Pranavopaasana

Hearken to the Pranava that emanates from the heart of the Cosmos!
Fill your ears earnestly with its reverberations
Know that It is the wish-fulfilling tree that fulfills all desires
Forget not these wise words of good counsel.

Vedaanaam Saama Vedosmi ("Among the Vedas, I am the Sama Veda") proclaimed the Gitacharya Sri Krishna. Saamnaa Udgitho Rasah ("The essence of the Sama hymns is Udgitha") declares the Chandogya Upanishad. Udgitha means the Pranava. The essence of the Sama Veda is the Pranava (Om). Pranava is the very life-breath. Omkaaram Sarva Vedaanaam---the scriptures have also declared that Omkaara (the sacred syllable Om) is the supreme mantra in the Vedas. From this it will be realized how supremely important the Omkaara is in the eyes of the seers and what great significance is attached to It.

The single syllable "Om" is pre-eminent among the letters of the alphabet. It symbolizes the Paramatma (Supreme Omni-Self). The Sama Veda is the embodiment of Pranava.

The sage Vyasa first taught the Sama Veda to Maharishi Jaimini. From Jaimini, it was taught to a succession of disciples and in the process it developed many saakhas (branches). Out of the one thousand branches, which stemmed from the Veda, today only three have survived among its practitioners. The others have been lost by the ravages of time. These three branches are: Kouthuma, which is followed by Nagar Brahmanas in Gujarat; Raanaayani, with its adherents in Maharashtra; Jaimini, followed by a section in Karnataka. There are no big differences between the Kouthuma and Raanayani saakhas. "Haa", "Hoo", "Raa", "Ni" are important syllables for the Kouthuma and Raanayani saakhas. For the Raanayani saakha, the main syllables are "Aa Aa", "Oo-Oo", "Raa" and "Nee", the sounds being lengthened during recitation.

The Jaimini saakha is a short one, but is more important than others. It is broad based and has a wider appeal because of its accent on the musical form. There are two versions of it: Aaranyi (forest hymns)and Gaanam (musical hymns). There are four kinds of songs in these hymns: Graameenagaanamu (village songs); Aaranyaka gaanamu; Oohagaanamu and Oohyagaanamu. Grameena or village songs are songs which used to be sung by villagers in their daily activities or during festivals in group dances. They enjoyed themselves in singing such songs. Aaranyaka songs were sung while taking cattle to the forests for grazing. The songs were sung with full-throated voices in an uninhibited way. Singing the praise of the Lord, sitting under a tree, they derived spontaneous delight from these songs.

Oohagaanam resembles the cinema music of our days. Here the singer expresses in the rendering the mood of the song--either grief or joy--by artificial modulations of the voice to produce the impression of grief or joy as conceived by the singer. It lacks genuine feeling. Oohyagaana is the type of singing in which the singer gives free vent to his emotions and enjoys the singing as much as he seeks to communicate his joy to others. The Sama Veda has given to the world these four kinds of music.

The pranava mantra ranks higher than all this music. It is all pervasive and ever present. There cannot be a single moment when we are not listening to this pranava. Nor can we dispense with it even for a second. The Pranava is present in every living being. The Pranava is the primordial sound on which all sounds are based. The Pranava has been equated with the Brahman (the Cosmic Self). The Gita has declared

Om as the monosyllable representing Brahman. Even as Om is all pervasive, the Brahman is also all pervasive. The Vedic dictum, Ayam Atma Brahma (This Atma is Brahman) points out that Atma and Brahman are one and the same. Hence Om, Brahman and Atma signify the same entity.

Every human being experiences four states of consciousness in daily life: Jagrata (the waking state), Swapna (dream state), Sushupti (deep sleep) and Turiya (the highest state of consciousness). The waking state is the state in which one sees and experiences the phenomenal world through the five life-breaths, the senses, the mind, the intellect and the ego. There are also the five sheaths for the body. All these together account for the experience of the phenomenal world in the waking state. Without the Atma, the waking state or experience of the phenomenal world cannot exist. Hence the Atma in this state is known as Viswa. It is also called Vaiswanara or Viraatpurusha. Krishna is stated to have revealed to Arjuna His Viswaroopa (cosmic form). This really means that Krishna showed to Arjuna that the Divine is present everywhere in all things at all times. The entire cosmos is a projection of the Divine.

The Atma that appears in the waking state as the phenomenal cosmos in its gross form, appears in the dream state in its sookshrna(subtle) form. The objects and forms that are experienced in the dream state have a reality only in that state. They have no existence in other states. All the joys and sorrows experienced in the dream state are unique self-created experiences of the Atma. If ten persons are sleeping in one room, their dream experiences are unique to each person and have nothing in common. This means that each person creates his own dream state and experiences his dreams.

There is a light that shines in a dream state. This is known as Tejas. The Atma as the experiencer in this state is known as Taijasa (the effulgent). Apart from dreams, the presence of Taijasa can be demonstrated by a simple example. When we close our eyes, we say it is dark and we cannot see anything. Who is it that is able to experience this darkness? There is some entity that experiences darkness when the eyes are closed and describes it as dark and black. That entity is described as Taijasa because it is present as an inner light during the dream state.

In the third state of Sushupti, the experience of the waking and the dream states are absent. It is the state of deep sleep. All the senses are merged in the mind and nothing can be seen or imagined. In this state Prajna (integrated awareness) alone exists. It is because of Prajna that one is aware of this state. All the sense organs are totally inactive. Only the breathing process remains. It is because of Prajna that one is aware of continuity of Being in deep sleep state and experiences a feeling of bliss.

With all the senses stilled, the Self alone is conscious in the form of Prajna manifested in respiration. Hence the Vedas have declared: "Prajnaanam Brahma" (Prajna--Constant Integrated Awareness--is Brahman). Prajna is the state of unchanging and permanent bliss described by the Upanishads. Prajna is the permanent entity that exists equally in the waking state as the body, in the senses as the Antahkarana (the Inner Motivator) and in the deep sleep state as Atma. It is for this reason that it is characterized as Constant Integrated Awareness. It is not different from Brahman or Atma. A doubt may arise that neither Brahman nor Atma is visible. But by understanding the Pranava, the identity of the Brahman and Atma can be experienced.

How do we cognize the Pranava and hear it? It is not perceivable. It is like something to be absorbed. All that is seen in the visible universe, all that is heard in the realm of sound, all the multifarious experiences of the heart--all of them are subsumed by the Pranava. Even in the state of deep sleep, the process of breathing in and breathing out goes on ceaselessly. That which sustains the breathing process is Omkaara, which thus proclaims its identity with the Brahman and the Atma.

The fourth state is Turiya. This is a state of complete ineffable Bliss in which the Universal Consciousness alone is experienced. It is beyond description.

Like the four states of consciousness, the Omkaara has also four constituents. These are: A-kaara, Ukaara, Ma-kaara and Adhiratha (the humming sound--mm...). A-kaara is the first and foremost sound of Omkaara. It is the first letter of the alphabet. In the waking state, it is regarded as a manifestation of the Viraatpurusha and is personified as Viswa, the ruling power and sustainer of the phenomenal world.

U is the syllable representing the dream state. It is the second sound of Omkaara. It has the form of Tejas or effulgence. It illumines everything and dispels every kind of darkness. The third sound is Ma. It represents the state of Prajna (Integrated Consciousness). It reveals the inner meaning of everything. It is also known as the unifying entity, Antaryami (the Inner Controller), the Suthraatmaka (the Atmic coordinator). These different names indicate that the Atma is the Indweller in all beings. It has no form. Ma thus signifies this profound truth. After the "A", "U" and "Ma" are combined, the fourth sound emerges. That is the sound that is heard in Turiya state. It is the vibration "mm .... ", known as Adhiratha.

Because Omkaara has four sounds, it is viewed as the four-faced Brahma. It is also described as Sabda-Brahmam, the Brahman in the form of cosmic sound. The Sabda-Brahmam contains Gaana-Brahmam (the Brahman as music). The Sabda-Brahmam pervades everywhere. The all-pervasive character of Sabda-Brahmam is first among eight cosmic powers attributed to the Divine.

It is only when the unique spiritual significance of "Omkaara" is understood and experienced and when it is realized that all that one sees or hears emanates from the Pranava, will one be able to understand the inner meaning of the Sama Veda. The cosmic power of the sound can be known when the Sama Veda and Pranava are properly understood. This knowledge cannot be got by external exploration. It has to be got from within. When the source of all light and sound--the Pranavaswarupa--is within one, of what avail is it to search for them outside? The first requisite is to acquire the faith that the Lord who is manifest in Cosmic Sound, is present within as Pranavakaara (the form of Pranava).

For nourishing this faith, it is necessary to abjure impurity in speech. No room should be given for speaking bad words or listening to bad talk. Excessive speech has to be eschewed. Idle talk, slanderous gossip and back-biting should be totally given up. There is great energy in the power of speech. It should not be wasted in any way. This is the supreme discipline that has to be cultivated in daily life.

This is the great message of the Sama Veda. It proclaims the divinity and delight that are inherent in words and sounds that are sacred and pure. Nothing that we say should cause pain to anyone. Whoever indulges in such speech is less than human.

In uttering mantras (sacred sounds), their meaning should be understood. Otherwise the japa (repetition of Divine Name) becomes mechanical ritual. Human life itself is one long mantra. It is also tantra (a spiritual technique). It is also a yantra (a symbolic spiritualized geometric device). Such a sacred gift should be utilized worthily.

Only one or two Vedas are prevalent today. We must resort to restore them in all their fullness and glory by realizing the nectarine value of their message. We must recover faith in the Divine and make devotion to God the sheet-anchor of our lives. Without devotion all our education is valueless.

Embodiments of Divine Love!

Man needs primarily two qualities: Devotion to God and the spirit of sacrifice. Without sacrifice there can be no devotion. Sacrifice is the key to immortality. Man is caught up in the coils of selfishness and self-centredness. How long will these attachments last? Why sacrifice the lasting bliss of a divinely oriented life for the petty tinsel of worldly possessions? Devote yourselves to the service of mankind in a spirit of dedication and sublimate your lives.

Your job is no doubt important for earning a living. But you must be prepared even to sacrifice it for serving the nation and upholding Truth, with faith in God. All possessions and relationships are transient. Only two things are permanent: Dharma {righteousness) and Keerthi (a good name}. A good name is got only through one's good actions and not as a gift from others. Avoid everything evil and cultivate the company of the good, and be good in thought, word and deed.

Realize the omnipresence of the Divine in the form of Omkaara, as proclaimed in the Sama Veda. Practice Omkara Upasana (meditation of the primal sound principle) with the consciousness that the Divine is omnipresent and achieve mergence in the Divine as the goal of human birth.