THE OM TAT SAT.

1. Preamble of Om tat sat. After consideration of Yoga the title of our work, and all its component parts tending to the exercise of meditation, together with an investigation into the nature of Átman or soul, as the agent of the act of meditating and procuring its salvation, we are led by a natural and coherent train of thought to an inquiry into the nature of that grand object of our holy and profound meditation, which is the only means of our emancipation, and which is presented at once to our view in the exordium of the work in the mystical characters of Om Tat Sat = On Id Est.

2. Ambiguity of the word Om. The word Om forming the initial of the said epigraph standing prominent at the top of the opening page of the work, and being more than a multinymous term and ambiguous in its acceptations, requires to be treated at some length, in order to discover the hidden meaning lying buried under that mystic emblem of the grand arcanum of Brahmanical and Universal religion, from amidst a variety of significations which are heaped upon it in the sacred writings and holy speculations of the early sages of India.

The Sruti Says:—

3. In the beginning was the word Om. ॐमित्येवमग्रमासीत् । प्रथम मोङ्कारात्मकमासीत् । तस्माच्च निःसृताः सर्ब्बे, प्रलीयन्ते तत्रवै । So saith the Holy scripture:—

“In the beginning was the word, the word was with God, and the word was God. All this was made by him, and without him was not anything made, that was made and” St. John 1.1-3.

Om, the light of the world. And again says the Sruti दीप्यतोँ ज्योतिः । तत्तेजोऽनेनैवोमित्येव तदुद्बुध्न्यति । मैत्री उप ७ ।११

“That Om shone forth as light, but they received it not, and hid it in darkness.” So the Scripture:—

“That was the light of the world, and the light shone upon the world, but the world knew it not &c.” St. John, Ch 1, V. 5. 9. 10.

5. Its Revelation to mankind. Again says the Scripture:—“God sent one to bear witness of the light, that all men through him might believe.” Id 1.7. So Brahmá the god revealed its meaning to his first begotten son Atharvan, and Atharvan, the Prajápati, gave instruction on the subject to Pippaláda, Sanatkumára and Angira (Weber A. S. L., p. 164). Again Angiras, who communicated it to Saunaka, had obtained it from Bharadvája Satyaváha, and the latter again from Ángira, the pupil of Atharvan, to whom it was revealed by Brahmá himself (Weber A. S. L., p. 158).

6. Works on its Disquisition. Hence it is the Atharva Sikhá Upanishad in which the investigation of the sacred word Om is principally conducted apart from those of the Mándukya, Maitrí and Táraka Upanishads. (Web. Id., p. 164). These together with their Bháshyas by Sankara, the Kárikás of Gaudapáda, and the commentaries of Ánandagiri on them, are chiefly devoted to the scrutiny of the sacred syllable, beside the partial disquisition of every other Upanishad and theological work into the hidden sense of this mystic word. Weber points out the Saunaka and Pranava Upanishads among the number (A. S. L., p. 165).

7. Mode of our Investigation. We shall proceed in this prolegomena first to investigate into the orthographical character and structure of this syllable, and then to inquire into the designations and etymological synonyms or the word, with the lexical meanings that we can get of them, and lastly to treat of the many mystical interpretations which this single word is made to bear as a common emblem of them.

II. Orthography of Om.

1. The letter ॐकारः Firstly: Om with respect, to its name and utterance is called Onkára, that is, the nasal On in combination with the adjunct kára (signifying a sound) and meaning the letter On. For all sounds whether vocal (स्वरबर्ण) or sonant (व्यञ्जन), nasal (सानुनासिक) or not-nasal (निरनुनासिक), articulate (ब्यक्तस्फुट) or onomatopoeia (अब्यक्तास्फुट), are denominated letters; as the letters a &c. (अकारादि) are called vowels, the letters Ka &c. (ककारादि) consonants; so the nasals Án, in (आं इँ) &c., as also the inarticulate ones (फङ्कार) &c., are all letters; but the Onkára is the root of all; thus ॐकारेण सर्ब्बबाक् सस्तणोति । माण्डुक्योपनिषद् । Manu calls it a letter in the passage:—“This one letter is the emblem of the Most High”. II.83. Vide Dr. Mitra’s Ch’hánd Up, p. 4.

2. A conjunct Letter युक्ताक्षरः But here a question is raised as to whether a conjunct vowel or consonant may with propriety be styled a single letter or not. To this says Dr. R. L. Mitra in a foot-note to his translation of the Ch’hándogya Upanishad that—“It is true that this emblem conveys two sounds, that of O and m, nevertheless it is held to be one letter in the above sense; and we meet with instances even in the ancient and modern languages of Europe that can justify such privileges, such as xi and psi, reckoned single letters in Greek, and Q. W. X. in English and others.” (Ch 1. Sec. 1. p. 4). So is lámálif in Persian &c. The Sanskrit conjunct ksha (क्ष) is considered a single consonant, when they say, ककारादि क्षकारान्तं ब्यञ्जनं परिकीर्त्तितं ।

3. The Syllable Om ओमक्षरं । It is also like every other single or conjoint letter of the alphabet (युक्तायुक्त बर्ण) termed an akshara (अक्षर) or syllable, which forms either a word by itself when standing alone, or part of a word followed by an adjunct as ॐ, ॐकार, ओमक्षर &c.; where the first is a word of one syllable or monosyllabic term एकाक्षर, and the others as dissyllabic and trisyllabic words (द्ब्यक्षर, त्र्यक्षर शब्द), according as they are uttered by the help of one or more articulations of the voice. Om akshara apart from its other signification of the Imperishable and the like, and its symbolism of the Supreme Spirit, is also used in the sense of a syllable in the original writings and their translations. Thus says the Kathopanishad; एतद्ध्येबाक्षरंब्रह्म एतद्ध्येबाक्षरंपरं । एतद्ध्येबाक्षरं ज्ञात्वा ब्रह्मलोकेमहीयते ।

Manu says:—“That which passeth not away is declared to be the syllable om, thence called akshara.” He calls it also a triliteral monosyllable. II. 84. So says Mon. Wm: “Om is a most sacred monosyllable significant of the Supreme Being.” (Indian Wisdom p. 103 note 1).

4. The character Om ॐकार ।Omkára likewise indicates the written character Om, because the suffix Kára like Ákára is used to signify its written form or sign (आकार चिह्न), and in this sense the Bengali ও, corresponds with Greek character w omega the inverted ও, or the Omikron = English O, and Oao Persian, and likens to the Sanskrit bindu O, which is but another name of Om (ओंकारः ब्रह्मबिन्दुः). But the ও is formed by the union of two dots or cyphers (O bindu) like Greek Omega of two omicrons and the English w of two u’s. So says the Gáyatrí Tantra, ॐकारो ब्रह्म बिन्दुर्बिन्दुद्वय बिनिर्म्मतः । अधोर्द्ध बिन्दुरित्यादि । And again: समनुः परमाराध्या संयुक्ता ब्रह्म बिन्दुना. “It is the union of two circlets, one being the symbol of one’s own divinity and the other that of Brahma.” This character by itself is regarded with high veneration as an emblem of the Infinite, independent of its meaning or utterance, and is marked on the forehead of every devotee in the form of a spot or crescent.

5. The Symbol ॐ बिन्दुः । The symbolical Om is represented by four cyphers as placed over one another अधोर्द्धबिन्दु चतुष्टयं, and each designated by a different name in the aforesaid Tantra, and supposed to form the cavities of the heart and mouth of Brahm, चतुर्वर्ग प्रदा बिद्या चतुर्बिन्द्वात्मिकासदा । आद्यन्ते प्रणवंदत्वा गायत्रीं प्रजपेद्दिज । बामाधर्म्म प्रदा बिन्दुर्ज्येष्ठा अर्थ प्रदा तथा । रौद्रीकाम प्रदाबिन्दुः श्रीबिन्दुः मोक्षदायिनी ॥ महेश्वर बदनं बिन्दुः श्रीबिष्णोः हृदयंतथा ॥ मोक्षदाताच श्रीबिन्दुः चतुर्बिन्दु बिनिर्णयः ॥ These bindus or cyphers are differently named in the Vedánta, as we shall shortly come to see under the denominations of omkára. (No. IV).

6. Symbolized as Jagannátha.

The best representation of Om is the image of the god Jagannátha, which is said to be an incarnation of the mystic syllable प्रणबाबतार, or made in the form of Om, and not in that of Buddha, as some of our antiquarians have erroneously supposed it to be. There is a learned dissertation on the subject of Jagannátha’s representation of Onkára to be found in one of the early articles of the Asiatic Society’s Researches, where the reader will get much more light on this mysterious subject.

7. Comparison of om and on. It will further be found on comparison that ॐ bears not only a great resemblance to the Greek on written as ȣ with the nasal above the O, but their perfect agreement with each other in sense will leave no ground of suspecting their identity with one another, as it will be fully treated of afterwards.

III. The Ortheopy Or Analysis of Om.

1. A Monad. We have already seen that the circular form of the letter O in Om, called a bindu dot or cypher, was used like a geometrical point to denote a monad without parts, and represent the Supreme Being subsisting as the central point of the great circle of Universe, and filling the infinity of its circumference with his own life and light. The Vedas and the early theology of the Upanishads invariably understood the Om as synonymous with One, and expressive of the unity of the God-head; as in the motto ओमेकमेबाद्वितीयं ब्रह्म । ओमेकामेवैतत् । of the Vedantists, corresponding with the monotheistic creed of Christians and Mahomedans “God is one” and “without an equal” “Wahed Ho la Sharik laho” “The unity of the God-head is the dictum of the Koran and Vedánta.” (Mon. Wm’s. Hindu Wisd. p. XLI. 1).

The Manduka and similar Upanishads describe the majesty of the one. (Weber, p. 161). “That one breathed breathless by itself” &c. Max Müller’s A. S. Lit. p. 560.

2. Om a Duad. Formerly the letter O of om, on, and One was considered a pure and simple sound, and made to represent a monad or Unity; but in course of time and with the progress of language it was found out to be a compound letter (सन्ध्यक्षर), formed by the union of a + u = o (अ + उ = ओ), and two o’s in w omega or two u’s in w. (See. S. Gr. & Baine’s grs). Then the perfect figure of the great circle was considered to be composed of two semicircles which the w = उ was made to represent. This gave rise to the conception of a duality in the divine person, and hence grew the theory of the male and female पुरुष प्रकृति in the original androgyne of the Sankhya and Hara Gauri (हर गौरी and उमा महेश्वर) of the Tantra. Hence it is said; अनइत्यक्षरं ब्रह्म शब्द प्रकृति कुण्डली । अनन्यं हिबिनाब्रह्मनास्ति कुत्रापि सुन्दरि । इति गायत्री तन्त्रं ।

The syllable ov = on is a word for Brahma (God), and the other cypher represents nature (the world). There is no Brahma, but ov = ॐ or ओम् । The dualism of Sankhya yoga is too well known to require an explanation.

3. Om a Triad. At a later period and posterior to the dualistic doctrines of the aforesaid Tantra and Pátanjala yoga systems, the Om branched out into a Triad by the union of the nasal letter m or n with the उ or w, and forming the conjoined character ॐ and wn in Sanskrit and Greek. Henceforward Onkára is regarded as a triliteral word composed of a+u+m to represent a triplicate deity. Thus says Monier Williams:—

“Om is supposed to be composed of three letters A, U, M, which form a most sacred monosyllable (एकाक्षर), significant of the Supreme Being as developing himself in the Triad of gods, Brahmá, Vishnu and Siva” (Indian Wisdom p. 103 note I). So we have in Manu II. 83 and 84:—

So also the Bhagavad Gitá. VIII. 13.

Here the two halves of the circle उ comprise Vishnu and Siva as joined in the bipartite body of Hari Hara alias Hara Hari, adored by the dualists called द्वैतवादिनः, or more fully as हरिहराद्वैतवादिनः and Brahmá the god of Manu, is placed in the circlet above the great circle of his created world. We need but hint to our readers in this place, to observe how the original word Om or Ov and One developed itself into the existing faith of trinity. The Tántrica Sivites however place their god Siva in the upper semicirclet formed by म = m the initial of Maheswara (महेश्वर), and say:—

This is more reasonable to believe from both the letter m’s and its god Siva’s amalgamation with the early Aryan duality to form the present faith of triality at a much later period.

4. Om the Tetrad. We next see a further progress of Om in its development from the triliteral to a quadriliteral form, by its assumption of a crescent or half circlet (कुण्डली) according to the Tantra, or a half Mátrá (अर्द्ध मात्रा) of the Vedánta. The Tantra says तदूर्द्ध कुण्डलीकारा शक्तिः । The Maitrí Upanishad mentions only of the three Mátrás of Om (Ch. vi Sec. 3).

“But the Mundak Upanishad” says Weber, “refers to the half Mátrá (mora), to which the word Om here appearing in its full glory, is entitled in addition to its three Mátrás (morae) a. u. m. This is evidently a later addition by some one who did not like to miss the mention of the subject in the Atharvana Upanishad in which it occurs.” p. 160. Again says he—“The Mándukya Upanishad which treats of the three and half Mátrás of the word Om, is to be looked upon as the real Mándukya, all the rest is the work of the Gaudapáda, whose pupil Govinda was the teacher of Sankaráchárya about the seventh century A. D.”

5. Om the Pentad. We find next a quinquiliteral figure of Om in its component parts of the three mátrás, m, and the bindu or चन्द्र बिन्दु the fifth.

6. Om the Hexad. And then again with a sextuple or Hexaliteral Om composed of the sixth member of Náda (नाद) over and above the aforesaid five parts.

7. Om the Heptad. The septuple Om is described in the Ramatápaniya upanishad as consisting of अ, उ, म, नाद, बिन्दु, शक्ति and नम । Weber’s A. S. Lit. p. 312.

8. Om the Octad. This consists of the aforesaid seven parts, which together with Sánti called in Persian Sákat complete the number, Weber. Id. p. 315.

IV. The Different Denominations of Om.

1. The Initial of the Veda. The om is denominated the heading of the Veda (बेदशिरः) as the Gáyatrí hymn is termed to be its parent (बेदमाता). It stands at the top (शिरस्) of every book (मण्डल), chapter (अष्टक), and hymn (ऋच्) of every Veda either alone by itself or two or three oms put together, as ओमग्निमीले on ignem aiede of the Rigveda, ॐ त्रिसप्ता On triseptem &c. of the Atharvan; again ॐ ॐ ॐ ऋग्वेदाय स्वाहा on I salute thee O Rigveda &c.

It is hence used at the head (शिरस्) of every book on any branch of knowledge (बिद्या) which is a paronym of and derived from the same root (बिद् Video) with Veda (बेद्). The Tantra calls it as the heading of the Gáyatrí which begins with the syllable;

2. The sacred Syllable. पूर्णाक्षरं It is called the sacred syllable because it is used in sacred writings and in the sacred Vedic and Sanskrit languages only, and never in the popular vernacular tongues, which are known as unsacred and impure (असंस्कृतं). Moreover it is used in sacerdotal functions of the sacerdotal class (संस्कारेसंस्कृतात्मनां) or regenerate classes of men, and never by the impure Súdra on pain of damnation (ॐकारोच्चारणाद्धोमात् श्रुद्रोहिनरकंब्रजेत्), unless he is sacrified by investiture of the sacred or sacrificial thread, (यज्ञोपवीतं). Thus says the Sástra; श्रुद्रोऽपि अधीकारीस्यात् यज्ञसूत्रप्रदानतः । गायत्री तन्त्रं, ४र्थ पटलः ।

The sacredness of the word Om, as the expression for the eternal position of things, is specially emphasised in the Katha Upanishad (Weber. p. 158).

3. The Holy syllable पबित्रं It is held as the most holy syllable being an appellation of the Most High, and must not be uttered in unholiness even by the holy orders of men: so says the Katha Up;—“This is the most holy syllable, this the supreme syllable, whosoever knoweth this syllable getteth whatever he desireth.” (Cowell’s Maitrí Upanishad. Ch. VI. S. 4) note.

4. The Mystic Syllable गुह्यं This is styled the mystic syllable because the most recondite and abstruse doctrines of Brahmanical theism are hidden under its symbolical garb, and form the foundation of those wonderful structures of the mystic poetry and philosophy of nations, which have been beautifully illustrated by Sir W. Jones in his “Mystic Poetry of the Hindus, Persians, and Greeks.” It was this mysticism which invited a Pythagoras of old to India. Manu says;—“He knows the Veda, who distinctly knows the mystic sense of this word.” Chap XI. 266.

These senses are recommended to be deeply studied by the Upanishads themselves, saying;—“The om is a subject of deep study” (Web. p. 163), and forms of itself “as another triple Veda.” (Manu XI. 265). It is enjoined to be carefully kept in secrecy by the Tantras and Smritis.

5. The Mysterious syllable गूढ़ाक्षर Om again as a symbol of the eternal position of things प्रकृतिः कुण्डालाकारा, presents to us a mysterious round of the mystic dance of myriads of spheres, emitting an inaudible sound reaching beyond its utmost limit to the unknown One who sitteth above the circumference of its visible horizon; or as the sacred writer expresses it; “He that sitteth on the circle of the earth.” Isaiah. Chap. X. 1. The Tantra speaks of its encompassing the world; ब्यापकत्वादि तत्त्वाच बिन्दुस्तेनैब कथ्यते, अनुस्वारस्वरूपासा बिन्दुरुपाचिदाकृतिः । गायत्रीतन्त्रं ।

6. The sphere of sound नादबिन्दुः That om contains within it the whole sphere of sounds (नाद) is beautifully illustrated in twenty slokas or stanzas in an Upanishad of that name the नादबिन्दूपनिषद् । (Weber, p. 165). It shows how the eternal sound om emitted by Brahma pervaded throughout the Universe, and the manner in which all other sounds are propelled by continual vibrations of air like curves upon the surface of water (बीचितरङ्गन्यायेन) to the auditory of the other. The Vindu is a Mudrá in Tantra ब्यपकत्त्वाद्बिन्दुमुक्तं । कुण्डलिनी स्वार सर्ब्ब ब्यापिनी । Compare the Pythagorean music of the spheres.

7. The Focus of light तेजो बिन्दुः । The Tejovindu Upanishad describes Om as the source and focus of light in fourteen slokas, and the empyrean above it as the abode of pure ineffable light (परं ज्योतिः) of God that illumines the other spheres. (Web. p. 165). This light is viewed in the orb of the sun and in fire by their worshippers. Compare Milton’s hymn to light; “Hail holy light” &c.

8. The spot of immortality अमृत बिन्दुः Again Om is termed the reservoir of immortality or endless life in the Amritavindu Upanishad which describes it in thirty stanzas, to be the eternal fountain of the infinity of lives that fills all animated nature, and is drawn back to it. Its circumference extends to the regions of light and life, and beyond it is the region of death and darkness. “In this word there is light and life” (John 1) ॐज्योतिश्च प्राणश्च । इति तत्र ६ । ४ see Weber’s A. S. Lit. pp. 69, 154, 165.

9. The centre of Meditation ध्यान बिन्दुः Therefore Om is called the centre of meditation in the Dhyánavindu Upanishad of twenty one stanzas, which direct the concentration of our thoughts to that centre for the attainment of perpetual light and life which flow from it. (Weber p. 165). The Tantra takes a चक्र or मुद्रा and the Buddhist a chink in the wall to fix the sight in meditation.

10. The Position of Brahma ब्रह्म बिन्दुः And lastly Om is styled the receptacle of the great God, whose essence fills, pervades, and encompasses the whole orbit of the Universe, as it is described in twenty two slokas of the Brahma Vindu-Upanishad. It is called Brahma Mudrá in the Tantra. (Weber, p. p. 99, 158, 165).

V. Etymology of the Word Om.

1. Etymology of the Om. ॐ शब्द Having thus far seen the mysterious nature of the letter and syllable Om in its Orthography, we shall now consider it as a word, and see that not a less but much greater mystery is attached to its etymology than has been hitherto thought of by any, and which will be found upon examination to be more inscrutable in its nature than the mysteries of Eleusis and the inexplicable hieroglyphics of the Egyptian priests.

2. Its symbolism of Brahmanism तद्ब्रह्मण्य । These secret and sacred treasures of Brahmanic enigmas and symbols, have been carefully preserved by the Brahmahood in their cabalistic writings of the Tantras, which serve to be a secure safeguard of their religion amidst the ravages of foreigners in their liberty and literature, and require to be diligently searched into for a thorough mastery of these mysticisms.

3. Its derivation तदुत्पत्तिः Om is denominated a word (शब्द) in the Veda and other sacred scriptures, and explained as a noun also (संज्ञा) in the Nirukta and other lexicons. It is derived in the Koshas from the root aba or ava to protect, or save (रक्षणे) with the Unadi suffix मन् an anomalous formation into om to denote “protection.” Dr. Mitra too derives it from the radical अब “to preserve” with the suffix मन to denote the Most High according to Manu and Gítá. (Translation of Ch’hándogya Up. p. 4).

4. Its Primary sense धात्वर्थः Apart from the symbolical significations of Om (of which there are several as we shall come to notice afterwards), its primary and literal sense would make us give different interpretations of it according to the derivation of the term both in its verbal and nominal forms. अव as a verb in the imperative mood means “save” as मातरब​, त्रातरब​, दबऽब &c. in the Mugdhabodha, corresponding with the expressions, Ave Maria, salve salvator, salve Deus, save O God &c.

5. Its Nominal sense ब्युत्पत्यर्थ But aba to protect or preserve gives us the nominal (कृदन्त) forms of aba, ába, ábu, and ábuka (अब, आब, आबु, आबुक​), meaning a father or preserver in the Prákrit Speech of Sanskrit dramas, and these are found to agree in both respects of sound and sense with the words áb, ábá, ábu, ábuka, abi as ábuka &c. in Hebrew, Chaldee, Syriac and Arabic languages. This gives us the original meaning of अब of which ॐ is a derivative form, and shows the close affinity which the Aryan root bears to the Semitic, both in its sound and signification of “Father” (पाता and पिता) applied to the Great God.

6. The word Om ॐ शब्दः । But our question being Om and not the root अब, we ought to know to what part of speech it belongs and what sense we are to give of it here. It is said to be a word indicative of auspiciousness when used at the beginning; (आदौ ॐ शब्द प्रयोगो माङ्गलिकः). But whether as a verb or noun or any other part of speech, we know nothing of, and we are utterly at a loss what word to substitute for it in its translation. This is the reason why the word Om, is used by itself in the translations of Sanskrit works by Europeans and our countrymen also for want of a proper term, as it is seen in the English versions of Vedas and Upanishads.

7. An aptot noun अब्यय शब्दः । Om is enlisted as an indeclinable word in grammar having no inflection of its own in gender, number, case or person, and agreeing with all words in its unchanged state, as in the examples:— ओमीश्वर, ॐ दुर्गा, ॐ ब्रह्मन्, ॐ देबेभ्यो जुहोमि, ओमुपेत्वा ऊर्जेत्वा &c. It is included in the (स्वरादिगण) as an aptot noun, and with indeclinable particles (निपातन), as an adverb, conjunction and interjection also with various significations.

8. The initial Om आद्योमार्थः । The anomalous and multinymous particle Om was first discovered by Ram Mohun Roy to be no other than the participal noun on=being which as Max Müller says is to on ontws the Being of Beings A. S. Lit. pp. 321 et passim. The Latin ens and the French on as t’on, bear close affinity to On and ॐ both in their sound and sense.

9. The Final Om अन्त्योमार्थ । Dr. Rájendra Lála Mitra has in one of his works pointed out the Vedic Om, to correspond with the Hebrew “Amen,” and this will be found so true of the final Om of Brahmanical prayers, that its corresponding word Amin invariably forms the last word of every prayer in Arabic, Persian and all other Mahomedan and Semitic languages. Thus it is to be seen how intimately are both of these grand families of mankind connected with each other in the main point of their different creeds.

VI. Lexical Meanings of Om.

Adverbial Meanings. आभिधानिक निपातनार्थः । After the etymological and philological interpretations that we have been given of the word Om, it is worthwhileto attend to its meanings given in the current lexicons for the information of the majority, with whom the evidence of the history of philology is of little weight and value. Táranáth’s Sanskrit dictionary (वाचस्पत्याभिधान) presents us with following adverbial meanings of the word.

1. An Inceptive Particle. आरम्भार्थकः । The Medinikosha says he, expounds it as an inchoative particle (आरम्भार्थक शब्द) to mean the beginning of a thing (उपक्रम), and we find it accordingly used in the form of a proemial monogram at the exordium of a book or Vedic hymn, sacred rite or lecture, in the Sanhitas, Bráhmanas and Upanishads according to the passage quoted by Táránátha in his dictionary; तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य कृता बेदवादिनाम । यज्ञाद्याक्रिया शास्त्रोक्ताः सततं सम्प्रबर्त्तिते ॥ It answers the अथ of the Purána and the words now and then in English as in the passage of the Kathavalli; ॐ उशन् हवै बाजश्रबस इत्यादि ।

It is synonymous with beginning (आदि) in the Ch’hándogya Upanishad, whereupon the poet has well said. आसीत् महीक्षितामाद्यः प्रणवश्छन्दसा मिब । रघुवंशः । १ सर्गः ।

2. Illustrations of Ditto तदुदाहरणानि । Krishna (under the conception of the identity of his soul with that of the Divine), speaks of himself in the Bhágavadgítá that, he was the letter a of the alphabet, and the Om of words (वर्णानामकारोऽहं शब्दानाञ्चोङ्कारः). This is shown in the latest English translation of the work to be a doctrine derived from Christianity and corresponds with the passage “I am Alpha &c.” in the book of Revelations (Ch. I. V. 8). There is a similar passage in the Koran which says “He (God) is the first; Ho al awl corresponding with the Greek” Ho esten arche; and this passage and sometimes its initial Ὁ (Gr.) and our ॐ, is used by Moslems at the top and commencement of their books and other writings. Again like Alpha of the holy Scripture we find the use of Alif upon the head of all writings in Urdu, Persian, Arabic and Hebrew in daily practice. Hence it is hard to say who is the borrower, though every one will boast itself to be the lender. (Vide Weber’s paper on the Rám Tap Up. pp. 276, and 360).

3. An Initiatory Particle मङ्गलार्थ । The Kosha adds the sense of auspiciousness and prosperity (मङ्गलेशुभे) to the above, and this as we have already observed forms like the names of gods, the initiatory vocable of meritorious undertakings (आदाबोम शब्दः माङ्गलिकः). “Om” says the Ch’hándogya, “is also prosperity” (I, 8.) To this the scholiast Sankara says; “the letter Om is called prosperity, because it is possessed of the property and attribute of prosperity. The prosperous alone can pass the word Om” (Chh. up. Ch. 1, p. 8).

Its use is not confined to the sacred and antiquated language of Vedic writing and the liturgy, but is to be met with in the classic Sanskrit of ancient bards and modern poets. Thus we have in the Rámáyana of our author (रामायण ५ । ८१ । ११ । प्राज्यस्वर्विजयोङ्कारश्चक्रे). In this sense we discover a curious affinity of the Aryan Om with the Semitic Áman Amán and Aiman, as in the Persian phrase Aiman buád corresponding with ॐ or शुभं भूयात् ।

4. Gratulatory, Particle नमस्कारार्थः । The word has been rendered in our translation by the salutatory term “Hail”, from a supposed similarity of its meaning with that of namo नमस् which is used by women and Súdras in lieu of the sacred Om in their salutations to gods and superior beings, owing to the denunciation pronounced upon their utterance of the sacred syllable (स्त्रीशूद्रयोः प्रणवं नेच्छन्ति). We find its use in the same sense in Dr. Roer’s Translation of the Aitareya Upanishad, where it is rendered by “salutation to the Supreme Soul” and by “adoration” in Cowell’s version of the Maitrí Upanishad. We are however at a loss of authority to warrant our adoption of namo as a synonym of Om. We meet with instances of the use of Om and namo together to mean salutation, as, ॐन्नमः शिबाय and शिबायोँ न्नमः in the Mugdhabodha, where namo, expresses obeisance and governs शिबाय in the dative, and not Om which has no governing power.

5. Invocatory particle सम्बोधनार्थ । Om in the sense of invocation is an absolute monoptot like भोः, भगो, अघो, अहो &c., without the power of governing the following word, as ॐ नारायणा, and its double use as ॐ हरिः ॐ in the Aitareya Upanishad (1); so भो रक्ष, भगोरक्ष in the Mugdhabodha; but नमो and its synonyms स्वाहा, स्वाघा, बषट्, श्रौषट govern the dative as नमो हरये, स्वाहाग्नये, स्वघा पित्रे, &c. The invocatory Om is synonymous with the interjections O, ओ, अहो, हो and all other single vowels whether nasal or not (सानुनासिकनिरणुनासिकाः), all of which are ungoverning particles in this sense.

6. A Laudatory particle प्रणबः । Om is usually termed as pranava प्रणबः or praise or word of praise, from the root nu (प्र + नु + अप) to laud, and in this sense it might mean the glorification of Te Deum. Thus “Om is the pranava or initial word of the Rigveda priests, and it is termed the Udgítha (उद्गीथः) of Sáma Veda choristers सामगा who chaunt it”. (छन्दोग्यउपनिषद् १ । ३). But it is made to signify the object of the verb, or the Being that is lauded (यंनौति); and in this sense it means, “The Purusha or spirit who is unaffected by works, affections &c., and having the appellation of Pranava” (see Monier Williams’ Wisdom of the Hindus p. 103), so says Gaudapáda in his Káriká. In the former sense, Pranava corresponds with halleluyas and hosannas of Christians, and hamd o Salaut of Moslems, which are deemed sacred by their votaries. The Káriká has the following stanzas on it:—प्रणबोह्यपरं ब्रह्म प्रणबश्च परः स्मृतः । प्रणबं हीश्वरं बिद्यात् सर्ब्बस्य हृदि संस्थितः ॥ युञ्जीतप्रणवे चेतः प्रणवे ब्रह्मनिर्भयं । प्रणवे नित्ययुक्तस्यनभयं बिद्यते क्वचित ॥

7. A Permissive Particle अनुमत्यर्थः । It is used in a permissive sense both in Vedic and classic Sanskrit, and expressed in English by the words “on” “go on” and the like. We have an instance of it in the Mágha Kávya, in the passage: ओमित्युक्तबतोथशार्ङ्गिनः इतिब्याहृत्यबाचंनमः ।

(a.) An Injunctive अनुज्ञार्थः । “Verily this is an injunctive term (अनुज्ञाक्षरं), signifying injunction, order, and whatever is enjoined, and ultimately the letter Om.” (Ch’hándogya Upanishad). The scholium (भाष्य) explains it by saying that, “Whatever is enjoined by the learned or wealthy regarding learning and wealth, it is done by saying “Om”.” (Ibid I. 8. p. 8.)

8. A Particle of assent अङ्गीकारः । It bears also the sense of assent and consent (अङ्गीकारश्वीकारौ) meaning “ay” “aye” “yea” and “yes”, and in Bengali and Vernaculars हाँ and हुं. So says Sankaráchárya:—“Whatever is assented to by the learned and wealthy, it is done by saying “Om”.” Thus in the Vedic tradition; Yájnavalkya having been asked by Sákalya as to how many gods there were, said; “Thirty-three.” Sákalya assented by saying “Om.” Among modern writings, the Sáhitya Darpana cites the following instance of Om being used in this sense:—भ्रातर्द्विरेफ भवता भ्रमता समन्तात् । प्राणाधिका प्रियतमा ममबीक्षिता किं । ब्रुतेकिमोमित्यादि ।

9. A Particle of Repulse. अपाकृतिः । It is used as the interjectional particle हुँकार expressive of repelling or driving off another from one like “Avaunt” in English. We meet with an instance of its use in this sense in the Vetála Panchavinsati of Lassen (VI.) Thus, कृतोङ्कार बेतालेत्यादि ।

10. Do. of Ratifying. दृढीकरणे । It occurs in the sense of confirmation at the end of hymns and prayers in the Vedic writings, and corresponds with the words “Amen” and “Amin” at the conclusion of Christian and Moslem sermons and prayers as we have said long before. We have a verse of Hafiz to this effect, where he says bishnow O Ámin bogo i. e. “Hear and say amen.” There are many instances of it in the Upanishads, such as शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ओं हरिः ओं, and so in the Gáyatrí hymn which begins and ends with Om, agreeably to the precept which says; आद्यन्ते प्रणबं दत्त्वा गायत्रीं प्रजपेद्द्विजः । चतुर्बर्ग प्रदा बिद्या चतुर्बिद्यात्मिका सदा । गायत्री तन्त्रं ।

VII. The Nominal Meanings of Om.

1. Nominal Meanings of Om. संज्ञार्थः । Besides the meanings already given of Om as a particle, there are many other nominal significations attached to it as a significant noun or rather symbol to express certain attributes belonging to the nature of the Deity, that bear little or no connection with the etymology of the word.

2. Om the Creator जगत् स्रष्ठा । Om is used to denote the creative power of God in Sankara’s scholium. This sense is had from the primordial word logos the ov = be or fiat भुयात् buad uttered by God in his creation of the world, as we have in the scripture. “And god said, “Let there be” and there was”. Latin Fiat-et-fit; and Arabic Kom fa Kána.

3. Om is God ईश्वरः भिधानं । Pátanjala takes it as denotative of God himself तस्येश्वर वाचकतेति पातञ्जलः; and others as a denotation of the Supreme God ॐ परमेश्वरेच । एतद्ध्येबाक्षरं परं । इति कठः । तारानाथ वाचस्पत्याभिधानं ।

4. Om is Brahma. ब्रह्म । Om is the verbal symbol of Brahma signifying the Universal spirit ॐ ब्रह्मणि च । ब्रह्मणः नामबिशेषः तारानाथः so says the Katha Upanishad एतद्ध्येबाक्षरं ब्रह्म । This meaning is obtained from ॐ = om signifying being or existence, and referring to the totality of existence expressed by the word Brahma (formed of बृह + मन) universal pervasion.

5. Greatness of Brahma ब्रह्मत्वं बृहत्वञ्च । Om is used also to denote the vast magnitude of Brahma (ब्रह्मत्वं बाबृहत्वं) in the Maitrí Upanishad, which says “Om is the greatness of Brahman, says one who continually meditates thereon.” (See Cowell’s Translation of Id. IV. 4. p. 253). This idea is naturally suggested by the infinity of the Universe pervaded and encompassed by the spirit of God. सर्ब्बं बिन्दु गतं ह्यैतत् ब्रह्माण्डञ्चापिकोटिशः । गायत्री तन्त्रं । The Ch’hándogya Upanishad speaks of the greatness and effects of Om (I. 9). To this the scholium raises the question, what are its greatness and effects? Then answers it by saying;—“by the greatness of Om is implied the existence of priests, the institutions of sacrifices &c. &c. Therefore is its greatness.”

6. Om is the way to Brahma ब्रह्मज्ञानोपायः । “Om,” says the Mándukya Upanishad, “is the means (symbol) leading to Brahma,” as a hieroglyphic character to its significate. Here says the commentator Ánandagiri (p.336.) ओङ्कारो ब्रह्म वुद्ध्योपास्य मानो ब्रह्म प्रतिपत्युपायो भबतीति । आनन्दगिरि टीका । “It is known in all the Vedántas as the best means towards the accomplishment of one’s adoration.” (Ch’hándogya Upanishad p. 5 note.)

7. Immutable & Imperishable ॐ अक्षरः । It is immutable, undecayable, imperishable, indestructible and immortal (अक्षरं). Thus in the Mándukya; ओमित्येतदक्षरमिदं बिकार रहितमित्यादि । The circle of O is considered the most perfect of all geometrical figures, as it was held by the Pythagoreans to be the best symbol to represent the perfections of the Supreme Being. It is the sign of divine immutability from the fact of every other figure changing its shape by its constant rotation round the centre and becoming a spheroid which is no more susceptible of change. Such is the changeable nature of all things until they become one with the Divinity.

Om Knowable. ज्ञेयं । Om the symbol of God is said to be the knowable, because every part of its circumference is equidistant from the central observer. So is God said to be knowable (ज्ञेय) in Yoga philosophy for his knowableness to every one by means of meditation. Hence the Yoga system is called gnosticism contrary to the unknowableness of agnosticism.

8. Eternity नित्यं । Om is called eternal (नित्यं), because its circular form is the representation of eternity, having neither its beginning nor end (अनाद्यनन्तं): so it is the symbol of infinity, the circle being described by an infinite line. Thus Gaudapáda; अपूर्व्वोऽनन्तरोऽनन्तः नपरः प्रणबाब्यय । इति माण्डुक्य कारिकायां । १६ ।

9. The First and Last. Again Om is said to be the first and last of all things, because, says Táránátha, every thing proceeds from its centre as its source, and returns to that centre as its reservoir. तस्मान्निःसृताः सर्व्वेप्रलीयन्त तत्रबै । वाचस्पत्याभिधानं; or that every thing like the line of the circle meets at the same point from where it is drawn and stretched. Moreover Om as has been already said, is used both as the initial and final word of Mantras and prayers, so it is understood to be the beginning and end of all motions and utterances. In these senses it answers the Alpha and Omega of the Revelation, and the initium and finem—Hoal awl Hoal ákher of the Koran.

10. The First, Last and Midst. आद्यन्त मध्यं । But Om is declared again to be the first, last and midst of things, from its being uttered in the beginning, middle and end of prayers and recitals of sacred hymns according to the ordinance which says that, Om is to be repeated thrice at every recital in the beginning, middle and end:—प्रशस्तं ब्राह्मणे नित्यं प्रणवत्रय संयुतं । मध्येच प्रणवं गुप्तंचाकारानुमं प्रिये । इति गायत्री तन्त्रं । This rule is said to bear reference to the triple state of the progression of mortal beings,—their evolution, sustentation and dissolution. यतोबाइमानि भूतानि जायन्ते येन जातानि । जीबन्ति यत् प्रयन्त्यभिसम्बिशन्ति तद्ब्र्ह्मेति ॥ The triple utterance of Om has given rise to the triplicate invocation of Hari, आदाबन्तेच मध्येच हरिः सर्ब्बत्र गीयते, and with what Milton has expressed in his glorious hymn in the Paradise Lost.

“Him first, Him last, Him midst, and without end.”

The reverend Gaudapáda enjoins the same ordinance in his versified commentary or Káriká to the Mándukya Upanishad, where he says (verse 27):—सर्ब्बस्य प्रणबो ह्यादिर्मध्यमान्तस्तथैबच । एवं हि प्रणवं ज्ञात्वा ब्यश्नुते तदनन्तरं ।

VIII. Application of Om in the Vedas and Vedanta.

1. Pranava = Adorable. “O venerable, let me enter thee (viz. the word Om)—the sheath of Brahmá, swáhá. O venerable do thou enter me, swáhá. O venerable, I shall be purified by thee.” (Taittiríya Up. IV. 3).

2. The Burden of song. “Om, the hymns of the Sáma Sing, Om, Som, the hymns proclaim.”

3. Commanding and assenting. “By Om, the Adhwarju gives his reply:—By Om the Brahmá commands;—By Om he gives his orders for the burnt offering” (Ibid VIII. Anuvák).

4. Beginning. “Om, says the Bráhman, when he commences to read the Veda.” (Ibid).

5. Om is Multinymous. “Om is Brahman, it is immortal, it is light, it is truthful, and a portion of holy light.”

“It is the sun, the truthful, the Yajur, devotion, fire, wind and air.”

“It is the moon, strength, immortality, and the means of attaining Brahma” (Maitrí Upanishad VI. 35.) ॐ ब्रह्म अमृतं ज्योतिस्तेज सोहंश मात्रं । आदित्य मध्ये उदुत्वा मयूखे भबतः । ॐकारानुज्ञापणात् ॥ एतत् सवित् सत्यधर्म्म एतद्यजुरेतत्तयः एतदग्निरेतद्वायुरेतदापः । एतच्चन्द्रमा एतच्छुक्रमेतदमृतमेतद्ब्रह्म बिषयं ॥

6. It is all significant. But apart from all the particular objects to which this word is severally applied, Om is found from its general sense of “a being” at large, to be significant of “all things,” as its archetype Brahman is made to stand for universal existence both collectively as well as singly (in toto et per singulatim), as it is said in the Mándukya Upanishad, ओमित्येतदक्षरमिदं सर्ब्बं तस्योपव्याख्यानं भूतं भविष्यदिति सर्ब्बमोङ्कार एव, यच्चान्यत् त्रिकालातीतं तदप्योङ्कार एव ॥

7. Om includes all things. “Om” says the Sruti, “is immortal.” Its explanation is “this all”; what was, what is, and what will be, all is verily the word “Om”; and every thing else which is beyond the three-fold time is also verily the word “Om.” For this all (represented by “Om”) is Brahma, and Brahma is “all.” (Mándukya Upanishad Bháshya verse 1 and 2). ओमिति ब्रह्मएबेदमोङ्कारः सर्ब्बमित्यादिश्रुतिभ्यः । अभिधानस्यचोङ्कारव्यतिरेकादोङ्कार एबेदं सर्ब्बं ।

8. Scholium on the above. According to Sankara’s explanation the rendering would be as follows:—“Om” this sound (or immortal) is this “All,” and its explanation is “what was, what is, and will be, all is verily the word “Om”.” (Sankara’s Bháshya of the above). Ánandagiri’s explanation is to the same purport; thus says he:—

सर्ब्बास्पदत्वादोङ्कारस्य ब्रह्मणश्च तथात्वादेक लक्षणत्वादन्यत्वासिद्धेरोङ्कार प्रतिपत्ति ब्रह्म प्रतिपत्तिरेबेति ॥

IX. Theology of Om in the Monads of Monotheistic Creeds.

1. Monads or Unities. एकार्थकः । We have seen that Om expresses all things (Sarvamonkára), by virtue of the word like its kindred Greek and Latin on and ens (B. haon), signifying “a being” by synecdoche (laxaná) of a part for the whole. And this is done of all things whether concrete or discrete and taken either singly or by groups of two or more things together; as it is said—“Ekasadvisastrisas” &c., i. e. Singulatim, dualiter, pluraliter &c. We shall first come to see the monads expressed by Om and leave it to the reader to discover the relation which the significates may bear to the symbol, or rest satisfied with the idea of their being meaningless or arbitrary.

2. Om is speech or voice बाक् । Om, says the Sruti is Sarvávák “all voice and speech”; and we shall come to see below that it is applied alike to denote both human and brute speech, and words belonging to all the different parts of speech.

3. Om is sound and word शब्द । “All things are united with words which express them, and all words are contained in the mystical syllable Om, (ओङ्कार शब्द म ।त्रं). Om, pervades all sounds; he rises above all objects which are expressed by sounds, who repeats this sound Om” (Ch’hándogya II.23.) (Maitrí p. 253).

4. Om is Brahman ॐ शब्द ब्रह्म । “Om is Brahman called sound (sabda). By means of Om rising above all things, a man merges in the Supreme called Para Brahma.” “Om is the emblem of the Most High.” (Ch’hándogya p. 4. Manu II. 83. Bhágavad Gítá). So says the Maitrí Upanishad (VI. 22) शब्द ब्रह्मणि निष्णातः परं ब्रह्माधिगच्छति । ६ ।२२

5. Om is Fire and its splendour ओमग्निश्च तेजश्च । “Om was splendour and fire at first. By this syllable Om the splendour germinates, it shoots upward, it expands, and becomes the vehicle of divine worship. The splendour germinates in the form of the mystic syllable Om, as a seed germinates; i. e. It is manifested as the primeval form of the Veda, it next shoots upward as the internal sound Om itself.” Maitrí Up. VII. 11. तेजो प्रथममोङ्कारात्मकमासीत् । तत्तेजोऽनेनैबोमित्येब तदुद्बुध्यति । मैत्री उप ७ ।११ । Fire was the first object of adoration of the Rigveda and of the fire worshippers of India and Persia. It is believed to be the arche or beginning of all things according to Heraclitus.

6. Om is light. ॐ ज्योतिः । “Om is light and manifest as light, the sleepless, deathless and sorrowless light.” Again; “Om is light which shines in yonder sun, and in the moon, fire, and lightning” (Maitrí Upanishad VI. 25.). So says the Bhágavad Gítá, “That splendour which abiding in the sun illumines the whole world, which abides in the moon and in fire, that splendour know to be mine” (XV. 12.) Light was the first work of creation and the “first born” of Heaven. God said “Lux fiat et lux fit.”—“Let there be light and there was light.”

दीप्यतोम् ज्योतिः । प्रकाशणाज्ज्योतिः । प्रणबाख्य प्रणेतारमरूपो बिगतनिद्रो बिजरो बिमृत्युर्बिशोको भबतीत्येबं ह्याह । मैत्री उप ६ ।२५ तथा । यदमुस्मिन्नादित्येऽथंसोमोऽग्नौ विद्युति बिभात्यथखल्वेनं दृष्ट्वा मृतत्वं गच्छतीत्याह । ६ ।२५ ।

7. Om is Lightening. बिद्युज्ज्योतिः । “The Veda is called lightening, since the moment when it is uttered (as Om), it enlightens every incorporated being; therefore by the syllable Om let a man adore the infinite splendour of Brahman” (Maitrí Upanishad VII. 11.) यस्मादुच्चरितमात्र एब सर्ब्बं शरीरं बिद्योतयति । तस्मादोमित्यनेनैता उपासीतापरिमितं तेजः । मैत्री उप ७ ।११ ।

8. Om is the Brahman light. ॐ ब्रह्म ज्योति । “The syllable Om is the Brahman light or pure intelligence, veiled behind the fire and breath, and manifested itself at first as the one undivided sound Om.” Thus the Maitrí Upanishad Tíká (VII. 11). यस्मात् प्रणबात्मकमिदं ब्रह्मासीत् तस्मादोमित्यनेनैतत् ब्रह्म तेजो उपासीत् । मैत्री ७ ।११ ।

9. Om is Water. ओमापः । “Om shines in the waters” (Maitrí Upanishad VI. 35). आपो ज्योतिरसोऽमृतं ब्रह्मभूर्भुबःस्वरोम् । मैत्री ६ ।३५ । दीप्यतोमापः । ओङ्कारोऽनुज्ञापनादाप्यायनादापः । इति तट्टीका । Water is said to be the first work of God (आप एबमसजादौ ।) “and the Spirit of God floated on the surface of the waters” hence called नारायणः (Genesis and Manu). Thales found water to be the origin of all things.

10. Om is Flavour &c. रसोबैतत् । “Om is Rasa, moisture, flavour, taste, relish and love (Maitrí Up. VI. 35). The goodness of God is flavour, a man having attained flavour, becomes possessed of joy” (Taittiríya Up II. 7.) ॐ रसोबैतत् । रसः कर्म्म परिपाक निवृत्तत्वात् आदित्यस्य रसतं? सर्ब्ब कर्म्म फलाश्रय इत्यर्थः । By flavour rasa they mean love also and love is believed to be the formative power according to Empedocles.

11. Om is Ambrosia. ओममृतं मधु । “Om is ambrosia the food of gods. (Gr. He ambrosia est setos theon). It is also honey and all sweet.” So the Sruti; अमृतं देबानामोदन हेतुत्वात् ।मैत्री उप ६ ।३५ । असौबामधु । छान्दोग्यं तैत्तिरीयञ्च । १ ।७ ।

12. Om Udgítha. ओमुद्गीथः । “Om, this letter the Udgítha, should be adored, Om is chaunted.” (Ch’hándogya I. 1).

“The Udgítha of Sáma Veda, corresponds with the pranava of the Rig Veda.” (Cowel’s Mait VI. 3).

“The Udgítha is the principle part of the Sáma verse, and sung by Udgátri priests.”

“It is chaunted (Udgíyate), and is therefore called Udgítha and is a Karmángávayava or part of the liturgy.”

“What is Udgítha, that is Om; what is Om, that is Udgítha.” (Maitrí. Ch’chándogya).

13. Om is breath. ॐ स्वासः । “Om called the Udgítha is breath,” (Ch’hándogya Upanishad p. 12).

14. Om is sun. आदित्य । “The sun is Om, Om is Udgítha, the sun is Udgítha, he is Om.” (Maitrí IV. 4).

“The splendour of Brahman is yonder sun, and it too is the splendour of Om.” (Ibid). यद्ब्र्हम ज्योतिः यज्ज्योतिः सआदित्यः । यत् सबितृतदादित्यः । मैत्री उप ।

15. Om the soul. ओमात्मेति । “The soul is looked upon as Om.” (Ch’hándogya Upanishad. p. 12). “For this all represented by Om is Brahma. This soul is Brahma.” (Mándukya V. 2). ॐकार एब आत्म स्वरूपमेब । तस्यैतस्य परापर ब्रह्मरूपस्याक्षरस्योपब्याख्यानं ।

16. Om the Supreme spirit. ॐ परमात्मा । “Om is the most appropriate name for the Supreme Spirit paramátman.” (Ch’hándogya I. 1). “The Universal soul is the totality of individual souls.” (समष्टि ब्यष्टि).

17. Om is Mind. ओं मनस् । “Om is mind manas, the self consciousness or ahankára of the Sánkhya.” (Ibid p. 3).

18. Om is Body. ॐ कायः । “Om is corporeal.” (Ch’hándogya p. 3).

19. Om is Adorable ओमुपास्यं । “The letter Om is eulogised for its adorableness, and is an inducement to its worship.” (Ch’hándogya I. 9. p. 8).

20. Om a Vehicle ॐ रथः । “Om is the vehicle of the worship and knowledge of the superior and inferior Brahma.” (Maitrí Up. 260).

21. Om is a Raft. ॐमुड़ुपः । “Om is a raft of Brahman to cross over the torrents of the world.” (Swetáswatara II. 8. p. 53).

22. Om an arrow. ॐ शरः । “The body is the bow, Om is the arrow, with which one pierces the mark Brahma through darkness.” धनुच्छरीरमोमित्येतच्छरः । शिखास्य मनस्तमो लक्षणं भित्वात्मानमागच्छतीति ।

23. Om a Bridge. ॐ सेतुः । And so Om is used to represent many other single objects. (Maitrí Up. p. 271).

It is represented as a bridge in the Atharva Veda (VI. 10 and VIII. 4).

X. Duads Or Duples of the Bipartite Om in Dualistic Theories.

Duads. Om a couple. ॐ मिथुनं । “Om unites couples together and gratifies the wish of the adorer.” (Ch’hándogya I. 6). Again “couples being incorporated with the letter Om, establish the all-gratifying power and attribute of Om.” (Sankara’s Scholium to Ch’hándogya).

1. The Couple Udgítha & Pranava. उद्गीथप्रणबौ । Om combines the Udgítha of the Sáma with the pranava of the Rig Veda, the first couple; and therefore speech (Vák) and breath (prána) the sources of the Rik and Sáma, the second couple; and lastly the said two Vedas themselves as the third couple. (Ch’hándogya I. 1-8), and consequently the Hotri and Udgátri priests the fourth couple.

2. Brahma and Para Brahma. परापर ब्रह्म । Om is the superior and inferior Brahma conjointly. The superior or Para Brahma is the one eternal and infinite God; and the inferior or Apara Brahmá is the finite God:—the demiurge of Plato, and the Prajápati and Indra of Vedanta theology. The Aitareya reckons the pentad of the five elementary bodies, under the latter category. (V. 3). Kálidása speaks of this as the pancha mahá bhúta samádhi in the first book of his Raghu Vansa.

3. The two pronunciations. स्वर द्वयं । “Om is pronounced as svarati in the Rigveda and Svara in the Yajur Veda.” (Ch’hándogya IV. 4. Manu XI. 265).

4. The Human & Divine Souls. जीबात्मा परमात्मा । “Om is átman or soul. Two souls are said to enter the body; the individual and the undivided or universal soul.” (Ait. III. 1). “Two birds (the supreme and individual souls) dwell upon the same tree of the body.” (Svetásvatara Upanishad).

5. The Soul and Matter. प्रकृतीश्वरौ । “Om is both spirit and matter,” viewed as the same thing in the materialistic light of the Sánkhya, and dualistic view of others. Spinoza defines them both as the “Substantia cogitans, et substantia extensa, una eademque est substantia, quae jam sub hoc, jam sub illo attributo comprehenditur.” (Ethics. 1 Pr. 7 schol).

6. The Male and Female. प्रकृति पुरुषौ । “Om Strípum the divine male and female”; the original androgyne or bisex being combined in the person of the first human being, Brahmá or Adam, and called the Prakriti-purusha or pradhána &c., in the Yoga and Puranic Systems. So says Manu also (I, 32). “The power became half male half female or nature active and passive, and divided itself in twain.” (Ibid).

7. The cause and effect. कार्य कारणं । “Om implies the two states of mundane existence, viz, the cause dynamic and the effect energy. The effect also is two fold, the gross and subtile.” (स्थूल सूक्ष्मञ्च).

8. The Two Elements. स्थूल सूक्ष्मौ । The subtile elements (सूक्ष्मतन्मात्रं) and the gross elements (स्थूलभौतिकं) forming the Sthúla or gross body and the linga Saríra or subtile body,—the two component parts of all living bodies.

9. Knowledge & Ignorance. बिद्या बिद्ये । The two states of the soul, knowledge and ignorance (बिद्या अबिद्या) and the two states of knowledge; namely that which is known (बिज्ञात), and what is unknown (अबिज्ञात), corresponding with two others—the (ब्यक्ताब्यक्त) the manifest and unmanifest.

10. The two states of Life. कर्म्म तथा ज्ञानकाण्डं । Knowledge and action or Jnána and Karman,—theory and practice, are the two inseparable conditions of life; the one leading to the other, which is the result of the former, and according to others its cause, in the celebrated dispute ज्ञान जन्य कर्म्म अथबा कर्म्मजं ज्ञानं between theorists and practitioners.

11. Other Pairs. In this way many other pairs are joined together forming as they were the two halves of the great circle of Om, and whether diametrically or obversely opposed or attached to each other, they form together, the same circle of which each of them is but an imperfect part or half.

12. Geometry of Om. Hence we see the mystery of the cypher of Om to be no less wonderful and efficacious in the investigation of theological truths, than the great instrument of Euclid’s compass in the bisection and 13. Logical Use of Om. measurement of geometrical dimensions. And as the circle is latterly found to be made use of in the demonstration of propositions in Logic, how much must we wonder to reflect on the use and application of the sacred instrument of Om by the ancient Rishis of India, to all things of the physical, intellectual and spiritual world (Sarvamonkára eva) as their common measure.

14. Dualism overthrown द्वतोच्छेदः Having thus observed the deficiency of dualities and the imperfection of dualistic theories, by the instrumentality of Om, and the application of its cypher of unity to them, to make up that unity which is essential to the true knowledge of God, whose nature is a perfect unity and without divisibility (Ekamevádwitía), the sages next proceeded to the investigation of trialities and pluralities of tri-une doctrines and so forth, which had been gaining ground even in those early stages of society, by the application of the same test of the unity of Om to them, till at last all these partitions are lost in the cypher of One indivisible whole.

15. The Metrical Sense of Om. Om in the sense of a compass or metrical instrument, is derived from O the cypher, letter or circle, and ma to measure, meaning the circle of measurement.

XI. Triads Or Triples Or Tripartite Om in Trinitarian Systems.

1. Triads or Triples of Om त्रिमूर्त्ति । “But when considered as a triliteral word consisting of a, u, m, (अ, उ, म), Om implies, the three Vedas, the three states of human nature; the three divisions of the Universe; the three deities, agents of the three states of things—the creation, preservation and destruction; or properly speaking; the three principle attributes of the Supreme Being. In this sense it implies in fact the Universe controlled by the Supreme Being.” Rám Mohun Roy.

2. Their External Manifestations. ब्याहृतिः । The idea of the trisection of the circle of Om followed that of its bisection, together with that of the three fold division of Divine nature, much earlier in the minds of the Aryans of India, than the three sectors of the circle were unfolded by Euclid, and the mystery of the tri-une nature of the Divinity was discovered by the divine Plato, or that of the three persons in the God-head was revealed by the Gospel. But not content with this discovery, the ancient sages applied this triplicate division of Om to many other things as the three fold manifestations of the One Deity represented by the triliteral and trilateral figure of Om, and fell to their adoration, until they were recalled to the worship of the invisible unity of Om by the Vedánta doctrines. We shall now see these triples called the Vyáhritís (व्याहृति) or three fold manifestations in their order.

1. The 3 Vedas. त्रयो बिद्या बेदत्रयः । Om represents the three Vedas by its three letters, viz; the Rik, Yajur and Sáman, consisting of the Hymns, Ceremonies and Psalms. The first like the hymns of Hesiod and Orpheus, the second like the Levitican laws, and the third resembling the Psalms of David, all of which are said to be of Divine origin.

2. The 3 States. ॐ गुणत्रयं । These have no apposite terms in English, and are variously rendered to express the states of quietism, action and passion or excess of a feeling, leading to error.

3. The 3 Worlds. ॐ भूर्भुबः स्वर् । The earth, sky and heavens, called the three great evolutions (महा ब्याहृति) of Om. But those were afterwards subdivided into twenty one (3×7) each named as Om (ॐ त्रिसप्तं) as in the beginning of Atharva Sanhitá ॐ त्रिसप्ता ये परियन्ति बिश्वाः—“The Universe composed of thrice seven worlds.”

4. The 3 states of things. श्रवस्थात्रयं । These are the creation, preservation, and destruction of all things (सृष्टि, स्थिति, प्रलय), or as philosophically called their evolution, sustentation and dissolution (उत्पत्ति, स्थिति, ध्वंस), and their agents, Brahmá the creator, Vishnu, the preserver, and Siva the destroyer of each and all, corresponding with Jupiter, Neptune 5. The 3 Agencies Personified त्रि मूर्त्ति ।and Pluto, and Osiris, Horus and Typhon (ब्रहमाबिष्ण्वीशाः). But this trinity is refuted by the Vedántic doctrine of unity, which repudiates a secondary cause. (सृष्टि स्थिति लयादीनां नान्य कर्त्ता द्वितीयकं). The Maitrí Upanishad makes mention of many more triads which were glorified with the aforesaid hallowed epithet Om (VI. 5.) Viz. the following:—

1. The Trisex Divinity. Om composed of the three genders, masculine, feminine and neuter (स्त्रीपुन्नपुं). But the Vedánta refutes the generic distinctions of the One unknown (नपण्डनपुमान् शक्तिः).

2. The 3 Elemental forms. The fire, wind and sun, (सूर्य्याग्नि बायु), the three powerful manifestations of the Deity each of which had its votaries in the early fire, wind and sun worshippers of India.

3. The 3 Agencies as above. The creation, preservation and destruction of things in the forms of Brahmá, Vishnu and Siva as said above.

4. The 3 Fires. अग्नित्रयः । Om the three sacrificial fires called the दक्षिणा, गार्हपत्य and आह्वनीयाग्न्यः, which were continually preserved in families.

5. The 3 Vedas. त्रयोबिद्या । Om the triple learning contained in the Rik, Yajur and Sáman, which were identified with God for their being his words.

6. The 3 Intelligences. The three Intellectual faculties consisting of the Mind, Intellect or Reason, and the conscious soul.

7. The 3 Times. त्रिकाल । Present, past and future composing the circle of the eternity of Om (कालत्रयं).

8. The 3 Aliments. अन्न ब्रह्म । Food and water and moon. The water and food are eulogised as Om in Bhrigu Valli as अन्न ब्रह्म, and the moon is reckoned as such for its containing the ambrosial beverage of the gods.

9. The Mental Powers. मनोवृत्तिः । The three intellectual faculties, the mind, intellect and consciousness as the spiritual manifestations of the Invisible Spirit.

10. The three Vital Airs. प्राणादि । Those of respiration, circulation and secretion called प्राणामान समाणाः the respiratory breath or air and others: there are two others which with these three will be found among the pentads (पञ्चप्राणाः).

11. The three feet of God. त्रिपादाः । These are the different hypostases of God or rather of the Divine soul in its three states of universality, individuality and external appearances, each of which is subdivided into three states.

12. The 3 Totals. The Sútrátmá, Taijana and Hiranyágarbha (universal soul) (सूत्रात्मा तैजन हिरण्यगर्भः); The three emanations of infinite Intelligence from the Unity of God.

13. The three Specials. The Visva, Taijasha, and Prajná (Individual Souls) (विश्व तैजस प्रज्ञा). The three emanations of finite souls from Divine Intelligence.

14. The three externals. The Vaiswánara, Visvarúpa and Virát the three manifest and visible forms; (बैश्वानर बिश्वरूप बिराट्). Hence the nature of God is a triplicate threefold unity or the thrice three hypostases of the One Being.

15. The three Forms of Devotion. The three forms of our devotion and Communion with God, that he is praised, worshipped and ascribed with attributes.

16. The Triple man. His body—the bow, his mind—the arrow, and his soul—the aim. (Mándukya II. 4. p. 159).

17. The 3 States of the Soul. Of waking, dreaming and sound sleep of the soul. (जाग्रत् स्वप्न सुसुप्ति).

18. The 3 Humours of the Body. The bile, phlegm and choler or flatulence (वात पित्त कफ) are the preservatives of the body and life.

19. Three Matrás. त्रिमात्रा । The three moræ or vowels, the long, short and prolated. (ह्रस्व दीर्घ प्लूत त्रिमात्रा).

20. Three Accents. त्रिस्वरः । The acute, grave and circumflex. उदात्तानुदात्त स्वरितः.

21. Three Utterances of speech. बाणि । Human speech consisting of letters, words and sentences treated of in Orthography, Etymology and Syntax. (ध्वणिः पश्यन्ति मध्यमा बैस्वरी).

22. Three Pronunciations स्फूर्तिः । Distinct, indistinct and half distinct. (Anquetil). (स्फुट अस्फुट अर्द्धस्फुट).

23. Do. of Three Vedas. The Swaratí of Rik, the Swara of Yajus, and Swánvatí of Sáma. (स्वरती स्वर स्वानबत्यः).

24. The 3 Letters. Of Om viz. a, u, m, agree with the first, second and third word of every triad, i.e., each to each.

25. The 3 Merits. Of the meditation of the three letters of Om described at length in the Upanishads.

XII. The Tetrads Or Quadruples of Om.

I. Tetrads of Om. We have next to consider the tetrads or quadruple divinities in the quadrants or four fold divisions of the circle of Om consisting of its four letters a, u, or crescent of Om, and the circlet of entire Om styled Chandravindu as given by Professor Monier Williams from the Nirukta of yaska. (Indian Wisdom p. 169).

II. In sciences. 1. The Om of orthographers consisting of the four stages of speech; namely, ध्वनि पश्यन्ती मध्यमा and बैस्वरी ।

2. Of Grammarians; the four parts of speech, nouns, verbs, prepositions and particles.

3. Of Ritualists; The hymns, liturgical precepts, Bráhmanas and ordinary language.

4. Of philologers or Sábdikas; the speech of serpents, beasts, birds and vernaculars.

5. Of Etymologists; The Rik, Yajur and Sáma Vedas and current language.

6. Of Spiritualists; The language of beasts, wild animals, musical instruments and soul.

7. Of Manu (IV. 126). The Pranava and the three Vyahrtis. (ॐ भूर्भ्रुवः स्वर्).

8. Of Manu (IV. 124). The Rik sacred to the gods, the Yajur relating to mankind and the Sáma concerning the manes, and its sound.

9. Of Smártas; The four stages;—of students, householders, mendicants and ascetics.

10. Of Puránas. The four Ages;—Satya, Tretá, Dwápara and Kali. The four castes &c.

III. In Divinity A for ápta or Vyápta—pervading all worlds, represents the divine hypostasis of Viswa.

1. The 4 Conditions of Brahma. U—for Utkarshat, i. e., more elevated than A; as the Taijas than Visva. (तैजस).

M—for mána or measure, as the prajná like a prastha measures the above two. (प्रज्ञा).

Om—i. e., the entire and without parts, is the fourth and perfect condition of Brahma. (ब्रह्म).

2. The 4 states of the Soul. Á for the waking (Jágrat) state, when the soul is subject to gross senses.

U—for the swapna or dreaming state, when the soul is withdrawn from visible objects.

M—the susupta or sound sleeping state, in which the soul is unconscious of itself.

Om—the absolute and perfect state of the soul viewing all in itself.

3. The 4 Manifestations of God. A—is external manifestation of the Universal soul in objects.

U—Internal manifestation perceived in the operations of the soul in dream.

M—unmanifested existence; or the self consciousness of the soul.

Om—Unmanifest state of the soul, unmodified and inactive state.

4. The 4 Titles of the soul. A—Viswa or Vaiswánara who abides manifest in the waking state.

U—Taijasa; abiding in dreams and knowing all without objects.

M—Prajná, the perfect wise abiding in deep sleep.

Om—Absolute Brahma called Turíya which is perfect and all knowing.

The Four fold Tetrads:

I. II.

A—Áptah, pervading. Jágrat, Waking.

U—Utkarsha, Exalted. Swapna, Dreaming.

M—Mána, Measure. Susupti, Sleeping.

Om—Brahma, Absolute. Sthira, Calm.

III. IV.

A—Vyakta, external state. Viswa, the visible world.

U—Antar, internal state. Taijasa, the thinking soul.

M—Avyakta, unmanifested. Pragná, Consciousness.

Om Ananta, Infinity. Turíya, Omniscience.

XIII. The Pentads &c., of Om.

The Pentads of Om. The quintuples of om are composed of five letters or divisions of the symbolical circle, standing for so many different things each of which forms a part of the whole, and is called an Om. The five parts are, A, U, M, O and the náda—the nasal half circle above.

1. The Five Vital Airs. पञ्च प्राणाः । Respiration, flatulence, circulation, pulsation and assimilation, commonly known by the names of Prána, Apána, Vyána, Udána and Samána.

2. The Five Caverns. पञ्च कोषाः । Pancha koshas or sheaths of the soul, folding one over the other “like the coats of an onion”. 1. The sheath of the intellect. 2. The sheath of the mind. 3. The sheath of breathing. 4. The subtle and corporeal bodies. 5. The sheath of Supreme bliss, not admitted by all. (बिज्ञानमय, मनोमय, प्राणमय, अन्नमय, आनन्दमय कोषाः ।)

3. The Five Internal organs, senses and their objects. पञ्च ज्ञानेन्द्रियाणि । The ear, eye, skin, nose and tongue, of hearing, sight, feeling, smell and taste. Their five objects—sound, colour, touch, savour and smell. (श्रोत्रत्वक् चक्षु जिह्व घ्राणानि तथा शब्द स्पर्षरूप रसगन्धानि ।)

4. The Five external Do. पञ्च कर्म्मेन्द्रियानि । The voice, hands, feet, the organs of generation and secretion are organs of action. बाक्पाणि पाद पायूपस्थानि बहिरिन्द्रियाणि । पूर्ब्बोक्तानि अन्तर बा बुद्धीन्द्रियाणि ।

5. The Five Elements. पञ्च भूतानि । Earth, air, fire, water and ether. क्षित्यप् तेजो मरुद्व्योम पञ्च महाभूतानि ।

6. The Five classes of Ignorance. 1. Obscurity (तमस्), 2. Illusion(मोह), 3. Extreme illusion(महामोहः), 4. Gloom (तमिस्र), 5. Utter gloom (अन्ध तमसः).

1. The six letters of Hexads or sextuples. The sextuples of Om are composed of a, u, o, m, the Vindu, cypher, and the náda; and according to another account, the Ardha mátrá of Om is the fourth and the Vindu and náda the fifth and sixth aksharas. (Weber’s Ráma Tapaníya p. p. 292, & 312. Cowell’s Maitrí Up. p. 271).

2. The 6 Organs. The five organs of sense; viz the nose, tongue, the eye, ear, skin and the mind. (Gotama Sutra I. 1, 12). But according to others the mind is not reckoned an organ.

3. Other Sextuples The six seasons (षडृतवः), the six flavours (षड्रसाः), the six musical modes (षड्रागः), the six Vedángas; but I never met a passage of their being preceded by Om.

1. The Heptads or Septuples. The Septuples are formed by a, u, o, m, Vindu, náda and Sánta or ultimate silence, and these are used to symbolise the pantheistic form of the god Viráj, in the following description of him given by Sankara.

2. The 7 Parts of Viráj Body. “His head—the heavens; his eye—the sun; his breath—the wind; his center—the ether; his urine—the water; his feet—the earth; his mouth the fire.” Anquetil gives the five senses, the mind and intellect as his seven members. (Weber’s Indian Studien. Vol. II. p. 107).

3. The Other Heptads. According to other accounts there is a sevenfold septuples included in the figure Om comprising the Universe. The first trisaptaka or triplex septuple comprises the seven spheres of heaven, the seven pátálas or infernal regions, and the seven Bhuvanas of earth. The second trisapta consists of the sapta dwípas or seven continents of the earth, the seven oceans, and the seven planets; and lastly the sapta swara or the seven notes emitted by the planetary motions.

The Octads or octuples. The octuples consist of the aforesaid seven parts and the sákti or word namo added to them at the end, and are used as symbols of Viráj for the five vital airs, or the five organs of action and those of intellect i. e. the mind, intellect and self consciousness or chítta.

The Nonads. These are nine cavities of the body नबद्वारगृह the abode of Brahma.

The Decads. These are the ten internal and external organs (पञ्चकर्म्मेन्द्रिय and पञ्चबुद्धीन्द्रिय) of the body—the seats of Brahma.

XIV. Philosophy of the Numerical Groups Contained Under the Mystic Syllable Om.

1. Inquiry into the numerical groups. After the lengthy account we have given of the various classes of words contained under the different numbers and divisions and subdivisions of the mysterious letter Om, it must be asked by the inquisitive reader, what do these clusters of concrete and abstract terms which are numerically jumbled together under the unintelligible character Om serve to mean, and of what use are they to the contemplative Yogi in his meditation on the attributes of his Maker by that symbol?

2 (a). Enlargement of the understanding. In answer to this query we are bound to repeat the definition of yoga, that it is the process of joining the ideas in the mind, and practicing the limited powers of the understanding to rise by degrees from their grasping the ideas of unities or single objects at a time, to the comprehension of dualities and pluralities for the enlargement of the intellect, till at last the mind is fraught with a clear and distinct idea of every thing in the universe comprised under the several groups or generalizations of particulars.

2 (b). Their Pantheistic view. And also as we have more than once mentioned in the preceding articles, that God is aham bahushyám—one in many, to on to pan of the Greeks, or the unity divided into and containing an Infinity of parts; so His symbol the holy Om is one circle and emblem of infinity, which for the sake of our conception and convenience is viewed in its Finite parts of monads &c., and their ever increasing multiples by all other numbers. But the monad like the prime number one whether multiplied or divided by any number in arithmetic, remains still the same simple one. Thus (1 × 2 = 2 × 1); (and 1/2 = 1 ÷ 2, or 1/2 = 1 × 1/2). This is the root of the pantheistic doctrine of the Vedánta. सर्ब्बं खल्विदं ब्रह्म This One is all: and the whole being taken from the whole the remainder is whole. पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेबाबशिष्यते ।

3. The Numerical Philosophy. It was the oldest Sánkhya or numerical school of philosophy in India, like the ancient Ionian school of Greece, that first made a classification of all objects in nature under certain co-ordinate groups for our contemplation of them under those classes; which its later development of the yoga system has converted to the objects of our meditation as same with or pervaded by the Deity; or in other words, has recommended the meditation of nature’s God in nature itself as in Natural Theology. It was the Tantra worship of later ages that divided the symbol of unity and infinity of the divine om into a decad of parts, as it is the custom of mathematicians to divide the great circle of infinity into 360 degrees, though it might be divided into an infinity of parts.

4. The Sánkhya and Pythagorean. The Sánkhya system of evolution which is closely allied to that of the Darwinian, views the monad as the elementary protozoa, which combined with other monads make up the duads, triads &c. we have mentioned before, and all which are resolvable to the primary monad. Om is always ‘one’ thing; nothing can destroy that numerical existence, combine the thing in every possible variety of ways, and it still remains ‘one.’ It cannot be less than one, it cannot be more. As (2 = 1 + 1 = II & 3 = 1 + 1 + 1 = III). Resolve it into its minutest particles, and each particle is one. As (½, ⅓, ¼ &c.). One is the only absolute number; all others are but relations to it. The Infinite therefore must be one, and if you take infinity and the infinitesimals from the infinite, there remains also the same infinity; according to the Vedánta paradox पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदुच्यते । and all modes of existence are but finite aspects of the Infinite.

5. Different aspects of the soul. The soul being a self moved monad, is one, whether it connects itself with two or with three; in other words the essence remains the same whatever its manifestations may be. The one soul may have two aspects, Intelligence and Passion, as in brutes; or it may have three aspects, as in man &c. For more of this see Lewes’ History of Philosophy (Vol. I p. 33 and p. 34).

6. Query concerning Nature Worship. There rises another question of some importance in this place as, what has the Yogi or worshipper of God to do with the objects presented to him in the different groups under the partitions of Om, when his business is solely to meditate on the nature and attributes of the Deity?

7. Spiritual Worship. To this it may be answered that, the Hindu Yogi or meditative sage is enjoined to meditate on the Supreme Spirit in Spirit, “átmá átmanyeva chintayet”. (आत्मा आत्मन्येबचिन्तयेत्). He does not adore any visible object, but contemplates his creator with all his attributes as displayed in creation, which he sums up abstractedly in his own spirit and mind. There can be no contemplation of the inscrutable and incomprehensible nature of God apart from the light we derive from the abstract meditation of all sensible and intellectual natures. “Observe every thing in thyself and so shalt thou behold the Supreme.” सर्ब्बमात्मगतं पश्यतेनात्मानं परिपश्यसि ।

8. Self knowledge. What? The old rule of self knowledge आत्मतत्त्व or know thyself आत्मानं जानीहि, which was believed to constitute highest wisdom, and which has given rise to different interpretations in various schools of philosophy, does not mean the knowledge of one’s state and nature to be sufficient for him; but that of his soul which makes him truly great. The wise Socrates looked inwards, and there discovered the moral and psychological truths the world has derived from him. His pupil the divine Plato looked within him, and there found the eternal ideas of which sense awakened reminiscence.

9. Knowledge of the Soul. The Hindu Yogi too looks inward and views within the circle of his cranium symbolized as Om, his soul seated as a ray and figure of the Divinity, and encompassed by the abstract ideas of all things whose impressions he has received by sense and mind. He then learns to distinguish by his discriminative power called the átmánátma viveka, (आत्मानात्मविवेक) the soul of the Universe from all the representations which it presents to his mind.

10. Of one in Many. The Platonic system had also a sort of classification in which the search for One in Many and Many in One, together with the detection of the One in the Many was the constant aim, consult for further information on this head in Lewes’ History of Philosophy. (Vol. 1. p. 237 and p. 405).

XV. The Unitarian Formula ॐ तत् सत् One That Is.

1. Om the one. From all our investigation into the origin, rise, and extent of meaning of the word Om in its orthography, etymology and theology, it is evident that the Indo-Aryan mind was early infused with the idea of an absolute Om corresponding with the Greek On and ôn, and En and also Aeon of the Gnostics, Latin Ens, Unum and Entity, Romance On and un, and one in English, whose unity was the source of all diversity in the plurality of creation, agreeably to the text aham bahu Syám = Ego multus sim of the Sruti.

2. The Universal soul, = Vìswátman. It was at first known as one and then as the self or soul by the silent and innate intuition of the intellect, as it is declared in the Mandukya Upanishad II. 2, 5. तमेबैकंजानथआत्मानमन्यावाचो, बिमुञ्चथअमृतस्यैब सेतुः । मण्डूकं २ । २१५ ।

Max Müller says (A. S. Lit. p. 23 and p. 322): “The Átman was next conceived as the Spirit = air, átmá and anime.” “That one breathed breathless by itself: other than it nothing since has been.” Thus says the Sruti (Müller p. 560). “This one Átman (atmos) fills, animates and pervades the whole”; as the poet sings “spreads unspent” throughout the infinity of worlds:

“Which are but parts of one undivided whole whose body nature is, and God the soul.” (Pope).

एकमेवाद्वितीयं ब्रह्म । रूपं रूपं प्रतिरूपं विभाति ॥

3. Called as Tat = that The inherent one of all ones “to on ontwn,” the unit of unities, the Ens of entities, the soul of the world “Viswátman” was yet without a name, nor did they know how to call him, than by the designation of tat = “that,” which they say is expressive of the idea of Brahma तदिति ब्रह्मणोऽभिधानमुदाहृतं । Because says Váchaspati, the nature of the one Om, was unknown even to the learned बिदुषां परोक्षत्वाच्च तच्छब्दो ब्रह्मणो नाम; and therefore it was specified by the demonstrative pronoun that “tat,” which sometimes preceded the एक as तदेकं &c. (Greek to on). The necessity of pronouncing Om with tat sat in the beginning of every Vedic rite, is strictly enjoined in Bhágavad-Gítá. ॐ तत्सदिति निर्द्देशो ब्रह्मनस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः । ब्राह्मणश्चैब बेदाश्च यज्ञाश्चबिहिताः पुरा । बैदिके कर्म्मणि तेषां प्रथमतो निर्द्देशः । इति तां बाचस्पतिः ।

4. The Impersonal and Personal God. The word “tat” in the neuter gender, was used for the one self, which as an element or material cause, had evolved all things out of its immaterial essence, and expressed an impersonal God, which the creed of the early philosophers had established in the Vedas. It was at a much later period that the belief of a personal God, is said to have been introduced by the sage Sándilya in the Ch’hándogya and Swetásvatara Upanishads, where the self आत्मा is used in the masculine gender, and the masculine pronoun Sa and tam (Greek “ho and ton,” Lat “is”), was substituted for tat (Greek to Lat id) in the subjective mantra सोऽहं हंस; but in the objective mantra it is neuter as तत्त्वमसि ।

5. Of the Bráhma Somája The Bráhma Samáj has preserved both the formula of the Impersonal God (ॐ तत् सत्) as their motto, as well as addressed their prayers to the personal God by use of the masculine pronoun sa and tam instead of tat. Thus in the opening hymn of Ram Mohun Roy’s Prayer Book तमेकं शरण्यं तमेकं बरेण्यं तमेकं जगत् कारणं विश्वरूपं । तमेकं जगत् कर्त्तृपातृ प्रहर्तृ तमेकं विश्वरूपं निर्बिकल्पं भजामि । So in Devendra Natha Thákur’s hymn तमेकं स्मरामो तमेकंभजामो । This is in accordance to the creed of all civilized nations to apply the masculine pronoun to the Deity. The Koran has “ho=he” in its formulas of “Ho’lahad” “Ho’lghani” &c., and so also the ho of the Bible. Tat like On is sometimes used alone and by itself for God, at the opening of books and chapters, and upon the tops of pages with the Sat following it as तत् सत्.

6. Ditto in the Feminine Gender. But those who have heard the preachings of Keshub Chandra Sen, may well remember his exclamations as तुमि पिता तुमि माता, तुमि पुरुष तुमि प्रकृति, in imitation of the Roman idolatrous philosopher’s acclamation to God, “tu pater, tu mater, tu mas, tu femme” &c., in Cudworth’s Intellectual System. There is no masculine or feminine representative of the pronoun tat or any other pronoun in the vernaculars, where they are all of the common gender, hence तिनि, उनि, ओ, से &c., used for tat by the Heathen Hindus, are applied alike to their gods and goddesses, while the Sanskrit sah = ho in Greek, Arabic and Hebrew designates the masculine Deity only. Mahommed says in the Koran, “ye are ashamed of your female children, but not of assigning female attributes to the Deity.”

7. Ditto in the Neuter Gender. The following passages will serve to show the early creed of the impersonal God, from the application of the neuter pronoun tat to him in the Mándukya Upanishad. (11. 2)

Meaning:—“The sun, moon and stars what are they? But a glimpse of light caught from That (Tat).” &c.

XVI. Ontology of the Self Existent Sat = Being.

Philology of Sat. 1. The last word of the formular motto of Vedánta is sat, which derived from the root asa, Lat. esse—to be, makes the present participle Sat and means a being, like the Latin ens and Greek On, the participial noun of eimi meaning a being. Thus the knowledge of sat which is Satyam = reality, is the doctrine of On—the real being, which as said before is to on onton—the being of beings and prime cause of all existences, and forms the main subject of Ontology. This primary and fundamental truth of the existence of a first cause, led the Rishi a priori to deduce all other existences from it by the text अहं वहुस्यां Ego in multis et pluribus—the one in many: or in other words, when the Bráhman believes in but one real being in the Universe, he believes also that this being constitutes the Universe. (M.W. Indian Wisdom p. 36).

2. Etymology of Sat. 2. The noun Sat in its verbal form is equivalent to asti, corresponding with Lat. est, Gr. esti, Persic ast and hast, Bengali-áchhe, Uria achchhe &c. Eng. is, Ger. Ist and the like. And tat sat together makes the Greek to estin, Lat. Id est French Il est &c.; Arabic alast, Persic ost, and Hindi Ohihae. The Om Tat Sat is either an identic proposition, meaning the “Being that is” or a definitive one, expressing Om that (is) existent.

3. The Ontology of Sat or Being. 3. The Ch’hándogya Upanishad says; “In the beginning there was the mere state of sat—being (to on)—the one only without a second.” Some however say that, “in the beginning there was a state of asat—not being; (Lat. non est, Gr. to mi on), the one without a second. Hence out of a state of non-being would proceed a state of being. But how can this be? How can sat = being, proceed out of asat not being?” It is logically absurd by the well known maxim Ex nihilo nihil fit of Lucretius. “Hence in the beginning there was a mere state of being (the om). One only without a second. (om eka mevá dvitíyam ओमेकमेवाद्वितीयं). He willed and became many” (Chánd. VI. 2. M. W. Ind. Wisdom p. 41).

4. A Priori Argument of Vedánta. 4. The Original text runs thus.

The above cited passage and numerous other texts of the Vedánta such as the following, यतो वा इमानि भूतानि जायन्ते येन जातानि । and जन्माद्यस्ययतोऽन्वयात् &c., unanimously prove a priori and by deductive reasoning that Brahma is the primary cause from which all others are derived and deduced by reason. This is called the Púrva vat or a priori reasoning in the Nyaya philosophy, which is shewn to be the logical inference of the effect from its cause. यत्रकारणेन कार्य्यमनुमीयते यथा मेघोन्नत्या भविष्यतिबृष्टिरिति । वात्स्यायनः ।१ ।१ ।६ ।

5. Evidences of the First cause. 5. The priori inference of a pre-existent cause is supported by many other modes of reasoning as we shall state below. 1. By the Cosmological reasoning of Humboldt, Leibnitz and others, it is evident that some being was uncaused, or was of itself without a cause. Therefore God is the first cause of all things. (Leibnitz). 2. By the Anthropological reasoning founded on certain observed facts or phenomena of human consciousness, its knowledge of the subjective ego and objective non ego &c. 3. By the Ontological, we find the existence in the mind of a clear and distinct idea of God, as a perfect Being or Ens or entity (sat) perfectly eminent. 4. Psychological Intuitive reasoning shows us clearly that “we may form the idea of a supremely perfect being of whom we have a conscious proof. And as in the exercise of our intellect we become conscious of a subjective unity underlying the external diversity, so by the unvarying revelations of reason, we are led to recognize the existence of a Deity who, amidst all the shifting phenomena of the universe remains one and Immutable.” Vide Devendra Náth Tagore’s Ontology p. 14.

6. A Posteriori Argument. The Vedánta philosophy pursues also a course of inductive reasoning in its aphorism of जन्माद्यस्ययतः । अस्यविश्वस्य जन्मादि यतः, rising from the creation to its maker. This is the process of परबत् or a posteriori reasoning of the Nyáya philosophy, in its inference of the cause fire from its effect the smoke (पर्ब्बतोवन्हिमान् धुमात्), or of the major term व्यपकाग्नि from the middle व्यप्यधूम । This is the physical reasoning of modern inductive science, which infers from the facts of existence an author of these facts. The Universe exists, therefore it has a cause, which is prior to all other causes. There are some who attempt to prove the posteriori परवत् argument of the Veda from a different construction of the Gáyatri hymn, ascending from the Vyáhritis or creation of the worlds (भूर्भुवःस्वर्) to their creator तत् सविता; but this mode of reasoning is not justified by others, by reason of the initial Om = God.

7. Ambiguity of the word Sat. We shall now take notice of the other meanings which the lexicons assign to sat, beside the being and entity of God परमार्थ सत्व we have so long dwelt upon. It means the goodness and excellence of a thing. साधुत्वप्रशस्तादिभिः सच्छब्दोऽपि । वाचस्पत्याभिदानं ॥

In this sense the phrase Om tat sat would mean “God The Good”, which is quite correct on all hands. In English the etymology of God is good, and so the Sanskrit sat means both God and good; thus also all systems of philosophy predicate the attribute of goodness of the nature of God. The Persian term Khoda though so nearly allied to God and sat in sound, will be found to bear no affinity with either; but to owe its derivation to the Sanskrit स्वदा (from स्वदत्तः) meaning self-produced; swa स्व being invariably rendered into kha in Persian, as swata स्वत khod, swasri स्वसृ khwahir &c.

8. Another sense of Sat. Sat appears moreover in the sense of sitting in composition with an objective word preceding it, as diri-shad a celestial, sabhásat a courtier. It is from the root sad, Latin sedo—to sit, with the suffix kwip. Thus we have in the Kathá Vallí: (V. 2.) हंसः शुचिसद्वसुरन्तरीक्षः । सद्धेता वेदिषदतिथिर्द्दूरोन सत् । नृषद्वरसदृतसद्व्योमसद् । सद् अब्जा गोजा ऋतजा अद्रिजाऋतं बृहत् ।५ ।२ ।

“The Hansa, (God) sits above the heavens, it dwells in the atmosphere, as invokers it dwells in temples, and as guests it is not afar from us. It dwells in man, in truth, in the ether, in water, mountains &c. &c.”

XVII. The Conclusive Lesson on the Practice of Yoga.

After our long and lengthy discussion on the subject of Yoga, and the sacred and mysterious words wherewith it is conducted, our treatise will be deemed incomplete until we set a form or praxis of the manner in which it is to be conducted; and particularly by those who are fully persuaded of its efficacy, and prepared for its practice, but are prevented from it for want of proper guides to initiate them into it, or deterred by the arduousness of the rites imposed upon them by false Yogis, as to give up the exercise in disgust and hopelessness of their possibility ever to master it.

We shall set to these a short lesson from the Upanishad with directions from the Bhágavad Gítá, works which are believed to be of the highest authority and sanctity by every Hindu, and which can never be suspected of misleading any body; but on the other hand universally acknowledged as the only luminaries amidst the intellectual gloom of superstition and ignorance. The Kathopanishad says that the light of truth is to be gained by yoga only योगीनां योगगम्यं, and the Bhágavad Gítá declares, that knowledge, faith and practice are the only means of its attainment ज्ञानकर्म च भक्तिश्च नोपायनास्ति कुत्रचित्. It directs all men of competence to betake themselves to the acquisition of learning, and the incompetent to the practice of acts thus: निर्ब्बिन्नानां ज्ञानयोगोऽन्वासिनामिहकर्म्म​सु । तेष्यनिर्ब्बिण चित्तानां, कर्म्मयोगश्च कामिनां ॥

The Maitrí Upanishad gives the following directions for the practice of yoga. “In the same way (is declared) the rule for the exercise of these means (for the concentration of the mind). This concentration (yoga) has six parts:—restraint of the breath (pránáyáma), restraint of the senses (pratyáhára), meditation (dhyána), attention (dháraná); self examination (tarka), and absorption (samádhi). When beholding by this manner of contemplation, he beholds the golden coloured, the doer, the lord, the spirit, Brahman, the cause; then the seer abandoning his merits and sins, reduces every thing to unity in the Supreme indestructible (soul). Thus says the Sruti;—As beasts and birds approach not a blazing mountain, so faults never approach those who know Brahman”. (18).

“It has been also said elsewhere when the sage, conditioned as prána, has obtained the mastery over his mind, and left outside all the objects of the senses, then let him remain void of all volition. Since the individual soul called prána springs from the non-prána (Supreme Intelligence); hence let the (apparent) prána fix itself in the fourth stage (of pure intelligence). Thus saith the Sruti;—“That which is itself apart from intellect, which yet abides in the midst of intellect, the inconceivable, the supremely secret, on this let him fix his intellect (chitta); thus this subtle body having no object, is merged (in the Supreme).” (19).

“It hath also been said elsewhere; there is yet a higher exercise of attention (dháraná) for the sage; after pressing the end of his tongue against his palate and restraining his voice, mind and breath, he beholds Brahman by contemplation. When thus by the annihilation of the mind, he beholds the self-manifesting soul, the less than the least, as identified with the supreme soul, then having seen the soul thus identified, he becomes divested of self. Being thus divested, he becomes unlimited, destitute of material support, only an object of pure thought. This is the great secret,—final emancipation. Thus saith the Sruti;—By the serenity of the intellect he destroys all action, good or bad; with serene soul, abiding in the Divine Soul, he enjoys undying bliss.” (20).

“It hath been said also; the artery, called sushumná, which supplies the passage for the vital air, rises upward (from the heart) and is interrupted in the middle of the palate. By means of this artery, conjoined with the prána (brought under subjection), the mind merged by contemplation into its object Brahman, and the repetition of the mystic syllable Om, let him rise upwards turning the end of his tongue on the palate, and uniting the senses (with the prána and mind) ]. Let the absence of limitation contemplate itself (i. e. let him contemplate on the unlimited Brahman). Then he attains freedom from all organs; and becomes no longer capable of pain or pleasure. He gains absolute unity.” Thus saith the Sruti:—

“First having mastered prána, then having fixed it on the palate, having crossed the state of limitation, let him in the crown of his head, merge (the soul) in the unlimited Brahman.” (21).

“Thus he may contemplate Om as the sound and non-sound &c. (22 and 23). Then Om as light, and all other significates of Om.” (24 &c.).

Those who may think the English version of the lesson on Yoga as not very explicit, will do well to consult the subjoined text in the original.

तथा तत् प्रयोगकल्पः । प्राणायामः प्रत्याहारोध्यानंधारणातर्कः समाधिः । षड्वर्गो इत्युच्यते ।—

अनेन यदा पश्यन् पश्यति रुक्भवर्णं कर्त्तारमीशं पुरुषं ब्रह्मयोनिं । तदाबिद्बान् पुण्य पापे विहाय परेऽव्यये सर्ब्ब​मेकी करोतीत्येबं ह्याह । यथा पर्ब्बत​ मादीप्त माश्रयन्ति मृगद्विजाः । तद्वद्ब्रह्मविदो दोषानाश्रयन्ति कदाचन ॥१८

अथान्यत्राप्युक्तं । यदावैवहिर्विद्वान् मनोनियम्य इन्द्रियार्थांश्च प्राणोनिवेशयित्वा निःसङ्कल्पस्ततस्तिष्ठेत् । अप्राणादिह यस्मात् सम्भूतः प्राणसंज्ञको जीवस्तस्मात् प्राणोवैतुर्याख्ये धारयेत् । अचित्तं चित्तमध्यस्तमचिन्त्यं गुह्यमुत्तममं । तत्र चित्तं निधायेत तच्च लिङ्गं निराश्रयं ॥

XVIII. Symbolical Yoga Cult of Mudrá Or Chakra Diagrams.

Om the object of Yoga meditation, being already described in sections IX. &c. of this article as symbolical of Divine nature, and its different divisions as emblematical of the eternal attributes or hypostases of the Self—same Unity, they are as shown before, represented by the component letters of that mystic syllable, and meditated upon by the mental arithmetic of the speculative theosophist, the vedántist and yogi. But as the majority of people of grosser understandings are more dependant on ocular and sensible symbolism than abstract idealism, the Tantras have purposely contrived many a figure and diagram (Mudrás and Chakras) for their guidance, of which we will give a few below with their geometrical names and notations.

It will appear from the diagrams described hereafter that Om the symbol of Brahman the Universal Sat or existence, serves to show us as a chart of the world, or representation of the cranium, everything existing in the physical and intellectual world, which is expressed by the word Om (ॐ शब्द सर्ब्बार्थ​​ वाचकः), in its different divisions and partitions for our meditation and contemplation. The pious and religious spiritualist may employ them in Divine contemplation, but the majority are at liberty to use them in the meditation of every other subject which comes to be comprised within the compass of their thought, in the groups of significations which the letters are said to convey. Hence the Yoga of old, meant only an intense application of the mind to all subjects of thought and knowledge. Thus the end of our Yoga philosophy is not only the abstruse meditation of Divine attributes, but the mental reflection of every thing besides.

XIX. Mathematical Investigation Into the Diagrams of Om.

Correctness of the Diagrams. We have seen from the diagrams given in the following section, that the Tántrika formulists have spared no pains to divide the great circle of the Universe, filled by the omnipresence of Brahma and represented by the figure om, into several parts for the purpose of meditating His different hypostases, and contemplation o£ the various orders of creation. We are now to inquire as to whether these several divisions of a mathematical circle of 360 degrees are geometrically correct, or mere arbitrary partitions made by ignorant priests for their own amusement and deception of their proselytes.

The Heptagon and Nonagon. Now for instance, the problem of inscribing a heptagon or a nonagon in a circle will at once startle a student of Euclid as altogether impossible, and identical with that which was celebrated among Greek geometricians as the problem of the trisection of the angle. If treated algebraically, it leads to a cubic equation with three real roots, the arithmetical value of which can be found only approximately.

The Lílávatí’s solution. The author of the Lílávatí has solved the problems, but given no account of the way in which he got the numbers stated by him; if they had been obtained by solution of the above mentioned equation, they would probably have been more accurate than they are. He only lays down an arbitrary rule, that the side of the heptagon is 52055/120000 of the diameter, and that of the nonagon 41081/120000 of the same. Neither of these is very far from the truth. The accurate value of the side of the heptagon lies between 82/182 and 105/242. The side of the nonagon lies between 13/38 and 105/307.