ॐ
ओ३म् - अ + उ + म्
अकार · उकार · मकार
Frequently asked questions about Om
What does Om mean?
It is the pranava, the primordial sound, and it is not a word with a translation. It is heard as three sounds - a, u and m - with a silence after them, and the Mandukya Upanishad reads those four as waking, dream, deep sleep and the reality beyond all three.
Why does every mantra begin with it?
Because Om is treated as the seed of all mantras - the sound from which speech and creation issue. Prefixing it is how a mantra is placed within that whole, which is why Vedic recitation opens and closes with Om even when the mantra between them is long.
How is it chanted?
Slowly, letting the a open in the throat, the u round through the mouth and the m close at the lips, with the humming carried as long as the breath allows and a silence left before the next repetition. That silence is part of the practice, not a gap in it.
How many times should it be chanted?
Eleven, twenty-one or a mala of a hundred and eight, at dawn or dusk, sitting still. There is no ceiling and no minimum - Om is also used simply as a settling of the mind before any other japa or before meditation.
Is initiation needed?
For Om alone, no. It is chanted freely in homes, yoga classes and temples by everyone. Formal upasana of the pranava as a sadhana in its own right is taken from a teacher, which is a different undertaking from chanting it. This page is the japa formula; forty-verse hymns are on the Chalisa index, and you can count repetitions with the japa mala counter.
About the Om - Pranava Mantra
Om - the Pranava, the primordial sound from which all creation arises and the seed of every mantra.
Meaning
Om (Aum) is the eternal, single-syllable sound symbol of Brahman, the supreme reality. Its three sounds A-U-M represent creation, sustenance and dissolution, the waking, dream and deep-sleep states, and the silence beyond is the Self.
Benefits
Chanted before every prayer and meditation to steady the mind, purify the surroundings and attune the self to the cosmic vibration; brings calm, focus and inner peace.
The Three Sounds of Om
The Mandukya Upanishad devotes itself entirely to this one syllable. The sound A (akara) begins deep in the throat and stands for the waking state and the created world; U (ukara) rolls forward across the tongue and stands for the dream state and the subtle world; M (makara) closes on the lips and stands for deep sleep and the unmanifest. The brief silence after the M - the "half-measure" (ardha-matra) - points to Turiya, the fourth state: pure consciousness itself, beyond waking, dream and sleep. The three sounds are also traditionally associated with creation, sustenance and dissolution, the powers of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
How to Chant Om
Sit comfortably with the spine upright, take a slow full breath, and let the sound rise unhurried - the A from the belly, the U gliding through the mouth, the M humming on closed lips for roughly twice as long as the first two sounds together, and then rest a moment in the silence that follows. That silence is considered as much a part of the practice as the sound.
Om is traditionally chanted 3, 9, 21 or 108 times. The early morning, especially the Brahma muhurta (the last hour and a half before sunrise), is considered the best time, but Om carries no restriction of day, place or initiation - it may be chanted by anyone, at any time, before study, prayer, yoga or meditation.
Who Chants It, and When
Om opens and closes nearly every Vedic recitation: every other mantra on this site begins with it. Students chant it before study, yogis use it to steady the breath and mind, and meditators rest their attention on its fading resonance. If you are new to mantra practice, this single syllable is the traditional place to begin - a few slow repetitions each morning, building gradually to a full mala of 108.
The Om - Pranava Mantra above is given in both Devanagari (Sanskrit) and Roman transliteration so you can read it in whichever script you are comfortable with - switch between the two using the buttons above, share the link, or download a PDF.
A mantra is a compact formula for japa, not a long hymn. Forty-verse hymns live under Chalisa; lamp-songs under Aarti; longer stotras under Stotram. Browse every formula on the Mantra index. Count repetitions with the online japa mala counter.
