(Hindus) Why Aum is prefixed before most of the Mantras ?

Question

Which mantras do not start with Aum?

Answer 1

AUM is prefixed to all mantras because it is the ultimate.

Just try to imagine the state when we wake up from deep sleep stage to waking stage. If any one closely observes several things will come to be known.

The whole universae or cosmos remains in dormant stage for some time and and when it slowly wakes up that means Chetana sets in for creation, the first one to emerge is sound and that sound is called AUM. From this sound only whole creation came out. When it is in dormant it is noithing but Sunya where the whole energy remains in dormant form.

I can give one more example that is a dry seed. It will have life in it to grow. Life is still there but comes out only situyation is created. That is when water is added it will swell and sprouting starts. When the universe is in such dormant state we call it as yoganidra of the God. This is represented in the form of lying posture of Lord Vishnu on a serpent. The creation starts when lotus emerges from his navel. For a normal seed water is to be added. Whereas for the universe the inner desire will act as water for sprouting.

When it is in dormant state it is nothing but sky or Akasa. The quality of Akasa is sound. We also call the God as Sabda Swarupa or Nada Swarupa. Famous music composure Thyagaraja wrote " Nada Tanum Anisam". That is why in most of the mantras we say Nadah Santha nam. The panchabhutas have come one out of other. The begining is the sound that is Aum. When whole universe retreats one will enter the other and finally end up in sound which joins Sky and remain in Sunya. Here the Sunya means not the empty preached by Buddhism. Here Sunya is in fully energised but remains in dormant form.

The whole unioverse is coming out of AUM and at the end in Pralaya joins the same. Therefore it is the ADI - begining and ANTAM - the end. There fore all mantras start with AUM.

We normally say if we wnat to convert any word in to a Mantra, one shoud prefix Aum and end with Namah.
For ex: The word Rama or Krishna - Aum Ramaya Namah or Aum Krishnaya Namah.
There is no Mantra which starts without Aum.

Answer 2

"The goal which all the Vedas declare, which all austerities aim at, and which men desire when they lead the life of continence … is OM. This syllable OM is indeed Brahman. Whosoever knows this syllable obtains all that he desires. This is the best support; this is the highest support. Whosoever knows this support is adored in the world of Brahma."
~ Katha Upanishad I
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The most basic mantra is AUM, which in Hinduism is known as the "pranava mantra," the source of all mantras. The philosophy behind this is the Hindu idea of nama-rupa (name-form), which supposes that all things, ideas or entities in existence, within the phenomenological cosmos, have name and form of some sort. The most basic name and form is the primordial vibration of Aum, as it is the first manifested nama-rupa of Brahman, the unmanifest reality/unreality. Essentially, before existence and beyond existence is only One reality, Brahman, and the first manifestation of Brahman in existence is Aum. For this reason, Aum is considered to be the most fundamental and powerful mantra, and thus is prefixed and suffixed to all Hindu prayers. While some mantras may invoke individual Gods or principles, the most fundamental mantras, like 'Aum,' the 'Shanti Mantra,' the 'Gayatri Mantra' and others all ultimately focus on the One reality.

Aum (also Om, Devanagari , Chinese: 唵) is a mystical or sacred syllable in the Dharmic religions. It is placed at the beginning of most Hindu texts as a sacred exclamation to be uttered at the beginning and end of a reading of the Vedas or previously to any prayer or mantra. The Mandukya Upanishad is entirely devoted to the explanation of the syllable.

In Puranic Hinduism, Aum is the mystic name for the Hindu Trimurti, and represents the union of the three gods, viz. a for Vishnu, u for Shiva and m for Brahma. The three sounds also symbolise the three Vedas (Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda).

Answer 3

Mantra is the power of sound.
Sound starts with Aum and ends with Aum .
So , to remind the birth of any mantra(sound) , we start with Aum . And to make the mantra(sound) sacred at the end , with Aum it is terminated.

Answer 4

Aum is vital as the life giving for all Manthras. Aum is just like the power generated in a Diesel Engine which hauls other bogies. Aum is primal for creation. The meaning of Aum is endless. It represents Brahman and even without any suffix it can be uttered. It is in our breath. As you breath in, it resemble 'SO' and when you exale it is 'HUM'. It is being uttered by all involuntarily as they breath 21600 times a day. When you breath with awareness the So and Hum mingle together to represent AUM. nagarajan.

Answer 5

OM (AUM) is pronounced as Pranava nadam (Sound that vibrates through out universe) and Nada Brahmam (Sound ultimate). No other sound equals the power of OM. Every Manthra has it's specific purpose and power, in activating the human body and soul. To say elaborately Om is whole (paripurna), Where as Manthra is a part. While prefixing Om, Manthra will be enriched with extra ordinary power and wholeness (Paripurnatha). Usually Kshudra Manthra (non-devine) never consist Om as it's prefix.

Answer 6

While the chanting "Aum"..just you notice the ponic how it begins and how it concludes...While you do it, you have to hold your breath..

Secondly, the meaning of Aum, after going through several literature that is available, I understood that is there is no end in you and there is no end for the Almighty, you just begin with Aum ...Still you chant..you will live long..Everywhere you see, watch, feel and come across the meaning of Aum".. you have to search with true mind of course you will feel the reply....

Answer 7

For chanting Om ur toungue does not move. My mother used to say that those who are too lazy to chant any mantra they can chant Om as toungue is not used in doing so. Maha Mantra as per Iscon Hare Rama hare rama, rama rama hare hare, hare krishna hare krishna, krishna krishna hare hare does not start with Om. As per Shiv Arti it is written Om is the abode of Brahma, Vishnu, Sadashiv, so while prefixing AUM before every Mantra we invoke the blessings of Tridev at one time.

Answer 8

AUM is absolute and complete
It is the sound of the universe and its silence
It is life and lives breath

Answer 9

i am fully satisfied with Mr. ravipati
the word AUM is used to convert the energy

Answer 10

it vibrates the crown chackra and opens the third eye--one that is not prefixed with aum, is the hahm sah mantrafor unwinding the kundalini serpent