Om Etc. Blog:: Hindu | Hinduism | Hindu Gods | Yoga

Tangibles leading to the intangibles

Not everybody can relate to abstract concepts. Something tangible is needed by most of us, especially if it is to be followed on a day-to-day basis. Hinduism seems to understand this need, which is why you see meditation, idol worship, myriad rituals and even music and dance as part of the spiritual pursuit.

A mandala is a symbolic depiction of the cosmos, trying to bridge the gap between the abstract and actual perception. It is a spiritual teaching tool and is used an aid to meditation. The rudraksha – berries of an evergreen broad-leaved tree – is another such tool.  Garlands with 108 rudrakshas are used to aid chanting. The beads help in keeping count of the number of times a mantra is chanted.

Meditation – a tool which when used properly calms the mind and enables it to function more efficiently – has always been a part of worship across all Hindu sects. Ancient Hindu texts tell us about the existence of a subtle body wherever there is a physical body. Chakras are energy centers in the subtle body.  Practices like mantra chanting and meditation are believed to cleanse and energize these energy centers. The effect of this cleansing and energizing permeates to the physical body, making it more energetic both physically and mentally.

A calm mind in an energetic body is the goal of all ritualistic practices of Hinduism. Once this goal is achieved, recognition of one’s dharma comes easily, bringing the spiritual goal of moksha closer.

Getting Familiar with Hindu Philosophic Terminology

Spiritual laws that govern human existence form the basis of Sanatana dharma or Hinduism, as it is more popularly known. Sanatana means universal and dharma can best be translated as ‘righteousness’ in this context.  These laws have universal applicability with a few underlying concepts that run as a common thread through all the perceived differences in Hinduism. An underlying belief in the rebirth of the human soul forms the basis of several of these concepts. 

A few abstract concepts

Moksha, a much bandied about word, is the goal of human existence according to Hinduism. Moksha is described as an exalted state reached by the human soul after release from the cycle of birth and death. Interpretations of the exalted state of Moksha, or Nirvana as it is also called, vary.  This is where differences creep in and are visible as different Hindu sects.

The word atman is used to identify the soul in a living being. This word has an Indo-European root and is derived from “et-men” which means breath – the very essence of life. The atman is one’s true Self, which continues to exist even after the body ceases to exist. The body is a vehicle that the atman uses to live out a cycle of birth and death. Release from this cycle enables the atman to attain moksha.

The spiritual laws of Hinduism also lay down the path to be followed for the atman to attain moksha. This path or method is called dharma and a life lived according to dharma will obliterate the cause of rebirth. Living life according to dharma means recognition of duties as per your role in life and performing those with the right mental attitude. Sounds like a new-age management mantra, right?

Belief in what causes rebirth ties up all these concepts together. The ‘blame’ is placed on desires that crowd a person’s mind. Every action that is performed has the capacity to generate further desires; however, actions performed in true dharmic spirit will ensure that there is no further build-up of desires, thus paving the way to moksha. This cause and effect principle is called karma, a popular Hindu concept.

To sum up the abstract concept of Hinduism – karmic repercussions cause the atman to be caught in a seemingly endless cycle of birth and death; living life according to dharma helps the atman negate karmic repercussions and attain moksha.

Hindu Gods and Goddesses

Hindus believe in one Supreme Reality and also in multiple gods. This apparent contradiction is the result of the practical application of an abstract concept. Given the limitations of the perceptive abilities of the body and mind it is not possible for humans to comprehend the Supreme Reality. Ancient Hindu seers offered a solution for this in the form of a multitude of gods. Wherever you turn, whatever you do there is a god or goddess associated with the act, present as a gentle reminder of the goal of human existence – moksha.

The Trinity and their Consorts

The Trinity in the Hindu pantheon consists of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver and Shiva the destroyer. Worshipped as three distinct gods, they are facets of the one Supreme Reality, known in Hinduism as Brahman or Parabrahman.

Brahma the creator creates the world as we see it, Vishnu the preserver oversees that the world created by Brahma functions according to natural laws, and Shiva the destroyer ensures that all living beings on earth undergo ‘change’ when their time comes.

The consorts of the gods in the Hindu Trinity are goddesses in their own right. Saraswati, the consort of Brahma is the goddess of knowledge; Lakshmi the goddess of wealth is the consort of Vishnu; and Parvati, Shiva’s consort, is the goddess of power. The three goddesses are worshipped separately and also along with their spouses.

Goddess Gayatri is believed to the personification of the Supreme Reality. She is worshipped as the culmination of the Hindu trinity and their consorts in one all-encompassing form.


Vishnu’s avatars

While Brahma and Shiva are worshipped only in one form, Vishnu is worshipped in several forms, with ten of his incarnations being widely accepted and worshipped. Called avatars, some of these incarnations are worshipped devoutly even today. Narasimha – the part-lion and part-man manifestation, Rama – the epitome of perfection, and Krishna – the clever strategist who always strove to uphold dharma are the avatars of Vishnu, each with several temples dedicated to them. 


Lord Venkateshwara at Tirupati

Lord Venkateshwara, the lord of the seven hills in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh (South India), is Hinduism’s most popular god in present times. The hordes of devotees flocking to the temple in Tirupati everyday challenge the logistical abilities of the temple authorities. Lord Venkateshwara is believed to be Vishnu playing his role of the preserver in this eon.


Hanuman, Ganesha and Kartikeya

Hanuman, the monkey god, has a popular following. A monkey with supernatural powers, he was Lord Rama’s devoted helper. Devotees pray to him for devotion and courage.  Hanuman is believed to be an avatar of Shiva.

Ganesha, the rotund, elephant-faced god is the remover of all obstacles, and is worshipped lovingly all over India. His brother Kartikeya, worshipped mainly in South India, is believed to grant spiritual knowledge to his devotees. Both Ganesha and Kartikeya are sons of the divine couple Shiva and Parvati.

River goddesses

Hinduism grants rivers the status of ‘mother’, with the greatest being Mother Ganga – the River Ganges. All rivers are depicted as goddesses and are enshrined in temples on the riverbank. The Ganga aarti – a ritual worship of the river Ganges – is a daily affair that brings thousands of devotees flocking to the banks of the Ganga in Haridwar, Uttar Pradesh, in North India.

There is no hierarchy in this multitude of Hindu gods. There are just different reasons, like family practices, for instance, that make devotees worship one god or the other. Worship of any god is believed to be directed towards the Supreme Reality and takes you further along the spiritual path, closer to the spiritual goal of moksha.

The Power of Om

Aum, Om, Ohm…no matter how you spell it, is a powerful intonation. Calling it a word does not do justice to it.  Om is a sacred word symbol in many faiths.  It is a symbol of the all-pervading divine force. Why Om you might ask? There has to be a reason, right? Music, good music, has the power to transcend barriers of language, cultures and even species. This is because of an intangible quality that appeals to the listener. Aum, too, has that quality.

Om is a sound that encompasses all the sounds that can be made by a human being. The sound Om is a triad of three basic sounds ‘a’, ‘u’ and ‘m’. The ‘a’ sound is a guttural sound produced in the throat by the vocal chords. The sound ‘u’ originates from the navel region and can be felt in the mouth. The sound ‘m’ is heard when the mouth closes after saying the ‘u’.

If Om is pronounced correctly, the vibrations produced should be felt in three different parts of the body. Vibrations produced by the sound of ‘a’ should be felt in the abdomen near the navel, those by ‘u’ should be felt in the chest and ‘m’ should be felt reverberating in the cranium.
The ancient Indian science of yoga – a set of mental and physical disciplines – uses Om extensively, harnessing the benefits of the vibrations produced by Om.

In the physical disciplines prescribed by yoga, Om is used as part of breathing exercises. Controlled breathing exercises done while chanting Om truly rejuvenate. When Om is pronounced loudly, the sound is believed to produce positive vibrations. These vibrations have a healing effect on your body and mind, and on your surroundings too.

Yoga also prescribes the mental discipline of meditation. The process of meditation involves the silent chanting of a ‘mantra’ (a sacred sound) while sitting in a cross legged posture. The mantra often chosen for meditation is Om.  A silent chant is believed to produce subtle vibrations that benefit the mind. Maybe this is why people of faith always seem tranquil and at peace. After all, Om does exist in some form in all faiths.

Buddhists use Om extensively in prayers and meditation. “Om mani padme hum”, one of the most important mantras used in Buddhism, originated in India, the land of Om. Jains use a five-syllable Aum for meditation. Sikhs chant the Omkar regularly, while all Christian prayers end with an ‘Amen’, Islam uses ‘Amin’ and there is the ‘Shalom’ in Judaism.

Want to type out Om on your computer? Choose the Wingdings font in MS Word and type in the backslash. And there you have your Aum.

Today Om is found everywhere... on T-shirts, coffee mugs, artifacts and even in tattoos and body art. The movie ‘The origin of Om,’ might have had a hand in all the Om merchandise. But Om has been around much, much longer than that. Ancient scriptures tell us that this primordial sound existed before creation, exists now and will continue to exist when the world as we know it ceases to exist. Omnipresent and omnipotent may well describe Om – these words have Om in them too!