[Sidenote: 5. Invocatory particle सम्बोधनार्थ ।] _Om_ in the sense of invocation is an absolute monoptot like भोः, भगो, अघो, अहो &c., without the power of governing the following word, as ॐ नारायणा, and its double use as ॐ हरिः ॐ in the Aitareya Upanishad (1); so भो रक्ष, भगोरक्ष in the Mugdhabodha; but नमो and its synonyms स्वाहा, स्वाघा, बषट्, श्रौषट govern the dative as नमो हरये, स्वाहाग्नये, स्वघा पित्रे, &c. The invocatory _Om_ is synonymous with the interjections O, ओ, अहो, हो and all other single vowels whether nasal or not (सानुनासिकनिरणुनासिकाः), all of which are ungoverning particles in this sense. [Sidenote: 6. A Laudatory particle प्रणबः ।] _Om_ is usually termed as _pranava_ प्रणबः or praise or word of praise, from the root _nu_ (प्र + नु + अप) to laud, and in this sense it might mean the glorification of Te Deum. Thus “_Om_ is the _pranava_ or initial word of the Rigveda priests, and it is termed the Udgítha (उद्गीथः) of Sáma Veda choristers सामगा who chaunt it”. (छन्दोग्यउपनिषद् १ । ३). But it is made to signify the object of the verb, or the Being that is lauded (यंनौति); and in this sense it means, “The Purusha or spirit who is unaffected by works, affections &c., and having the appellation of Pranava” (see Monier Williams’ Wisdom of the Hindus p. 103), so says Gaudapáda in his Káriká. In the former sense, Pranava corresponds with _halleluyas_ and _hosannas_ of Christians, and _hamd o Salaut_ of Moslems, which are deemed sacred by their votaries. The Káriká has the following stanzas on it:—प्रणबोह्यपरं ब्रह्म प्रणबश्च परः स्मृतः । प्रणबं हीश्वरं बिद्यात् सर्ब्बस्य हृदि संस्थितः ॥ युञ्जीतप्रणवे चेतः प्रणवे ब्रह्मनिर्भयं । प्रणवे नित्ययुक्तस्यनभयं बिद्यते क्वचित ॥ [Sidenote: 7. A Permissive Particle अनुमत्यर्थः ।] It is used in a permissive sense both in Vedic and classic Sanskrit, and expressed in English by the words “on” “go on” and the like. We have an instance of it in the Mágha Kávya, in the passage: ओमित्युक्तबतोथशार्ङ्गिनः इतिब्याहृत्यबाचंनमः । [Sidenote: (_a._) An Injunctive अनुज्ञार्थः ।] “Verily this is an injunctive term (अनुज्ञाक्षरं), signifying injunction, order, and whatever is enjoined, and ultimately the letter _Om_.” (Ch’hándogya Upanishad). The scholium (भाष्य) explains it by saying that, “Whatever is enjoined by the learned or wealthy regarding learning and wealth, it is done by saying “Om”.” (Ibid I. 8. p. 8.) [Sidenote: 8. A Particle of assent अङ्गीकारः ।]