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:—
अकारञ्चाप्युकारञ्च मकारञ्च प्रजापतिः ।
बेवदत्रयाग्निरुदहत भूर्भुबः स्वरितीति ॥