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 ।