# ओम् (om)

Canonical page: https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/om

ओम् (om) is a Sanskrit word meaning the sacred syllable om, beginning, assent or acceptance, prohibition, auspiciousness, knowledge. Its 16 recorded definitions are grouped into 4 contexts, among them Particle of Affirmation, Assent, and Other Functions, Metaphysical Symbol of Brahman and the Divine Trinity, Sacred Invocation and Auspicious Commencement.

- **Root:** अव् (av)
- **Etymology:** E. अ a name of VISHNU, उ of SIVA, and म of BRAHMA; it therefore implies the Indian triad, and expresses the three in one — E. a a name of VISHNU, u of SIVA, and ma of BRAHMA; it therefore implies the Indian triad, and expresses the three in one
- **SLP1:** `om`  **IAST:** om  **Devanagari:** ओम्
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Om
- **Declensions:** 72 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/om/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** ओं (oṃ)

## Meanings by context

### Particle of Affirmation, Assent, and Other Functions (6 definitions)
- 1. Solemn affirmation and respectful assent. 2. Assent or acceptance. 3. Command. 4. Auspiciousness. 5. Removal or warding off.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ओम् (om) [Printed book page 0360-c ] ओम् (om) ind. 2 As a particle it implies ( a ) solemn affirmation and respectful assent (so be it, amen !). ( b ) assent or acceptance (yes, all right); ओमित्युच्यताममात्यः (omityucyatāmamātyaḥ) Mālatīmādhava (Bombay) 6; ओमित्युक्तवतोथ शांर्गिण इति (omityuktavatotha śāṃrgiṇa iti) Śiśupālavadha 1. 75; द्वितीयश्चेदोमिति ब्रूमः (dvitīyaścedomiti brūmaḥ) Sāhityadarpaṇa 1. ( c ) command; ( d ) auspiciousness; ( e ) removal or warding off
- 1. The mystic name of the deity used in prayers and writings. 2. A particle of command. 3. A particle of assent meaning verily or amen. 4. A particle of auspiciousness. 5. A particle of removal meaning away or hence. 6. An inceptive particle.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ओ (o) म (ma) ् (om) [Printed book page 175 ] ओ (o) म (ma) ् (om) ind. 1 The mystic name of the deity, prefacing all the prayers and most of the writings of the Hindus. E. अ (a) a name of VIṢṆU, उ (u) ŚIVA, and म (ma) of BRAHMA; it therefore implies the Indian triad, and expresses the three in one. 2 A particle of command or injunction, 3 Of assent, (verily, amen.) 4 Of auspiciousness. 5 Of removal, (away, hence,) and, 6 It is an inceptive particle. E. अ (a) व (ava) to go, to preserve, &c. म (ma) न् (man) Uṇādi affix, the radical being converted into ओ (o). [ ID=8352 ]
- 1. The sacred syllable uttered at the beginning and end of reading the Vedas. 2. An expression of acceptance, command, assent, or auspiciousness. 3. Brahman.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ओम् (om) [Printed book page 156-02 ] ओम् (om) ind. 1. The sacred syllable ( om ) uttered at the beginning and end of a reading of the Vedas; 2. a particle implying- (1) acceptance (yes), ओमित्युच्यताममात्यः (omityucyatāmamātyaḥ) M.M. vi., ओमित्युक्तवतोथ शार्ङ्गिणः (omityuktavatotha śārṅgiṇaḥ) Sis. i.75; (2) command; (3) assent; (4) auspiciousness; 3. Brahman (n.) [ ID=7595 ]
- 1. The mystic name of the deity used before prayers and writings. 2. A particle of command. 3. A particle of assent or agreement. 4. A particle expressing auspiciousness. 5. A particle denoting removal. 6. An inceptive particle.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ओ (o) म (ma) ् (om) [Printed book page 144-a ] ओ (o) म (ma) ् (om) ind. 1. The mystic name of the deity, prefacing all the prayers and most of the writings of the Hindus. E. अ (a) a name of VISHNU, उ (u) of SIVA, and म (ma) of BRAHMA; it therefore implies the Indian triad, and expresses the three in one. 2. A particle of command or injunction. 3. Of assent, (verily, amen.) 4. Of auspiciousness. 5. Of removal, (away, hence,) and, 6. It is an inceptive particle. E. अ (a) व् (av) to go, to preserve, &c. म (ma) न् (man) Unadi affix, the radical being converted into ओ (o). [ ID=8348 ]
- the mystic syllable Om  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ओम् (om) [Printed book page 104 ] ओम् (om) ( indecl. ) the mystic syllable Om (somewhat like Amen!). [ ID=6703 ]
- A sacred mystic syllable of solemn affirmation, uttered at the beginning and end of Veda-reading.  
  *Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary*
  > ओम् (om) [Printed book page 138-a ] óm, a word of solemn asseveration and reverent acknowledgment, somewhat like ἀμήν; a sacred mystic syllable, uttered at the beg. and end of Veda-reading; cf. praṇava. [origin uncertain.] [ ID=988 ]

### Metaphysical Symbol of Brahman and the Divine Trinity (4 definitions)
- 1. A word of solemn affirmation and respectful assent meaning yes, verily, or so be it. 2. A sacred exclamation used as a greeting or at the beginning and end of prayers and scriptural readings. 3. A mystic monosyllable representing the highest spiritual essence and the Hindu triad.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H1) [Printed book page 235,3] ओम् (m) (om) ind. (√ अ (a) व् (av), Uṇādi-sūtra (Title) i, 141; originally ओं (oṃ) = आ (ā) ं (āṃ), which may be derived from आ (ā), Böhtlingk and Roth’s Sanskrit-Wörterbuch (Title) ), a word of solemn affirmation and respectful assent, sometimes translated by ‘yes, verily, so be it’ (and in this sense compared with Amen; it is placed at the commencement of most Hindū works, and as a sacred exclamation may be uttered [but not so as to be heard by ears profane] at the beginning and end of a reading of the Vedas or previously to any prayer; it is also regarded as a particle of auspicious salutation [Hail!]; ओम् (m) (om) appears first in the Upaniṣads as a mystic monosyllable, and is there set forth as the object of profound religious meditation, the highest spiritual efficacy being attributed not only to the whole word but also to the three sounds अ (a), उ (u), म् (m), of which it consists; in later times ओम् (m) (om) is the mystic name for the Hindū triad, and represents the union of the three gods, viz. अ (a) (Viṣṇu), उ (u) (Śiva), म् (m) (Brahmā); it may also be typical of the three Vedas; ओम् (m) (om) is usually called प्रणव (praṇava), more rarely अ (a) क्षर (akṣara), or एकाक्षर (ekākṣara), and only in later times ओं (oṃ) कार (oṃkāra) ), Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā (Title); Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa (Title); Chāndogya-upaniṣad (Title) &c. [ ID=40704 ]
- Brahman  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ओम् (om) [Printed book page 0360-c ] ओम् (om) ind. 3 Brahman. [This word first appears in the Upanishads as a mystic monosyllable, and is regarded as the object of the most profound religious meditation. In the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad it is said that this syllable is all what has been, that which is and is to be; that all is om, only om. Literally analysed, om is taken to be made up of three letters or quarters; the letter a is Vaiśvānara, the spirit of waking souls in the waking world; u is Taijasa, the spirit of dreaming souls in the ( pb ) world of dreams; and m. is Prājña, the spirit of sleeping and undreaming souls; and the whole om is said to be unknowable, unspeakable, into which the whole world passes away, blessed above duality; (for further account see Gough's Upaniṣads pp. 69-73). In later times om came to be used as a mystic name for the Hindu triad, representing the union of the three gods a (Viṣṇu), u (Śiva), and m. (Brahmā). It is usually called Praṇava or Ekākṣaram]
- The mystic name of the deity or trinity  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ओम् (om) [Printed book page 145-b ] ओम् (om) ind. The mystic name of the Deity or Trinity. [ ID=7779 ]
- A sacred exclamation of solemn affirmation and auspicious salutation, used as an object of profound religious meditation and placed at the commencement of sacred works and prayers.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > ओम् (om) [Printed book page 0189-b ] ओम् (om) om, ind. (said to be fr. rt. av; perhaps originally oṃ, which may be derived fr. āṃ, and this fr. ā ), a word of solemn affirmation and respectful assent (sometimes translated by yes, verily, so be it, and in this sense compared with Amen). It is placed at the commencement of most Hindū works, and as a sacred exclamation may be uttered (but not so as to be heard by ears profane) at the beginning and end of a reading of the Vedas or previously to any prayer. It is also regarded as a particle of auspicious salutation (Hail!). Om appears first in the Upani- shads as a mystic monosyllable, and is there set forth as the object of profound religious meditation, the highest spiritual efficacy being attributed not only to the whole word but also to the three sounds a, u, m, of which it consists. In later times om is the mystic name for the Hindū triad, and represents the union of the three gods, viz. a (Viṣṇu), u (Śiva), m (Brahmā). It may also be typical of the three Vedas. Om is usually called praṇava, more rarely akṣaram or ekākṣaram, and only in later times oṃ-kāra. The Buddhists use om at the commencement of their vidyā ṣaḍ-akṣarī or mystical formulary in six syllables (viz. om māni padme hūṃ ). Lexico- graphers affirm that besides the above uses, om may imply command or injunction, removal or warding off (Away! Hence!), and be used as an inceptive par- ticle. Grammarians assert that before om a preced- ing a or ā at the end of a word should be cut off (e. g. vijayoṅkāraḥ for vijayauṅkāraḥ (°ya-oṅ°), thanksgiving for victory; see Gram. 38. b). —Oṃ-kāra, as, m. the sacred and mystical syllable om; the ex- clamation om; pronouncing the syllable om; (ā), f. a Buddhist Śakti or female personification of divine energy. —Oṃkāra-grantha, as, m. title of a work of Nārāyaṇa. —Oṃkāra-tīrtha, N. of a Tīrtha. —Oṃkāra-bhaṭṭa, as, m., N. of a man. [ ID=12975 ]

### Sacred Invocation and Auspicious Commencement (4 definitions)
- The sacred syllable uttered as a holy exclamation before prayers, sacred works, or the reading of the Vedas.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ओम् (om) [Printed book page 0360-c ] ओम् (om) ind. 1 The sacred syllable om, uttered as a holy exclamation at the beginning and end of a reading of the Vedas, or previous to the commencement of a prayer or sacred work
- 1. The sacred syllable Om. 2. The exclamation or pronunciation of Om. 3. Commencement.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — कारः (kāraḥ) 1 the sacred syllable ओम् (om). 2 the exclamation ओम् (om), or pronunciation of the same. 3 ( fig. ) commencement; एष (eṣa) तावदोंकारः (kāraḥ) (tāvadoṃkāraḥ) Mahāvīracarita (Borooah’s Edition), 1; Bālarāmāyaṇa (Benares) 3. 78. [ ID=9726 ]
- the sacred syllable om, used as an invocation, at the start and end of prayers and Vedic recitation, and as a respectful salutation  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ओम् (om) [Printed book page 059-a3 ] ओम् (om) ó-m, ij. the sacred syllable om ( often = amen; used in invocations, at the commencement Page60-1 of prayers, at the beg. and end of Vedic recitation, and as a respectful salutation; the subject of many mystical speculation ). [ ID=5233 ]
- A sacred mystic syllable used at the beginning and end of prayers, holy recitations, and writings, as well as in respectful salutations.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > ओम् (om) [Printed book page 0146-a ] ओम् (om) om, ind. A mystic word pre- facing all prayers, Pañc. 33, 11; used at the commencement and end of holy recitations, Man. 2, 74; 73; and writ- ings, Man.; used to commence respect- ful salutations, and on other occasions, e. g. Man. 2, 75; and the subject of many mystical speculations, Man. 2, 79; 84. [ ID=2699 ]

### Specific Contextual Uses, Etymology, and Grammatical Notes (2 definitions)
- 1. the sacred syllable om. 2. beginning. 3. assent or acceptance. 4. prohibition. 5. auspiciousness. 6. knowledge. 7. the supreme spirit.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (Buddhists place ओ (o) म् (om) at the beginning of their विद्या षडक्षरी (vidyā ṣaḍakṣarī) or mystical formulary in six syllables [ viz. ओ (o) म् (om) मणि पद्मे हूं (om maṇi padme hūṃ) ]; according to TārānāthaTarkavācaspati’s Vācaspatyam, Sanskrit dictionary (Title) ओ (o) म् (om) may be used in the following senses: प्रणवे (praṇave), आ (ā) रम्भे (ārambhe), स्वीकारे (svīkāre), अ (a) नुमतौ (anumatau), अ (a) पा (apā) कृतौ (kṛtau), अ (a) स्वीकारे (svīkāre) (asvīkāre), मङ्गले (maṅgale), शुभे (śubhe), ज्ञेये (jñeye), ब्रह्मणि (brahmaṇi); with preceding अ (a) or आ (ā), the ओ (o) of ओ (o) म् (om) does not form Vṛddhi ( औ (au) ), but Guṇa ( ओ (o) ), Pāṇini (Author) vi, 1, 95. ) [ ID=40704.1 ]
- by protection  
  *The Purana Index*
  > ओम् (om) [Printed book page 1-285 ] Om — by protection; 1 a yogi is said to be of Aumkāra. 2 [ Footnote: 1) Vā. 5. 37; 25. 84; 30. 229.] [ Footnote: 2) Vā. 19. 43.] [ ID=2275 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary; Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872); Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary; The Purana Index; Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

The Sanskrit Lexicon app for iPhone, iPad and Mac: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sanskrit-lexicon-dictionary/id6746787546