Om <--> Amen

[Krishna P Konduru]

Hi

The available literature upon the significance of this Vedic
Mantra is voluminous. Nowhere in the world can we meet another sacred
symbol that has got such a vast import or significance. The entire
history of the syllable is in the revelations of the Vedas and in the
declarations of the Upnishads.

There is a Vedic verse as follows :

        Prajapati vai idam agra asit
        Tasya vak dvitiya asit
        Vag vai paramam Brahma

"In the beginning was Prajapati, the Brahma with whom was the Word,
and the Word was verily the Supreme Brahma."

The same is echoed in the Gospel of St. John in the New Testament :

"In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and
 the Word was God."

Maharshi Patanjali also says in his Yoga Sutra :
        Tasya vachakha pranavaha -- " The indicator of Parmatama i.e
his name is Pranava (OM).

This indicate the supreme significance of Omkara - *OM* is itself God
and, at the same time, it is also the  means for realising God.

Other Faiths too have a holy word like this OM in a little different
or modified form. To the Christians, it is Amen, Muslims call it Amin,
although their interpretation and usage is not quite identical with
that of OM.

..krishna

Dan Lusthaus wrote:
>
> >        I was looking for information of any linguistic/historical
> >connections between the Sanskrit Om and the Christian Amen. Does Amen
> >derive from some similar word in Judaism ?
>
> Amen in Hebrew means "I believe" (first person singular). Similar term in
> Arabic. One of the traditional explanations of Om (actually A-U-M) is that
> it is a quick summary of the linguistic-sonic principles encoded in the
> Sanskrit alphabet, starting at the back of the throat (A) and moving the
> sound forward until the lips seal it off (M). In other words, it's an
> abbreviation of the Sanskrit alphabet, which as Sabda, spanda, bIjA, etc.,
> is all inclusive and the creative principle in action. Om therefore means
> 'everything', not 'I believe.'
>
> Dan Lusthaus
> Florida State University

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