Shiva-why

[kundanghanekar]

Hi,
how are you guys? One question arise in my mind yesterday that why 'OM' is related to shiva, not with vishnu or other only with shiva?
Kundan ghanekar

[Omkara]

There are several quotes in the vedas identifying Shiva with Om.I have posted them in the thread Lord Shiva in the Vedas.

[devotee]

Namaste,


One question arise in my mind yesterday that why 'OM' is related to shiva, not with vishnu or other only with shiva?


It is not correct. Lord Vishnu or Krishna too are identified as OM. Lord Krishna says so in Bhagwad Gita, Chapter-10. OM is Brahman. Lord Vishnu and Shiva are both Saguna aspects of the same Brahman. Their Nirguna aspect is Brahman i.e. OM.

OM

[Bhairava]

In my experience OM is Bhairava.

[Viraja]

Also OM is said to be associated with Ganesha. His body is said to be in the form of sanskrit OM.

[Anirudh]

why 'OM' is related to shiva, not with vishnu or other only with shiva?

Namaste kundanghanekar,


The following link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Om#In_Hinduism) though FROM Wikipedia has got very interesting + thought provoking information which may change your perspective.


The mantra "OM" is the name of God, the vibration of the Supreme. When taken letter by letter, A-U-M represents the divine energy (Shakti) united in its three elementary aspects: Bhrahma Shakti (creation), Vishnu Shakti (preservation) and Shiva Shakti (liberation, and/or destruction).

Identifying Aum or branding it with ONE deity is INDIVIDUAL'S personal preference or the devotees excessive Bhakthi for that particular deity.

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté


Let me offer this for one's consideration...if we are talking of śiva, one must consider hūṁ हूं . We find it many places but for this post, it is found in the chāndogya upaniṣad & varadā tantra.

Some write हुं huṁ as it appears in the chāndogya upaniṣad 1.13.3 ( 1st khaṇḍa, 13th śloka , 3rd pāda):

It says, anirukttas trayodaśaḥ stobhaḥ sañcaro huṁ-kāraḥ
The indefinable (anirukta¹) is the 13th (trayodaśa) stobha (interjection), the sound¹ हुं huṁ-kāraḥ.

A stobha is a chanted interjection in a sāman ( sāma ved chants); The interjections are used in the chant to make them more conducive/musical to the ear , adding sama ( even-ness, consistency) to the chant.

Yet this stobhaḥ , huṁ , is of special interest. It is defined as anirukta, unspeakable. Why so? It is the sound of the underlying Reality of all. It is considered of indefinite origin. Why ? Because existence, Being (sattā) is without origin - no beginning, no end. It is unspeakable due to its fullness (bhūman) that connot be contained in sound or form . Yet we do the best we can.
It is that huṁ or hūṁ and oṁ that is praṇava or sacred syllables or akṣara. Akṣara means syllable, yet in the same breath is defined as imperishable. It is as if the total ocean could be held in one drop of water. Such is the value and our ability to hear the resonance of huṁ हुं hūṁ हूं and oṁ ॐ

In the varadā tantra there is a śloka that explains the bījā (seed sound or mantra) of śiva/bhairava and is considered śiva-praṇava, hūṁ. Hence in the various śastra we find different praṇava. We know in the veda we find oṁ as praṇava; In the śakta tantra ( that of Śrī Devī) we find hrīṁ, and in the bhairava tantra we find hūṁ.
Now we have the two sounds hūṁ हूं and oṁ ॐ. Here is the connection. Note how we sound-out these vibrations:

oṁ is aum or ah +oo + ṁ ;
hūṁ is ha + oo + ṁThis ṁ is anusvāra or nasalization of the preceding vowel. That is, the energy/vibration is moved up to the nose cavity closer and finally
to ājñā cakra if possible. Yet look at the similar beauty of these two sounds:
ah +oo + ṁ & ha + oo + ṁ Notice how one is in the other, the symmetry?

The difference is in this 'h'. Much has been said of of this sound about this 'ha' and ḥ, but that spills outside the theme of this string.

iti śivaṁ

words

anirukta - is 'not explained', indefinable; it is unspeakable, un-uttered
stobha - a chanted interjection in a sāman ( sāma ved chants); .
My view only: The way to this word 'sound' is interesting: sañcaro is sañ+cara. This cara is moving, shaking ; in music it is called mūrchanā. Its meaning in mūrchā = 'melody' ( amongst other things) and melody =mūrchanā
kāra - is a song , hymn of praise, yet also is making , doing , working, a ~doer~.

[Necromancer]

In my experience OM is Bhairava.
This...oh so much of this.

[Arjunesh]

Om is also related to Buddha what is for many an avatar of Vishnu