Aum also written as ‘Om’ is the most sacred syllable in Hinduism. Om is of supreme importance in Hinduism. It is also sacred for Buddhists and Jains. This symbol represents Brahman, the impersonal Absolute of Hinduism omnipotent, omnipresent and the source of all manifest existence. It is the sound of the infinite, which is said to be the essence of all mantras, the highest of all mantras or divine word (shabda), Brahman (ultimate reality) itself. Most of the mantras begin with it and it is the essence of the Vedas. It is the signifier of the ultimate truth that all is one. Lord Ganesha is sometimes identified with the Aum (Om).

Om symbolizes the deepest concepts of Hindu beliefs. Hindus begin their day, journey, work by uttering Om. Many Hindus, as an expression of spiritual perfection, wear the sign of Om as a pendant. This symbol is enshrined in every Hindu temple. It is the representative of the Trinity of Gods in Hinduism, Brahma- the creator, Vishnu- the preserver and Shiva- the destroyer. It is also considered that in the word ‘AUM’, A stands for Creation, U stands for Preservation and M stands for Destruction or dissolution. The three portions of AUM also relate to the states of waking, dream and deep sleep and the three gunas (Rajas, Satva and Tamas).

Om is said to be the original sound that contains all other sounds, all words, all languages and all mantras. Om mystically embodies the essence of the entire universe. This meaning is further deepened by the Indian philosophical belief that God first created sound and the universe arose from it. It is the root of the universe and everything that exists and it continues to hold everything together. According to Upanishads, OM is god in the form of sound, thus it is the first part of the most important mantras in both Buddhism and Hinduism.All paintings are courtesy of Art of Legend India.