AUM-The most sacred sound of the universe
AUM is the most sacred symbol of Hinduism. IT is also the logo of Hinduism. AUM is the sacred syllable that represents Brahman-the only one who is impersonal, omnipresent, omnipotent and the source of all materialistic existence. Both AUM sound and form symbolizes the ever-pervading Brahman that transcends the entire universe.
If you think of AUM only a word or sound then you are missing the divine reality. AUM is not just a word or sound but the entire cosmos that we feel, touch, hears and enjoy.
AUM is known as unstruck sound
For millenniums, mystics have recorded AUM as the humming sound vibrations that are produced when they are conscious in deep meditation.
In Sanskrit, AUM sound is called as “Anahata Nada”, or the "Unstruck Sound." i.e the sound which formed by itself and not by the striking of two objects. AUM is composed of four elements, the first three are the vocal sounds and the fourth one is the unheard silence that surrounds the three vocal sounds.
AUM-sound of the universe
Types of sound
To know more on difference between struck and unstruck sound, let us first understand the classifications of sound. Sound is generally classified into two types
Vaayu(Air): This sound is produced by shock, collision of objects or natural events like lightning and thunder. Since this sound is produced by shock, it is also known as ahata or "struck".
Akashic(ethereal)- Akashic sound is the basis of all universal creation and is not perceived by the mundane senses. This sound is heard by only enlightened sages. This sound is also known as anahata or unstruck as it is not created naturally by collision of objects. One who is not interested in spiritual enjoyment remains forever unaware of the unstruck sound.
Struck sound is said to give pleasure, 'unstruck' sound gives Liberation." -Narada Purana.
Aum is the sound that emanates this universe
Aum, being venerated as the sound of the supreme Brahman, is believed to be the first sound of the universe. AUM is continuously played in background while the god creates this materialistic universe. This word is still considered to be the sound that emanates this universe in ultra-high frequencies which is inaudible to the human ears.
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Om - The universal sound
Aum is the sacred sound that holds all the objects together in space.
"Aum stands for the supreme Reality.
It is a symbol for what was, what is,
And what shall be. A U M represents also
What lies beyond past, present and future."
- Mundakya Upanishad
Bhagavad gita, verse 8.13
oṁ ity ekâksòaramì brahma vyâharan mâm anusmaran
yahò prayâti tyajan dehamì sa yâti paramâmì gatim
Translation:
After being situated in this yoga practice and vibrating the sacred syllable AUM, the supreme combination of letters, if one thinks of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and quits his body, he will certainly reach the spiritual planets.
In verse 13 of chapter 8, lord Krishna recommends the chanting of AUM to attain the highest goal of the life. Again in verse 8 of chapter six, lord Krishna declares “The existence of AUM in all Vedas and the existence of his in all humans.”
Why we can’t hear the natural AUM sound?
AUM is the sound that emanated from the big bang and since then it has been vibrating in the universe. What Indian sages have been saying since centuries, Quantum physics has finally proved that matter is made of pulsating vibrating energy though they haven’t yet confirm if the vibrating energy produces inaudible sound.
There are two forms of AUM.
Articulated AUM
Inarticulated AUM.
AUM that we can hear, say or think of in the mind is Articulated AUM Whereas AUM that cannot be perceived mentally or vocally and can be realized only by the divine conscious mind is Inarticulated AUM. Only divine eye can perceive the universal creation and destruction in AUM sound while the ignorant mind perceive it as just a humming and buzzing ringing sound
Our ear can hear sounds only in frequency range of 20 Hz to 20000 Hz. Rest of the sounds are not audible to the human ears. Through meditation and strict penance, mystics are able to hear the cosmic resonance of AUM in their activity of spiritual trance that fills the mind with extreme happiness. Cosmic resonance of AUM forms the morphogenetic consciousness field.
AUM is the vocabulary of all sounds
All sounds that are uttered through our mouth are an articulation of the syllable AUM. Aum within itself thus includes the entire vocabulary as all the words are uttered from the back of the mouth, travelling between in the tongue and finally reaching the lips. MMMM pronunciation is like locking the door of soul from materialistic pleasures and looking at inner self for the divine supreme truth.
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Sound of OM & Modern Sciences
All sound of this universe is an articulation of AUM
Generally, sound occurs when the two objects flap with one other. But AUM needs no such occurrence. AUM is the vocabulary of all known and unknown sounds, all written and non-written letters, all that is past, present and future. If pronounced properly, all the possible articulate sounds of this universe are generalized from three letters of AUM. All the articulate sounds that are produced from our mouth are because of the various possible arrangements of tongue and lips.
How AUM produces all possible sounds from your mouth
All the sounds lie between the movements of opening and the closings of the lips. Root sound ‘A’ is pronounced when you open the lips with tongue not touching any part of your palate, U is pronounced when you rolls the energy from the root of your tongue to the lips and M is pronounced by the closing movements of the lips.
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Aum for good sleep and meditation
AUM-The primordial sound of the universe
‘A’ represent creation as it is the starting point of all sounds, U signifies ‘preservation’ as it is produced when the throat is preserved while rolling the mouth. Finally, ‘M’ symbolizes destruction because the closing movement of the lips represents the end of all sounds. Thus, syllable AUM represents the matrix of all sounds, whole range of sound-production. Aum syllable is not the creation of any man; it is the primordial sound that is heard by all seers completely absorbed in meditation, with mind and senses far away from the attraction of materialistic pleasures.
AUM-Symbol of creation, preservation and destruction
The transcendental vibration of AUM is explained in Bhagavad-gîtâ (9.17) as:
pitâham asya jagato mâtâ dhâtâ pitâmahahò
vedyamì pavitram omìkâra ròk sâma yajur eva ca
Translation:
"I am the father of this universe, the mother, the support and the grandsire. I am the object of knowledge, the purifier and the syllable oṁ. I am also the Ròg, the Sâma and the Yajur Vedas."
What scriptures say about AUM?
"By His utterance came the universe." (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.2.4).
The Vedanta-sutras add that ultimate liberation comes from sound as well (anavrittih shabdat).
Aspects of God have been represented in Vedas in multiple ways. Two of them are Shabda Brahman - "God as word" and Nada Brahman - "God as sound". Thus, the spiritual aspect of sound energy has been recorded long time ago in ancient Indian literature.
"By sound vibration one becomes liberated" (Vedanta-sutra 4.22).
Encoded in this simple yet profound symbol are the mysteries of the past, present and the future. Everything is embedded in the word AUM. (Mandukya Upanishad).
All animate or inanimate objects respond to sound
Quantum physics has revealed that AUM has the octave ratio of 1:2.
Latest experiments on Wave patterns subjected by an independent source on the gross material objects revealed the subtler level of materialistic energies. Discovery of the neutrino by enrich Fermi in the early 1930s broke many law of conservative physics. More and more subtler level of energies that were previously undiscovered is not a confirmed fact.
When Thompson conducted a two wave dimensional experiment on the surface of water, he observed the gradual formation of AUM symbol. By this experiment, he concluded that the random noise we hear in our environment consist of information that means nothing to us but mean something to the inanimate objects, trees, animals etc or it may contain some information that would describe the past or future course of actions. Since many of the environmental sounds like lightning and thunder cannot be produced on will, it is very difficult to analyze the information hidden in the sound waves generated by such events.
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Cymatics proved matter reacting to sound waves
Cymatic is the study of visible sound first proposed by Dr. Hans Jenny in 1930. Every sound has its corresponding intricate geometrical design patterns. This can be observed by projecting sound waves at different frequencies on sand or any similar minute particles kept on a metal plate. Each of such sound forces the particles to arrange itself on the plate.
AUM sound experiment inside great Pyramid
AUM Sound was recorded inside the great pyramid and the recording was played on the tonoscope to visualize the effect of AUM on visible water. What the reasearchers found was simply amazing. They saw the matter took the elliptical shape of our
Galaxy. IT was not the representation of our solar system but the sun and other planets revolving around the galaxy. Hence elliptical orbit is produced by the force that holds all celestial objects in space.
OM” or “AUM” looks like
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STEVEN HALPERN Sacred Chant recorded Inside the Great Pyramid
Plants react to AUM sound
Do you know that plants can also create and reacts to sound waves? As it is wrongly believed, Sunflower does not turn its face towards sunlight but toward the source that produces the powerful AUM sound. Will post separate articles on plants creating music and responding to sound waves
Relationship of sound with five elements of nature
According to Vedas, it is said that during creation, Purusha or the super soul combines with Nature (Prakriti) to form Avyakta, which finally evolves to buddhi or Mahat(intelligence). Intelligence give rise to Ahankaara(Ego) which gradually expands into three qualities namely Satva, Rajas and Tamas. The combination of these three qualities guides the formation of various sensory and motor organs and the five natural elements called as panchbhutas. Aakasha(Ether) is the first of the subtle panchbhutas and sound is its medium. From Aakasa came Vaayu(Air), then Agni(Fire), from Agni evolved Jala(Water) and prithvi evolved from Jala.
The following table illustrates the relationship between the four stages of sound, the energy centres involved, the state of consciousness they represent, the type of body and the nature's power of will, knowledge and action.
Blowing Conch produces AUM sound
Conch resonate the AUM sound. This is why it is placed on all temples and blew in all religious ceremonies be it marriage, sacrifice, house warming etc. When Lord Krishna blew his conch before the start of Mahabharata war, the whole world trembled in fear as they listened to the thundering sound emanating from the conch.
Lord Krishna and arjuna blowing conch
Sound is the way to self-realization
According to Sanatana dharma, moksha or spiritual perfection is the ultimate goal of human life and nadopasana(Art of worshipping sound) is one of the means to achieve this highest level of self-realization.
The Vedanta-sutras add that ultimate liberation comes from sound(anavrittih shabdat).
"Our tradition teaches us that sound is God” - Nada Brahma
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AUM OM - Relax and meditate on the sound of OM
Conclusion:
Thu we have seen that AUM is the buzzing song of the god. All sounds that are produced in this universe are an articulation of AUM. AUM is the sound that not noly created this universe but also maintains this universe. In net article, we will see How AUM sound vibrations created this universe
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