OM as the UDGITHA

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OM MEDITATION

 

 

Om.

 

One should meditate on the Udgitha as the principal prana,

for the prana moves in the body uttering Om.

 

 

The Udgitha is a hymn of the Sama Veda sung by the Udgatri

priest during a sacrifice. It begins with OM, also called the Udgitha.

 

Om is called Pranava in the Rig-Veda and Udgitha in the Sama-Veda.

 

 

'Ut' is prana, a man rises , uttishthati by means of prana

 

'Gi' is speech called 'girah'

 

'Tha' is food--all this subsists (sthita) on food

 

 

Sri Sankara says--

 

 

'Ut' is heaven, it is high

 

'Gi' is the mid-region between heaven and earth

 

'tha' is the earth, the abode (sthana) of creatures

 

 

One should meditate on the Udgitha as the sun who gives warmth.

 

When the sun rises he sings the Udgitha for the benefit of all.

 

When he rises he destroys darkness and fear. He who knows this

 

becomes the destroyer of darkness and fear.

 

 

Prana and the sun are the same because they both give warmth.

 

Prana and the sun both come in and go out, but once the prana

 

leaves the body it does not return as the sun does after it sets.

 

THIS they call Svara--what goes out, and

THAT as Pratyasvara--what returns

Therefore one should meditate on the Udgitha as This and That.

 

Om.

 

 

Satchitananda

 

Kathy

 

 

(CHHANDOGYA UPANISHAD by Swami Nikhilananda with

commentary by Sri Sankaracharya)

 

 

OM.