existence: Birth, Life, and Death.
Phases of the Moon: Waxing, Full, and Waning.
Godhead: Father, Mother, and Son.
Alchemy: Sulphur, Quicksilver, and Salt.
Buddhism: the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha
(three jewels of Buddhism).
Qabalism: Male, Female, and the Uniting
intelligence.
Japanese Thought: Mirror, Sword, and Jewel.
Divine Attributes: Truth, Courage, and
Compassion.
According to Indian spiritual sciences, God first created
sound, and from these sound frequencies came the
phenomenal world. Our total existence is constituted of
these primal sounds, which give rise to mantras when
Nitin Kumar
of the mouth (A), travelling
in between (U), and finally
reaching the lips (M). Now
all alphabets can be
classified under various
heads depending upon the
area of the mouth from
which they are uttered. The
two ends between which the
complete alphabet oscillates
are the back of the mouth to
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organized by a desire to communicate, manifest, invoke
or materialize. Matter itself is said to have proceeded
from sound and OM is said to be the most sacred of all
sounds. It is the syllable which preceded the universe
and from which the gods were created. It is the "root"
syllable (mula mantra), the cosmic vibration that holds
together the atoms of the world and heavens. Indeed
the Upanishads say that AUM is god in the form of
sound. Thus OM is the first part of the most important
mantras in both Buddhism and Hinduism, e.g. Om
Namoh Shivai and Om Mani Padme Hum.
In a further development of the mystic conception of
AUM, the Mandukya Upanishad states:
AUM is a bow,
The arrow is the self,
And Brahman (Absolute reality) is said to be the Mark.
Another ancient text equates AUM with an arrow, laid
upon the bow of the human body (the breath), which
after penetrating the darkness of ignorance finds its
mark, namely the lighted domain of True Knowledge.
Just as a spider climbs up its thread and gains freedom,
so the yogis climb towards liberation by the syllable OM.
The omnific and omniparous quality of OM makes it
omnipresential, and in-omissible from any spiritual
practice. As an omnipotent symbol, the yogi who
penetrates its mystery is indeed truly omnicompetent
and omnipercipient, and as an omniscient source, it is a
virtual omnibus of sacred and mystical inspirations.
Page 4 1.2 Million Arhatic Yogis in India Here and Now! So be it! So be it! So it is!
Ybrant Prana
Volume 4 Issue 06 (reference)
Kiran Kumar C T L
