The first three names used to address or describe the Almighty in the Vishnu Sahasra Nama Stotram are “Vishwam Vishnur Vshatkara”. ‘Vishwam’ is used in the sense of ‘universe’, and we use it limitedly as ‘world’. Nadam is the tune. The Almighty is reverentially addressed as the universe itself (holding the power of the universe), the one who is all-enveloping (Vishnu), and the one who is invoked with Vashat Karam.
Origin of the AUM sound
We learn that the universe originated with the sound of Aum+karam. The originated AUM sound has A, U and Ma, with an extension. These, respectively, denote the beginning, sustenance and the end state. Thus, we can correlate this with our own experience of the beginning, the continuing and the end state. As ‘kala’ (time) is denoted, the longer unit of time of a year begins, continues for a fixed twelve months, and then comes full circle. The fourth-half sound after the three syllables of A, U and Ma represents the Turiya sthiti, which is beyond the three states.
The four states of awareness
Jagrut is a well-known awakened state of external focus. Swapna is the dreamy state of internal focus. Sushupti is the blissful state and is beyond the external/internal state. The fourth is beyond all the three states. As the famous example goes, we are aware of being awake and dreaming in the first two stages. We are also aware of the third deeper stage of “we are not aware”. The absence of self, who is witnessing all these three, is the Turiya state. In Turiya, the self is all-encompassing. Some schools propose the Turiyateeta state, meaning “beyond all beyonds”. In the third, the experience is absent, and in the fourth, there is no one to know whether the experience is happening.
Quest for the primal sound
A thousand-mile journey begins with the first step. How do we experience the Pranavam or Aum or Omkar? Is it an external sound or internally generated and experienced? Is Anahata the source of this primordial shabdha? How do we experience this “Shabdha Brahma”? Will losing or turning off the external open the internal? Is the absence of all experience Purna? If the experiencing person is part of the Purna, how can experiencing happen? Submergence? Convergence?
May this year sharpen the quest and inspire more to travel the path, where the journey itself is the destination. The current cacophony shall end, and the Vishwam will vibrate to a sustainable AUM.
About the author
Dr. S. Ainavolu is a Mumbai-based teacher of Management and Tradition.
