OM

OM is a conjunct of three vowels. They are ‘a’ (as ‘u’ in ‘cup’), ‘u’ (as ‘u’ in ‘put’) and ‘m’ (as ‘m’ in ‘calm’). According to the rules of conjunction in Samskrtam, ‘a’ + ‘u’ is ‘o’ (as second ‘o’ in ‘provoke’). So ‘a’ + ‘u’ + ‘m’ is ‘OM’.

The sound ‘a’ is generated from the deepness of the throat. Below that position of throat, no sound (audible sound called ‘vaikhari’) can be produced. The sound ‘m’ is generated from the two lips fully used by touching each other. Beyond that position of mouth no sound (vaikhari) can be produced. So the first sound ‘a’ and the last sound ‘m’ of OM are produced from the innermost position and the outermost position, respectively, of the sound-production-system of our body. ‘u’ is produced from somewhere between the throat and lips, using both. So ‘u’ represents the middle.

All audible sounds in this universe are produced between ‘a’ and ‘m’ with intervening ‘u’. So OM represents all audible sounds. Every object in this universe, including energy, time and space, are ‘padartha’s. ie. Meanings of ‘pada’ or word. If all padas are produced between ‘a’ and ‘m’ then OM would represent the whole universe, because anything and everything of the universe is the meaning of a word produced with sounds between ‘a’ and ‘m’ with intervening ‘u’.

The moment we chant OM we create the whole universe in our mind. OM is considered complete with the following silence after OM. If you keep on chanting OM repeatedly, the silence between two OMs is noticeable. In chanting OM, the time taken to utter ‘a’, ‘u’, ‘m’ and the silence after them, should be the same. I have heard people chanting with short a,u and long m. Like ‘aummmmmmm’. This is wrong.

‘a’ is also considered to be the creation (srshti), since that is where all sounds originate. ‘m’ is considered to be destruction (samhara) since that is where all sounds end. Between them is ‘u’ the sustenance (sthiti). The silence followed is considered to be that which cannot be comprehended (anakhya). These four are also considered to be the waking (jagrat), dream (swapna), deep sleep (sushupti) and turiya stages respectively.

So that is why OM is considered to be the universe in its totality.