It is also like every other single or conjoint letter of the alphabet (युक्तायुक्त बर्ण) termed an _akshara_ (अक्षर) or syllable, which forms either a word by itself when standing alone, or part of a word followed by an adjunct as ॐ, ॐकार, ओमक्षर &c.; where the first is a word of one syllable or monosyllabic term एकाक्षर, and the others as dissyllabic and trisyllabic words (द्ब्यक्षर, त्र्यक्षर शब्द), according as they are uttered by the help of one or more articulations of the voice. _Om akshara_ apart from its other signification of the _Imperishable_ and the like, and its symbolism of the Supreme Spirit, is also used in the sense of a syllable in the original writings and their translations. Thus says the _Kathopanishad_; एतद्ध्येबाक्षरंब्रह्म एतद्ध्येबाक्षरंपरं । एतद्ध्येबाक्षरं ज्ञात्वा ब्रह्मलोकेमहीयते । * * * * * Manu says:—“That which passeth not away is declared to be the syllable om, thence called _akshara_.” He calls it also a triliteral monosyllable. II. 84. So says Mon. Wm: “_Om_ is a most sacred monosyllable significant of the Supreme Being.” (Indian Wisdom p. 103 note 1). * * * * * [Sidenote: 4. The character Om ॐकार ।] _Omkára_ likewise indicates the written character _Om_, because the suffix _Kára_ like _Ákára_ is used to signify its written form or sign (आकार चिह्न), and in this sense the Bengali ও, corresponds with Greek character w _omega_ the inverted ও, or the _Omikron_ = English O, and Oao Persian, and likens to the Sanskrit _bindu_ O, which is but another name of _Om_ (ओंकारः ब्रह्मबिन्दुः). But the ও is formed by the union of two dots or cyphers (O bindu) like Greek Omega of two omicrons and the English w of two u’s. So says the Gáyatrí Tantra, ॐकारो ब्रह्म बिन्दुर्बिन्दुद्वय बिनिर्म्मतः । अधोर्द्ध बिन्दुरित्यादि । And again: समनुः परमाराध्या संयुक्ता ब्रह्म बिन्दुना. “It is the union of two circlets, one being the symbol of one’s own divinity and the other that of Brahma.” This character by itself is regarded with high veneration as an emblem of the Infinite, independent of its meaning or utterance, and is marked on the forehead of every devotee in the form of a spot or crescent. * * * * * [Sidenote: 5. The Symbol ॐ बिन्दुः । ] The symbolical _Om_ is represented by four cyphers as placed over one another अधोर्द्धबिन्दु चतुष्टयं, and each designated by a different name in the aforesaid Tantra, and supposed to form the cavities of the heart and mouth of Brahm, चतुर्वर्ग प्रदा बिद्या चतुर्बिन्द्वात्मिकासदा । आद्यन्ते प्रणवंदत्वा गायत्रीं प्रजपेद्दिज । बामाधर्म्म प्रदा बिन्दुर्ज्येष्ठा अर्थ प्रदा तथा । रौद्रीकाम प्रदाबिन्दुः श्रीबिन्दुः मोक्षदायिनी ॥ महेश्वर बदनं बिन्दुः श्रीबिष्णोः हृदयंतथा ॥ मोक्षदाताच श्रीबिन्दुः चतुर्बिन्दु बिनिर्णयः ॥ These _bindus_ or cyphers are differently named in the Vedánta, as we shall shortly come to see under the denominations of _omkára_. (No. IV).