Whenever we are surrounded by any trouble in life, the first thing we remember is God. Everyone worships the Lord in their own way. Whenever we worship, we chant many mantras. Actually, chanting mantras has a special significance in Hinduism and the chanting of all mantras begins with Om. According to the traditions of Sanatan Dharma, Om is not just a word but the whole world is pervaded by it.
Origin and meaning
Om () or Omkar is synonymous with Pranava. The etymological foundation of Om is repeatedly discussed in the Vedanta texts (early Upanishads). Aitreya Brahman of the Rigveda in section 5.32, for example, explains the three phonetic components of Om (pronounced Aum) as corresponding to the three stages of creation of the world, that is, the creative forces of the universe. The Brahma layer of the Vedic texts equates Om with Bhura-Bhava-Sava, which symbolize the “whole Veda”.
Puranic significance of Om
According to the belief of Sanatan Dharma, the knowledge of the entire universe is hidden in the pronunciation of Om. Only by chanting Om, the Supreme Lord becomes pleased and removes every pain of life. According to mythological significance, Om is the combined form of all forms of God. The entire universe is sustained by the word Om. The pronunciation of Om starts transmitting positive energy. This sound is far above the hearing ability of a human being. It is believed that the natural sound that resonated before the world came into existence was that of Om. This is why it is also called the voice of the universe.
Importance of Om from Scientific Point of View
Scientists were searching for a way to record the sound coming from the Sun for years, and finally they got success. Everyone knows very well that the Sun is a star, which is 93,000,000 miles away from the Earth, and keeps rotating rapidly on its axis, the Sun is always burning, the flames of which rise thousands of kilometers high, life exists on Earth only due to the heat of the Sun, because there is no atmosphere in the space around the Sun, so till date scientists used to completely deny the possibility of any kind of sound coming from the Sun, but when NASA (Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA)) converted the magnetic waves coming from the Sun into sound through Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) on 11 February 2011, they were stunned to hear the sound coming from the Sun, because the sound of Om was continuously coming out from the Sun, which was clearly audible. Scientists have investigated this fact many times and after 4 years of various tests, they confirmed this truth on 23rd October 2014 that the sound of Om really keeps on emanating from the Sun, that is why the word Om is considered holy in all the religions of India. Many theories have been presented about the Om Mantra.
Om being a cosmic sound, the world was created from it, this is the most popular theory among them; however, in Indian (Hindu) culture, this is not the only reason behind the regular chanting of Om, rather other traditional religious acts of Hindu culture are behind it, however, there are some scriptural and practical reasons too which give long term benefits to human beings. (These reasons are based on the science related to sound, vibration and resonance. The letters of the mantra produce sound (vibration). Pronunciation of different letters produces different vibrations and they have an effect on different parts of the body.
Since the sound of each letter is related to specific parts of the body, that sound resonates at the place of that part. Combining these three letters A, U and M, the Om mantra is formed. The result of pronouncing those letters is given below.
1 Pronunciation of A. A
A A A… by pronouncing this, sensation is felt in the marrow systems related to chest and stomach and it resonates in that place.
2 Pronunciation of A. U
2. Pronunciation of Aa U
U U U… This pronunciation resonates in the throat and chest parts when sensation is created there.
3. Pronunciation of I
M M M… This pronunciation resonates in both the nostrils and the skull. Due to this continuous pronunciation of Om, the stomach, back (spine), throat, nose and brain part get activated. Energy flows from the stomach to the upper direction.
Keep these things in mind while pronouncing Om
You should always pronounce Om in a clean and open environment. Pronouncing Om makes the breathing faster, so pronouncing it in an open place gives positivity. Om can be pronounced while sitting in Sukhasan, Padmasana, Vajrasana etc. Apart from this, pronouncing Om 5,7,11 or 21 times is considered useful.
Whenever any trouble surrounds us in life, we first remember God. Everyone worships the Lord in their own way. Whenever we worship, we chant many mantras. Actually, chanting mantras has a special significance in Hinduism and the chanting of all mantras begins with Om. According to the traditions of Sanatan Dharma, Om is not just a word but the whole world is pervaded by it. For centuries, our sages and saints used to see the Lord by doing difficult penance, yoga and meditation only by chanting Om.
Benefits of chanting Om
1. An infallible weapon for meditation
Generally, the word Om is associated with religion, but this word is much bigger than the bondage of religions. Chanting the word Om or increases meditation. Its chanting is considered an easy way of meditation. Let us know what are the benefits of chanting Om and what are the health benefits of chanting Om.
2. Mind becomes calm
It has been scientifically proven that the sound of the word Om is the rare sound that can calm both parts of the brain. This is the reason that listening to or pronouncing the word Om gives a feeling of emotional peace and spirituality. In such a situation, if negative thoughts come, then chanting the word Om is considered very beneficial.
3. Helpful in getting rid of sinus migraine
Pronouncing the word Om can help in getting rid of diseases like sinus migraine. Experts believe that the vibration of the letter E or U after A in Om is felt on the forehead, which is helpful in the treatment of migraine.
4. Helpful in the treatment of thyroid
When we end the word Om with the letter M, the vibration of its sound is felt in the throat. Many experts believe that the vibration in the throat due to pronouncing Om activates the thyroid gland and it also helps in getting rid of thyroid.
5. Improves coordination between body and mind
The word Om affects our brain’s supplementary motor area, superior temporal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus and dorso lateral pre frontal cortex, which increases coordination between our body and mind, brings coherence and increases our hearing power.
6. Increases concentration
It is believed that if the word Om is chanted with a calm mind, concentration increases. The resonance of the word Om calms the mind and prevents it from wandering and this is the reason why it affects concentration. Apart from these benefits, experts claim that chanting the word Om helps any person to pronounce clearly. Apart from this, it is infallible for concentration and meditation. For centuries, our sages and saints could see God by only chanting Om and performing rigorous meditation and penance. Om is no less than a miraculous word which has many kinds of powers. It is believed that God can be found only by chanting Om.
Dr. Amit Vyas is an Astrologer and Vastu Expert.