ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>O&#7748K&#256R</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="ODKR"> <META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279O&#7748K&#256R, generally written down as Oa&#7749k&#257r in Sikh Scriptural writings, is derived from the Upani&#7779adic word Oa&#7749k&#257ra (<i>om+k&#257ra</i>) originally signifying pronouncing or rendering into writing the syllable Om. Known as synonym of Om it has been used in the Vedic literature and, in particular in its religio-philosophical texts known as the Upani&#7779ads, as a holy vocable of mystical signification and as the most sacred of the names of Brahman, the Supreme Self or the one entity which fills all space and time and which is the source of the whole universe including the gods themselves.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The word <i>om</i>, the most hallowed name of Brahman, is derived, according to the <i>Gopatha-br&#257hm&#257na</i> (I. 24), from <i>&#257p</i> &#8216to pervade' or from <i>av</i> 'to protect'. This monosyllable is said to command the highest Spiritual efficacy for the realization of the Supreme spirit. Considering Brahm&#257 (<i>a</i>) to be inhalation; Vi&#7779&#7751u (<i>u</i>) to be suspension, Rudra (<i>m</i>) to be exhalation, the <i>pr&#257&#7751&#257y&#257m</i> is also indicated as obtainable by concentration on Om.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The three sounds (<i>AUM</i>) have been described as symbolizing the material, the subtle and the causal world respectively (<i>M&#257n. Up.</i>., 8.11). This interpretation envisages the comprehension of the entities of matter (<i>prakrit&#299</i>), spirit (<i>j&#299va or &#257tman</i>) and God (Brahma) within the concept of Om or Oa&#7749k&#257ra. The three sounds have also been identified with three quarters of Brahman representing, in their respective order, His waking, dreaming and sleeping states, His fourth quarter, all pervading Oa&#7749k&#257r, having been described as transcending all conventional dealings and the phenomenal world (<i>M&#257n. Up. </i>., 9.12). Amidst the <i>k&#7779ara</i> or perishable objects of the phenomenal world, He is <i>ek&#257k&#7779ara</i>, the Sole Imperishable One (<i>Atharvaveda</i>, V. 28. 8; BG VIII, 13).</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; According to the Upani&#7779adic seers, the word Om, known as Pra&#7751ava also, serves as an aid or a medium to the meditation on, and the realization of, the Supreme Spirit (<i>P. Up</i>. V. 5; <i>&#346v Up</i>. I. 13-14; <i>Ka&#7789h&#257 Up</i>. I. 2.17). The <i>Mu&#7751&#7693aka Upani&#7779ad</i> (II. 2.3.4) metaphorically describes Pra&#7751ava or the Oa&#7749k&#257ra as the great bow which helps the arrow in the form of soul, sharpened with meditation, reach the target, that is, the Imperishable Brahman. According to the <i>&#346veta&#347vatara Upani&#7779ad</i> (I.13), the Universal Spirit is realized through Oa&#7749k&#257ra just as the form of fire is realized through the fuel. Identifying Oa&#7749k&#257ra, the name or the signifier, with Brahman, the object signified, the seers imply that meditation on Oa&#7749k&#257r means meditation on Brahman. The <i>M&#257&#7751&#7693&#363kya Upani&#7779ad</i> accepts syllable Om as "all that is past, present or future, and whatever is beyond the three periods of time is also verily Om."</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The pantheistic concept of Brahman as the Supreme Self, one and impersonal in character, and often identified with Om or Oa&#7749k&#257ra, continued to hold good along with the growth of the polytheistic concept of the personal gods like Brahm&#257, Vi&#7779&#7751u and &#346iva, the two concepts acting and reacting and complementing each other in the long history of the religio-philosophical tradition of India.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Gur&#363 N&#257nak, in order to emphasize the strict monotheism of the creed he was preaching and to discountenance any possibility of the kind of polytheism prevalent in India reasserting itself, added the numeral 1 (one, pronounced as <i>ek</i> in most Indian languages), the Formula for the Supreme Being thus emerging from his revelation as Ek Oa&#7749k&#257r. To this numeral one (<i>ek</i> or <i>ik</i>) a mystical significance attaches in the Sikh creed. Besides being the opening sentence-phrase of the M&#363l Mantra, standing at the head of the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib, Ek Oa&#7749k&#257r emphasizes the Nirgu&#7751a (the unattributed) character of Brahman, the Supreme Being. <i>Ek</i> or <i>Ik</i> in this formula is called <i>b&#299j-mantra</i> or the seed formula, out of which has grown the entire fabric of Sikh creed, which totally discountenances any polytheistic or even what is known as the henotheistic concept. This <i>Ek</i> is the very image of the Supreme Being, the Divine Essence (<i>&#347uddha svar&#363pa</i>), accepted in Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib. Bh&#257&#299 Gurd&#257s, the great savant and poet, thus expresses the relationship of <i>Ek</i> with <i>Oa&#7749k&#257r</i> : "The creator first manifested the One; and after, set by its side the &#8217&#363&#7771&#257' 'Oa&#7749k&#257r' (<i>V&#257r&#257&#7749</i>,III.15). For 'O' the original is <i>&#363&#7771&#257</i>, the first neuter vowel-letter of the Gurmukh&#299 alphabet, representing according to its diacritical mark 'O' or '<i>U</i>'.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; From the above it will be indicated that the numeral Ek with Oa&#7749k&#257r is all-important emphasizing the attributelessness, soleness and transcendence of Br&#257hma&#7751, also known in Sikh theology as P&#257rbrahma 'transcendent Br&#257hma&#7751'. Among the names of the Supreme Being primarily belongs Ek Oa&#7749k&#257r, which is repeated in M&#363l Mantra by the initiates to Sikhism, when taking <i>amrit</i>.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A distinction exists philosophically between Ek Oa&#7749k&#257r and Oa&#7749k&#257r. Ek Oa&#7749k&#257r being the unattributed, transcendent aspect of the Supreme Being, Oa&#7749k&#257r is the attributed (<i>sagu&#7751, sargu&#7751</i>) aspect, the Creator, to whom devotion and worship may be offered. In the Sikh creed the Supreme Being is both 'attributed' and 'unattributed', no distinction being made between His two aspects &#8212 attributed aspect not represented by any deities or such other beings. The combination in Him of both aspects is emphasized in <i>Sukhman&#299</i> (GG, 287, 290). In numerous places in Gurb&#257&#7751&#299 the combination in the Supreme Being of transcendence and immanence, the unattributed and the creative (attributed) aspect, is emphasized through various images and similies. M&#257h&#257 Kav&#299 Santokh Si&#7749gh, in his <i>&#7788ik&#257 Garab Gañjan&#299</i> affirms that Oa&#7749k&#257r, the creative aspect of the Supreme Being is Brahm&#257 associated with <i>m&#257y&#257</i>. In the hymn <i>R&#257mkal&#299 Dakh&#7751&#299 Oa&#7749k&#257r</i>, at the very outset, the Creator is saluted as Oa&#7749k&#257r. Gur&#363 &#256mar D&#257s in <i>M&#257r&#363 Solahe</i> (18), affirms : "<i>Oa&#7749k&#257r sabh sris&#7789i up&#257&#299</i>&#8212 Oa&#7749k&#257r created the universe. Bh&#257&#299 Gurd&#257s (<i>V&#257r&#257&#7749</i>, XXXVII. 1) represents Oa&#7749k&#257r as the Creator. He further endorses that by becoming and uniting &#346iva and <i>&#346akti</i>, the creation is brought about by Oa&#7749k&#257r. Ik Oa&#7749k&#257r is likened to the sun which shines in sole splendour, while the manifest universe is likened to the numberless stars. In <i>V&#257r&#257&#7749</i>, 26. 2, the melody of the word rising from Ek Oa&#7749k&#257r is said to have created the Oa&#7749k&#257r (with attributed form). In <i>V&#257r&#257&#7749</i>, 29.19, Bh&#257&#299 Gurd&#257s recounts three stages of the Supreme Reality. They are : Nira&#7749k&#257r, Eka&#7749k&#257r and Oa&#7749k&#257r. Nira&#7749k&#257r being the Su&#7749n Sam&#257dh&#299 (seedless trance) stage, Eka&#7749k&#257r and Oa&#7749k&#257r may be considered as grosser stages of the Nira&#7749k&#257r Br&#257hman, in and through which He creates the cosmos. This elucidation by Bh&#257&#299 Gurd&#257s is consistent with Gur&#363 N&#257nak's thought in <i>V&#257r As&#257</i> where he expounds : "<i>&#257p&#299nai</i> (Nira&#7749k&#257r) <i>&#257pu s&#257jiu</i> (Eka&#7749k&#257r) <i>&#257p&#299nai rachio n&#257u</i> (Oa&#7749k&#257r) <i>d&#363&#299 qudarati s&#257j&#299ai</i> (creation from Oa&#7749k&#257r) <i>k&#257ri &#257sa&#7751u &#7693i&#7789ho ch&#257u</i> (all pervading Nira&#7749k&#257r creative as Oa&#7749k&#257r)." It may be further noted that all the three aspects of Aphur Brahman, i.e. Nirank&#257r, Eka&#7749k&#257r and Oa&#7749k&#257r, have been delineated as creators by saying "<i>Oa&#7749k&#257r sabh sris&#7789i up&#257&#299</i>" (GG, 1061), "<i>Nira&#7749k&#257r &#257k&#257ru up&#257i&#257</i>" (GG, 1065) and "<i>Eka&#7749k&#257ru eku p&#257s&#257r&#257 ekai ap&#257r ap&#257r&#257</i>" (GG, 821). In <i>V&#257r&#257&#7749</i>, 18.12, also <i>Oa&#7749k&#257r</i> is presented by Bh&#257&#299 Gurd&#257s as the Creator. To contrast with <i>Oa&#7749k&#257r</i>, terms <i>Nira&#7749k&#257r</i> (the formless) and <i>Nir&#257dh&#257r</i> (the absolute) are used. In <i>Sukhman&#299</i> (GG, 276, 284), after creation is dissolved, the Supreme Being remains Sole Absolute (Eka&#7749k&#257r, Ik Oa&#7749k&#257r). Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh also, in <i>Ak&#257l Ustati</i>, salutes the Absolute by saying : '<i>pra&#7751vo &#257di eka&#7749k&#257r&#257</i>' (I bow to the Primal Absolute).</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The signification attaching to Ik Oa&#7749k&#257r must have become clear, which while using the syllable Oa&#7749k&#257r from Upani&#7779adic literature has given to it a meaning and conceptual content different from what it bears in those texts.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This concept of Ik Oa&#7749k&#257r (the Sole Oa&#7749k&#257r), also written down as <i>Eka&#7749k&#257r</i> (GG, pp.153, 276, 608, 736, 838 etc.) represented by the holy syllables (1) in the Granth S&#257hib, is the basic tenet of the Sikh religion and its theology. This symbol precedes the M&#363l Mantra or the basic formula of the Sikh theology, prefixed to the <i>Japu</i> and all the musical measures in the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib. The M&#363l Mantra enunciates in succinct form, the concept of Ek Oa&#7749k&#257r, who is the Sole Supreme Self, the Truth Eternal, the Creator of all and Self-existent. While defining Him, the M&#363l Mantra, uses some negative terms also. Thus He is described as Nirbhau &#8212 without fear; Nirvair &#8212 without rancour; Ak&#257l &#8211 M&#363rati &#8212 form eternal; Aj&#363n&#299 &#8212 not subject to the cycle of birth and death.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This concept of Oa&#7749k&#257r has been expounded in elaborate and inspiringly sublime form in the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib which time and again has put a special emphasis, in view of the socially as well as the spiritually disintegrating thought necessitated by the prevailing circumstances, on the oneness of the Supreme Being. It is only with reference to His infinite creation or the multiplicity of the beings, both animate and inanimate, created by Him that He has been described as <i>anek</i> (not one, i.e. many) and <i>sagu&#7751a</i> in the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib; otherwise, primarily, He has been conceived and described as <i>nirgu&#7751a</i>. Nirgu&#7751a Aphur Brahman in Sikhism being Saphur, without changing His transcendent character and stimulating His creative divine power, Oa&#7749k&#257r, which hitherto was latent and unmanifest, creates the cosmos by assuming the role of the Kart&#257-Purakh. He is not that Nira&#7749k&#257ra becomes <i>s&#257k&#257r</i> in any gross sense; he rather, in the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib, is explained as a creative divine power. In Indian philosophical and theological thought where <i>av</i> is considered as the root of Om, the emphasis is laid upon its protective aspect, whereas in Sikh Scripture its creative divine power has been taken into account.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Of the other terms considered equal to Oa&#7749k&#257r or Brahman, the term <i>sat</i> and its cognates <i>satya</i> and <i>sach</i> being the basic need of a spiritually as well as socially well knit society, get a preferential treatment by the Gur&#363s in the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Jodh Si&#7749gh, Bh&#257&#299, <i>Gurmat Nir&#7751aya</i>, Lahore 1945<BR> <li class="C1"> Harbans Singh, ed., <i>Perspectives on Guru Nanak</i>. Patiala, 1975<BR> <li class="C1"> Sher Singh, <i>Philosophy of Sikhism</i>. Lahore, 1944<BR> <li class="C1"> Macauliffe, M.A., <i>The Sikh Religion</i>. Oxford, 1909<BR> <li class="C1"> McLeod, W.H., <i>Guru Nanak and the Sikh Religion</i>. London,1968<BR> <li class="C1"> Daussen, P., <i>Philosophy of the Upanisads</i>. New York, 1966<BR> <li class="C1"> Gunindar Kaur, <i>The Guru Granth Sahib: Its Physics and Metaphysics</i>. Delhi, 1981<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Dharmendra Kum&#257r Gupta<br></p><BR> </font> <img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""> </HTML></BODY>