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AUM - Its meaning
I was quite surprise too see this newsgroup had
no articles in it for a long time, when there is
so much knowledge to be shared based on hinduism
(or scriptures). I was reading a book on yoga
asanas and came across a relatively complete definitions
of the sacred word AUM. The book is called Light on
Yoga ( Yoga Dipika) by B.K.S. Iyengar (1985 edition).
Below is the excerpts from the book on the defintion of AUM :
" According to Sri VinobA BhAve, the Latin word Omne
and the Sanskrit word Aum are both derived from
the same root meaning all and both words convey the
concepts of omniscience, omnipresence and
omnipotence. Another word for Aum is pranava, which
is derived from the root nu meaning to praise,
to which is added the prefix pra denoting superiority.
The word , therefore, means the best praise
or the best prayer. The symbol AUM is composed of three
syllables, namely the letters A, U, M, and
when written has a crescent and a dot on its top.
A few instances of the various interpretations are
given to it may be mentioned here to convey its meaning.
The letter A symbolises the conscious or waking state
(jAgrata-avasthA), the letter U the dream
state (svapna-avasthA) and the letter M the dreamless
sleep state (sushupta-avasthA) of the mind and
spirit. The entire symbol, together with the crescent
and the dot , stands for the fourth state
(turIya-avasthA), which combines all these states and
transcends them. This is the state of samAdhi.
The letters A,U and M symbolise respectively speech
(vak), the mind (manas) and the breath of life
(prAna), while the entire symbol stands for the living
spirit, which is but a portion of the divine spirit.
The three letters also represent the dimensions of
length, breadth and depth, while the entire
symbol represents Divinity, which is beyond the
limitations of shapes and form.
The three letters A, U and M symbolise the absence
of desire, fear and anger, while the whole
symbol stands for the perfect man (a sthita-prajna),
one whose wisdom is firmly established in the divine.
They represent three genders, masculine, feminine
and neuter, while the entire symbol represent all
creation together with the Creator.
They stand for the three gunAs or qualities of
sattva, rajas and tamas, while the whole symbol
represents a gunAtIta, one who has transcended and
gone beyond the pull of the gunAs.
The three letters correspond to the three tenses
- past, present and future - while the entire
symbol stands for the Creator, who trancends the
limitations of time.
They also stand for the teaching imparted by the
mother, the father and the Guru respectively. The
entire symbol represents Brahma VidyA, the knowledge
of the Self, the teaching which is imperishable.
The A, U and M depict the three stages of yogic
discipline, namely Asana, prAnAyAma and
pratyAhAra. The entire symbol reprsent samAdhi,
the goal for which the three stages are steps.
They represent the triad of Divinity, namely,
BrahmA - the creator, Vishnu - the Maintainer, and
Siva - the Destroyer of the universe. The whole
symbol is said to represent Brahman from which the
universe emanates, has its growth and fruition and
into which it merges in the end. It does not grow
or change. Many change and pass, but Brahman is
the One that ever remains unchanged.
The letters A, U and M also stands for the mantra
'Tat Twam Asi' ('That Thou Art'), the realisation
of man's divinity within himself. The entire symbol
stands for this realisation, which liberates the
human spirit from the confines of his body, mind and
intellect and ego. "
-raj
