Gough's Upaniṣads

ओम् ind.

1 The sacred syllable om, uttered as a holy exclamation at the beginning and end of a reading of the Vedas, or previous to the commencement of a prayer or sacred work.

-2 As a particle it implies (a) solemn affirmation and respectful assent (so be it, amen !); (b) assent or acceptance (yes, all right); ओमित्युच्यताममात्यः Māl.6; ओमित्युक्तवतो$थ शार्ङ्गिण इति Śi. 1.75; द्वितीयश्चेदोमिति ब्रूमः S. D.1; (c) command; (d) auspiciousness; (e) removal or warding off.

-3 Brahman. [This word first appears in the Upaniṣads as a mystic monosyllable, and is regarded as the object of the most profound religious meditation. In the Maṇḍūkya Upaniṣad it is said that this syllable is all what has been, that which is and is to be; that all is om, only om. Literally analysed, om is taken to be made up of three letters or quarters; the letter a is Vaiśvānara, the spirit of waking souls in the waking world; u is Taijasa, the spirit of dreaming souls in the world of dreams; and m is Prajñā, the spirit of sleeping and undreaming souls; and the whole om is said to be unknowable, unspeakable, into which the whole world passes away, blessed above duality; (for further account see Gough's Upaniṣads pp.69-73). In later times om came to be used as a mystic name for the Hindu triad, representing the union of the three gods a (Viṣṇu), u (Śiva), and m (Brahmā). It is usually called Praṇava or Ekakṣaram; cf. अकारो विष्णुरुद्दिष्ट उकारस्तु महेश्वरः । मकारेणोच्यते ब्रह्मा प्रणवेन त्रयो मताः ॥

-Comp. -कारः 1 the sacred syllable ओम्; त्रिमात्रमोकारं त्रिमात्रमोंकारं वा विदधति Mbh.VIII.2.89.

-2 the excla- mation ओम्, or pronunciation of the same; प्राणायामैस्त्रिभिः पूतस्तत ओंकारमर्हति Ms.2.75.

-3 (fig.) commencement; एष तावदोंकारः Mv.1; B. R.3.78.

-रा N. of a Buddhist śakti (personification of divine energy).