word
Om
Words · Rituals · Traditions
A sacred syllable of Indian mantra practice. Not a casual “ohm” of electricity and not every hummed charm.
Also known as aum
Vedic tradition
Om appears in Vedic tradition.
Vedic sacred-syllable speech seats oṃ among ritual utterance neighbors of the hymn world. A named om syllable in that tradition’s Atlas source reception, not mantra as every formula and not a New Age dump.
from Stephanie W. Jamison and Joel P. Brereton (translation) · The Rigveda, 2014 (this translation); hymns much older
appears in · sourced · culturally specific
Brahman is historically related to Om.
The Gita names brahman among the yoga and syllable teachings and ties the sacred OM among designations of the absolute. A named brahman historically related to that OM speech, not Brahma as the creator deity and not ātman as the self-principle alone.
from Anonymous (Mahābhārata); English public-domain translations · Bhagavad Gita, classical Sanskrit; English PD translations 19th–early 20th c.
historically related to · sourced · documented
Jñāna is historically related to Om.
The Gita’s knowledge speech (jñāna) turns on knowing the self, the absolute, and sacred designation including OM. A named jñāna historically related to that syllable-teaching neighborhood, not bare information and not jñāna-yoga as the whole path label alone.
from Anonymous (Mahābhārata); English public-domain translations · Bhagavad Gita, classical Sanskrit; English PD translations 19th–early 20th c.
historically related to · sourced · documented
Aparokṣa jñāna is historically related to Om.
Aparokṣa jñāna names immediate knowing that later Vedānta hears in the Gita’s direct self-knowledge and sacred-syllable counsel. A named aparoksha-jnana historically related to OM speech in that reading, not bare book-learning and not jñāna-yoga as the path label alone.
from Anonymous (Mahābhārata); English public-domain translations · Bhagavad Gita, classical Sanskrit; English PD translations 19th–early 20th c.
historically related to · sourced · culturally specific
Nirguṇa is historically related to Om.
The Gita’s absolute speech includes the imperishable unmanifest and sacred syllable without erasing saguna devotion. A named nirguna historically related to OM as qualityless-absolute neighborhood, not saguna as form-Lord alone and not brahma the creator deity.
from Anonymous (Mahābhārata); English public-domain translations · Bhagavad Gita, classical Sanskrit; English PD translations 19th–early 20th c.
historically related to · sourced · documented
Omkara represents Om.
Oṃkāra is the written ॐ mark that represents the spoken sacred syllable OM taught in the Gita’s absolute designations. A named omkara as sign of om, not every Devanagari letter and not brahman as the absolute under a glyph id.
from Anonymous (Mahābhārata); English public-domain translations · Bhagavad Gita, classical Sanskrit; English PD translations 19th–early 20th c.
represents · sourced · documented
sources
- The Rigveda · Stephanie W. Jamison and Joel P. Brereton (translation)
Stephanie W. Jamison and Joel P. Brereton, The Rigveda: The Earliest Religious Poetry of India.
- Bhagavad Gita · Anonymous (Mahābhārata); English public-domain translations
Bhagavad Gita (Bhagavadgītā).