“All things are united with words which express them, and all words are contained in the mystical syllable _Om_, (ओङ्कार शब्द म ।त्रं). _Om_, pervades all sounds; he rises above all objects which are expressed by sounds, who repeats this sound _Om_” (Ch’hándogya II.23.) (Maitrí p. 253). [Sidenote: 4. Om is Brahman ॐ शब्द ब्रह्म ।] “_Om_ is Brahman called sound (_sabda_). By means of _Om_ rising above all things, a man merges in the Supreme called Para Brahma.” “Om is the emblem of the Most High.” (Ch’hándogya p. 4. Manu II. 83. Bhágavad Gítá). So says the Maitrí Upanishad (VI. 22) शब्द ब्रह्मणि निष्णातः परं ब्रह्माधिगच्छति । ६ ।२२ [Sidenote: 5. Om is Fire and its splendour ओमग्निश्च तेजश्च ।] “Om was splendour and fire at first. By this syllable _Om_ the splendour germinates, it shoots upward, it expands, and becomes the vehicle of divine worship. The splendour germinates in the form of the mystic syllable _Om_, as a seed germinates; _i. e._ It is manifested as the primeval form of the Veda, it next shoots upward as the internal sound _Om_ itself.” Maitrí Up. VII. 11. तेजो प्रथममोङ्कारात्मकमासीत् । तत्तेजोऽनेनैबोमित्येब तदुद्बुध्यति । मैत्री उप ७ ।११ । Fire was the first object of adoration of the Rigveda and of the fire worshippers of India and Persia. It is believed to be the _arche_ or beginning of all things according to Heraclitus. [Sidenote: 6. Om is light. ॐ ज्योतिः ।] “Om is light and manifest as light, the sleepless, deathless and sorrowless light.” Again; “_Om_ is light which shines in yonder sun, and in the moon, fire, and lightning” (Maitrí Upanishad VI. 25.). So says the Bhágavad Gítá, “That splendour which abiding in the sun illumines the whole world, which abides in the moon and in fire, that splendour know to be mine” (XV. 12.) Light was the first work of creation and the “first born” of Heaven. God said “_Lux fiat et lux fit_.”—“Let there be light and there was light.” दीप्यतोम् ज्योतिः । प्रकाशणाज्ज्योतिः । प्रणबाख्य प्रणेतारमरूपो बिगतनिद्रो बिजरो बिमृत्युर्बिशोको भबतीत्येबं ह्याह । मैत्री उप ६ ।२५ तथा । यदमुस्मिन्नादित्येऽथंसोमोऽग्नौ विद्युति बिभात्यथखल्वेनं दृष्ट्वा मृतत्वं गच्छतीत्याह । ६ ।२५ । [Sidenote: 7. _Om_ is Lightening. बिद्युज्ज्योतिः ।] “The Veda is called lightening, since the moment when it is uttered (as Om), it enlightens every incorporated being; therefore by the syllable _Om_ let a man adore the infinite splendour of Brahman” (Maitrí Upanishad VII. 11.) यस्मादुच्चरितमात्र एब सर्ब्बं शरीरं बिद्योतयति । तस्मादोमित्यनेनैता उपासीतापरिमितं तेजः । मैत्री उप ७ ।११ । [Sidenote: 8. Om is the Brahman light. ॐ ब्रह्म ज्योति ।] “The syllable _Om_ is the Brahman light or pure intelligence, veiled behind the fire and breath, and manifested itself at first as the one undivided sound _Om_.” Thus the Maitrí Upanishad Tíká (VII. 11). यस्मात् प्रणबात्मकमिदं ब्रह्मासीत् तस्मादोमित्यनेनैतत् ब्रह्म तेजो उपासीत् । मैत्री ७ ।११ । [Sidenote: 9. _Om_ is Water. ओमापः ।]