What is om? The Symbol of Self in Vedanta Explained

Om (Oṁ, Auṁ) is one of the most sacred and comprehensive symbols in the Vedic tradition. It has been described as the primordial sound, the symbol of Brahman, the essence of all experience, and the summary of all that exists.

Om appears across countless teachings as a symbol for various triads: the three states of experience (waking, dreaming, deep sleep), the three bodies (gross, subtle, causal), the three powers of nature (sattva, rajas, tamas), and the three expressions of Brahman (sat, chit, ananda).

Yet its meaning need not be complicated. When seen or chanted, Om can be understood as a symbol for the entire order of creation. It is a sonic reminder of the truth: that we live within the great order, and that order lives within us—as the true Self.

Om is the silent presence that enlivens all life. It is what animates the body, digests food, circulates blood, and gives rise to thought and feeling. It is the unseen intelligence in animals, plants, and all natural systems. It is both the source and the sustaining principle behind all things, from galaxies to microbes.

In Vedanta, Om is used in two primary ways:

(1) As a mantra of invocation, calling upon the Lord (Ishvara) who sustains the totality through order.

(2) As a symbol for contemplation in the advanced stage of nididhyasana (Self-inquiry), after one has already understood the teaching of non-duality.

The Mandukya Upanishad describes Om as comprising four quarters. The first three represent the states of waking (jagrat), dreaming (svapna), and deep sleep (sushupti). The fourth is not another state, but the silent, non-dual awareness in which the other three arise and dissolve—pure consciousness itself.

Phonetically, Om consists of three sounds: a + u + m, pronounced as a single syllable, “oṁ.”

• A represents the waking state and physical experience.

• U represents the dream state and the subtle mental world.

• M represents deep sleep, the unmanifest condition of the mind and world.

The silence that follows the sound is the most important part. It represents turiya—the fourth, unchanging Self that pervades and transcends all states of experience. To fully appreciate this silence, Self-knowledge is essential. Without it, one merely chants Om as a sound, unaware of its depth.

Swami Dayananda Saraswati adds that “a” is not only the physical world but also the one who experiences it; “u” is the dreamer or fantasizer; and “m” is the sleeper. The sound Om, then, becomes a complete symbol of the human condition—from gross to subtle to causal—and the silence is its source.

For pronunciation, the Arsha Vidya UK website suggests forming the lips into a small circle and pronouncing the “o” as in go or toe. The “o” should be elongated, followed by a short “m” sound. The total duration should be three short measures: o-o-m. Afterward, allow attention to rest in the silence before repeating the mantra.

In this way, Om becomes more than a sound—it becomes a doorway. A reminder. A returning home to the Self.

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Root & Meaning

Oṁ (also written Aum) — the primordial sound and most sacred syllable in the Vedic tradition. Derived from the combination of the phonemes a (waking), u (dreaming), and m (deep sleep), representing the totality of experience and consciousness. The silence following the syllable signifies turiya—the fourth, changeless reality underlying all states.

Scriptural References

• Mandukya Upanishad – Entire text devoted to explaining Om as the symbol of Brahman and the Self, relating its three sounds (a, u, m) to the waking, dream, and deep sleep states, and the silence to turiya.

• Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 5.1.1 – Declares Om as the whole of this universe and the essence of the Vedas.

• Chandogya Upanishad 1.1.1–1.1.10 – Teaches Om as the udgitha, the sacred chant, and its role in meditation and worship.

• Katha Upanishad 1.2.15–17 – Describes Om as the bow, the Self as the arrow, and Brahman as the target to be realized.

• Bhagavad Gita 8.13 – Teaches meditation on Om at the time of death as a means to reach the Supreme.

• Taittiriya Upaniṣad 1.8.1 – Presents Om as the essence of the Vedas and a means of invoking auspiciousness before study.

Traditional View

Om is considered both a sound vibration used in chanting and a visual/mental symbol for meditation. In Vedic ritual, it sanctifies the beginning and end of recitations and offerings. As a symbol, it is the essence of the Vedas and the cosmic name of the Absolute. Recitation (japa) of Om is said to align the mind with the universal order (rita).

Vedantic Analysis

Vedanta sees Om as a pratika (symbol) for Brahman. The Mandukya Upanishad maps its three audible parts—a, u, m—onto the three states of consciousness:

1. a — waking (jagrat) state, associated with the gross body (sthula sharira).

2. u — dream (svapna) state, associated with the subtle body (sukshma sharira).

3. m — deep sleep (sushupti), associated with the causal body (karana sharira).

   The silence after Om points to turiya, the non-dual Self, ever-present in and beyond the other states.

Common Misunderstandings

• “Om is just a Hindu religious chant.” (Vedanta: It is a universal pointer to consciousness itself, not sectarian.)

• “Chanting Om produces enlightenment.” (Vedanta: Chanting can purify and focus the mind, but Self-knowledge comes from shravana–manana–nididhyaana.)

• “Om is only a sound.” (Vedanta: The sound is a symbol; its significance lies in what it represents.)

Vedantic Resolution

Through contemplation on Om, one comes to see that the Self is the substratum of all experience. Regular recitation with understanding (om-japa) steadies the mind, while inquiry into its meaning (om-vichara) dissolves the identification with the changing states. The culmination is recognizing that you are turiya, the silent awareness in which waking, dreaming, and deep sleep arise and subside.