According to Hindu philosophy this syllable is combined of three components: the letter A, which represents creation, when all existence issued forth from Brahma's golden nucleus; the letter U, which refers to Vishnu the god of the middle who preserves this world by balancing Brahma on a lotus above himself. The letter U with the A, produces the sound of the long O. The M produces the prolonged resonance of the nasal cavity with the mouth closed: it is the final part of the cycle of existence, when Vishnu falls asleep and Brahma has to breathe in so that all existing things have to disintegrate and are reduced to their essence to him. This is the M of Mahesha, also known as the great Lord Shiva, whose long period of yoga begins so that the sensual world ceases to exists.

Gods and Goddesses are sometimes referred to as Omkar/Aumkar, which means form of OM/AUM, thus implying those who are limitless, the vibrational whole of the cosmos. Ek Onkar, meaning 'one god' is a central tenet of Sikh religious philosophy. In Hindu metaphysics, it is proposed that the manifested cosmos (from Brahman) has name and form (nama-rupa), and that the closest approximation to the name and form of the universe is OM/AUM, since all existence is fundamentally composed of vibration. This concept of describing reality as vibrations, or rhythmic waves, can also be found in quantum physics and superstring theory, which describe the universe in terms of vibrating fields or strings.

In advaita philosophy it is frequently used to represent three subsumed into one, a common theme in Hinduism. It implies that our current existence is mithya, or 'skewed reality,' that in order to know the full truth we must comprehend beyond the body and intellect and intuit the true nature of infinity, of a Divine Ground that is imminent but also transcends all duality, being and non-being, that cannot be described in words. Within this metaphysical symbolism, the three are represented by the lower curve, upper curve and tail of the subsumed into the ultimate One, represented by the little crescent moon-shape and dot, known as chandrabindu. Essentially, upon moksha, mukti, samadhi, nirvana, liberation, etc. one is able not only to see or know existence for what it is, but to become it. In attaining truth one simply realizes fundamental unity; it is not the joining together of a prior manifold splitting. When one gains true knowledge, there is no split between knower and known: one becomes knowledge/consciousness itself. In essence, OM/AUM is the signifier of the ultimate truth that all is one.

Dvaita (Vaishnava) philosophies teach that 'OM/AUM' is an impersonal sound representation of Vishnu/Krishna while Hari Nama is the personal sound representation. A represents Krishna, U Srimati Radharani and M jivas. According to Sridhara Svami OM/AUM has five parts: A, U, M, the nasal bindu and the reverberation (nada). Liberated souls meditate on the Lord at the end of that reverberation. For both Hindus and Buddhists this syllable is sacred and so laden with spiritual energy that it may only be pronounced with complete concentration.

Examples of Three into One:

OM/AUM is also called Pranav, because, its sound emanates from the Prana (vital vibration), which feeds the Universe.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Aum".