Mantras and StotrasThe meaning of Om
What the syllable Om means in Hindu tradition: the three sounds A, U and M, its place in the Upanishads and in mantras, and how it is written and chanted.
Om (also written Aum) is the most sacred syllable of Hinduism and is also used in Buddhism and Jainism. It begins and ends most mantras, prayers and readings of the Vedas, and is written in the Devanagari script as ॐ.
Three sounds and silence
The Mandukya Upanishad analyses the sound as three parts, A, U and M, followed by a silence. Tradition links these with the waking, dream and deep-sleep states and with the fourth state, beyond them; the three sounds are also linked with the three worlds, the three Vedas and the three gods Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva in different texts. These are traditions of interpretation.
How it is chanted
Om is chanted by taking a full breath and sounding "a-u-m" slowly on the out-breath, with the mouth open at first, then rounding the lips, then closing them with a hum. The chant lasts as long as the breath, and the hum is felt in the head and chest.
Om in daily life
It is spoken at the start of a puja, a class or a ceremony, carved over temple gates, and written on letters in some families. Many yoga classes start with three Oms. For many people the sound is simply a calming way to begin.
The meanings and notes are our own words and not an authorised translation. Mantras belong to living traditions, and families and teachers differ in how they chant and use them; please ask yours. We make no claim that any mantra brings any result.