Hinduism ~ why aum is prefixed before most mantras ?

Question

Which are the mantras which dont have a aum pre-fixed

Yes infinity & neil.. Dr.Chopra talks about this humming somewhere near a flat "b" on the sound notes..

Yogananda wrote b'fully aum is the humming of the cosmic motor of creation.(in autobiography of a yogi)

Answer 1

it gives power to the mantra

Answer 2

The pranava mantra (aum) is the basic hum of the universe, according to the Vedic tradition. Using this sound as a prefix is meant to bring the transcendental into the sound. (Mantra Brahmanayur Veda nama dheyam - Veda is sound and silence). I believe this approximates the Yogic principle of samyama, but is not quite the same.
The Mantras of the Vedic and vedic derived texts (such as Itihasge, etc.) generally do not have this suffix except at the beginning and end of chapters, etc. It is also a little known fact that the tradition does not recommend use of this mantra alone by householders, as it is said to make one's desires turn away. Some traditional teachers give housholders mantras with "sri" as a prefix rather than the pranava.

Answer 3

Aum is prefixed before mantras because: It is the sound that was produced at the time of the big bang and thus it is directly a divine product, it relaxes every atom in the body when chanted properley, it signifies that we are channeling the mantra towards the direction of the almighty.

Answer 4

Aum-- close yr eyes and still yr thoughts. In the silence u hear a faint or loud resonance like a continues whistle. That is the Holy sound of AUM
Best described as in the Q by Yoganand---a humming sound of the Universal motor.

Answer 5

some of the above answers might have explained you how aum is a cosmic sound....it is quite true, but i would like to add some more details.....

'aum' is actually a combination of three parts....a-kaar, u-kaar and ma-kaar....these three are said to contain all the possible kinds of vibrations in the universe.....when aum is correctly chanted one can feel the vibrations in them.....

it is observed that when a-kaar is chanted one can feel vibrations in their head region....with u-kaar vibrations occur in heart region and ma-kaar is associated with naabhi (abdominal region).....

due to stress and present day's lifestyle our body's vibrations are imbalanced and are not in accordance with nature/universe/divine energy (whatever you believe in)......chanting aum kind of sets your whole body's vibration in the same level with that 'divine energy'....
this gives you immense mental energy to tackle even the hardest situation,without losing your temper......this is what we all need always...

this was studied much earlier by our ancestors and was included in mantras, so as everyone chants aum on a daily basis, because chanting mantras everyday is an inseparable part of a Hindu....

Answer 6

Om--recited as OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM---is a combination of 3 letters (Aksharam) .Aksharam also has another meaning ----Ksharam=delible; erasable--Aksharam=indelible ;non-erasable.---the 3 letters are A+U+Ma=Om--in Sanskrit A+U+ will become "O" (Sammithaaksharam)--"A" by itself is a word ,synonym for sri .Vishnu (evidence:-in sri.Bhagavad Geetha Lord sri Krishna says "Aksharaanaam Akaarosmi"= Among the the letters I (sri.Krishna) is "A"(pronounced as in "A"mitaab)---"U"(pronounced as in t"oo") denotes lord sri Siva(evidence:-Rudraadhyaayee--"U"ganaabya Trigumhathibyas cha vo namo, namo"---"Ma" denotes Mother=Sakthi(Universal Mother)---There is no mention about Brahma (one of Hindu Trinity) in this Mantram, because this Mantramm was revealed to sri. Brahma only by the Supreme Lord-so sri.Brahma is the "Arsha" of this Mantram .Here the letter "Ma" denotes many Devathas other than Shakthi also-in the work, Rudrayaamala all the 1000 names(Sahasranaamam) of sri.Raa"ma",begins with the letter "Ma".There are many Shaastrams where it is written that every "Rk' of Vedham when seperately and repeatedly recited as "Mantram" to attain a given benifit(Siddhi) OM should prefix and suffix that "Rk. . When Om is recited as a seperate Mantram ,certain rules are prescribed ----"OM ithi Eka Aksharam Brahma--Agnir Devatha--Brahma ithi Arsham--Gayatram Chandham (meter)--Paramathmam Swaroopam -Sayujyam Viniyogam---Yathannath /Yathraathriyathh Kuruthay paapam Thathannnath /tatrathriyaath pardhimuchyathay" ----If a person knows NO Mantram at all from Vedham,if that person repetedly recites "OM" alone he/she will get all the benifits of reciting all 4 Vedhams.

P.S.:-Deepak Chopra does not know anything about Hinduism He has never done "Vedha Adhyayanam" Every Hindu has some "hear-say" knowledge about Hindu Religion.That he gave in the form of lectures "liberally" mixing his own ideas and made a lot of money. .

Answer 7

OM is Krishna. It is the Absolute Truth it is everything. When we chant Om before anything is invokes The Absolute Truth. The Maha Mantra Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare Does not need to have Om pre-fixed because to say Krishna says everything and is the personal feature of the Lord. All other pure mantras are included in the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra and it is the most recommended Mantra to chant for this age. I accept this authorized understanding from the highest authorities, including Sri Krishna Himself. It is said that chanting Om, will take one many many lifetimes to come to The Absolute Truth. (though it is the absolute truth.) Besides this Krishna Prefers to chant His names, especially in this age. We should make the Maha Mantra our main jappa and om will be chanted when we read other scriptures , mantras and hyms etc. Thanks and Peace to you,

Answer 8

because aum is the creation

before everything there is aum

gurur bhrahma is a mantra without aum prefix

Answer 9

I am a Hindu coyote if you will have me.
Aum and the stillness before and after is all that is needed, but for coyotes that have traveled a long way from home there are the Mantras to expound on what is the most natural. : )

Answer 10

It is a cosmic sound .The space being empty , no sound can progress/ travel in it ,as sound needs some some material mediam to progress.But the Comsic sound of Om is reverberating there. Ask some astronaught to attach a mike to his space suit and listen to any sound he can hear while in deep space .