The Secrets of the Om Sound
The sages of the Vedic era declared that the mantra “Om” is a universal mantra, and we know well that the Vedic Upanishads praise and extol this supreme mantra. When researchers in a new study say that it is a scientific mantra suited to this modern age, our amazement knows no bounds. Ajay Anil Gurjar, a professor at Sipna College of Engineering and Technology in Amravati, along with the principal of the college, Siddharth Ladake, delved into research on Om.
The reason they embarked on this research was the unbearable mental stress and the resulting pain experienced by people engaged in business and working in factory offices day by day. Seeking a remedy for psychological stress, they discovered through experimentation that the chanting of the Om mantra is the ultimate remedy.
They confirmed that chanting Om generates a new enthusiasm in the body, stimulates awareness, and transcends the mental barriers imposed by the mind. To uncover this, they employed techniques like Wavelet Transforms and Time-Frequency Analysis.
They were able to track changes in EEG waves and electrical activity in the brain caused by the Om sound using modern equipment. With EEG signals, they observed the changes in the nervous system before and after chanting Om. They found that the mantra sounds have remarkable beneficial effects on the human nervous system.
Saiva Siddhanta states that Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra perform the three great functions of creation, preservation, and destruction. They discovered that the syllables ‘A’, ‘U’, and ‘M’ in the Om mantra represent Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra respectively.
When we chant Om, the energies of the universe directly enter our body through vibrational waves. The ‘A’ sound, produced from the back of the mouth, is felt in the lower abdomen. The ‘U’ sound, created in the middle of the mouth, impacts the chest area. The ‘M’ sound, emerging through the curved lips, affects the throat and the respiratory system in the head.
Each of these sounds generates a specific energy from the smallest tissue in the body to the entire respiratory system. They found that once Om is chanted in full, the pranic energies of the universe flow through the entire body in waves.
Why Engage in the Research?
The reason Anil Gurjar got involved in such research was due to an incident in his life. On 29th May 1999, while he was talking on the phone, his mother suddenly lost her ability to speak. She suffered a stroke due to a blood clot in her brain, which also caused her to lose her memory. The next day, she fell into a coma. However, she has now regained 90% of her former abilities, thanks to speech therapy. The doctors who treated her explained that the cause of the blood clot in her brain was hypertension and severe mental stress. When he went on to research the best word to alleviate such conditions, he delved into the research on Om and discovered the miraculous powers of the Om mantra. He used digital signal processing techniques to understand the mantra’s effects.
Other Research on Om:
In a study conducted by Takashi Edal in 1999, it was found that low-frequency sounds cause changes in the chest and lower abdomen areas of the body. Following this, in 2003, Haisnam Jinadevi and others researched the chanting of the Om mantra and discovered that it has two parts: starting with “O” and ending with “M”. They compiled the changes that occur in the body when this chant is performed. It became clear in every research conclusion that this chanting has positive effects on the human nervous system.
Vibrations in the Seven Chakras
Building on this pioneering research, Anil Gurjar conducted a six-year study on a group of men and women aged 25 to 40. In a quiet room, Om chanting was recorded using a microphone at a sampling rate of 44.1 Hertz and a 16-bit setup. The changes occurring in the brain and nervous system were precisely analyzed after chanting Om for 20 minutes. The conclusion of this research found that chanting the Om mantra reduces mental stress and increases focus on any task. Om, which consists of seven syllables, causes significant changes through vibrations in the body’s seven chakras. The frequencies measured in each chakra were:
- 256 Hertz in the Muladhara (Root Chakra),
- 288 Hertz in the Swadhisthana (Sacral Chakra),
- 320 Hertz in the Manipura (Solar Plexus Chakra),
- 341.3 Hertz in the Anahata (Heart Chakra),
- 384 Hertz in the Vishuddha (Throat Chakra),
- 426.7 Hertz in the Ajna (Third Eye Chakra),
- 480 Hertz in the Sahasrara (Crown Chakra).
Integrating the Body with Sound through Om
When chanting the Om mantra, the very delicate ears connect the body’s tissues through the medulla. Since the body’s balance, flexibility, and vision are affected by sound, the positive sound created by Om provides benefits. Through the vagus nerve, this sound positively influences the inner ear, heart, lungs, stomach, liver, bladder, kidneys, small intestine, and large intestine, providing overall health benefits.
Thus, the greatness of Om can be explained scientifically. Anil Gurjar has discovered numerous truths through his research, greatly supported and motivated by his principal, Siddharth Ladake. Their research is ongoing. There is more scientific exploration of the magnificence of mantras yet to come for this world.
May all beings live joyfully! Tiruchitrambalam!
