Aum is the Pranavam, the vital breath which is the sound symbol of the all pervading consciousness of brahma the creator.

Hindus believe that braham the creator formed the universe with cosmic vibrations by uttering the single syllable "Aum".

Aum is recited at the beginning of every hindu prayer. Aum is also a mantra used in meditation and yoga to bring the mind to a state of calm and tranquility.

What is Hinduism?

Hinduism is the oldest religion in the world and is the faith of over four-fifths of the diverse peoples of the vast sub-continent of India, of the people of Nepal and Bali (Indonesia) and of millions of Indians who have migrated overseas. There are, besides, many ancient cultures, as in South-East Asia which has been greatly influenced bny the Hindu cultural ethos.

The history of the Hindus, as we know it today, goes back 5000 years, but Hindus believe that their religion is without beginning or end and is a continuous process even preceding the existence of our earth and the many other world beyond.. Science today accepts that there may be other worlds in the vast Universe, each with its own laws. Hindus have held this view from time immemorial.

The word Hindu is of geographical origin and was derived from the name originally given to the people settled on the river Sindhu. It was corrupted by foreign visitors to the word ‘Hindu’ and the faith of the Hindus was given the name ‘Hinduism’ in the English language. Scholars however call this the Brahmanical faith, for, as we shall show later, to attain the Brahman or the Universal Soul is the ultimate aim of all Hindu thought.

Philosophic thinkers of recent times do not like to describe Hinduism as a merge religion as they feel that this narrows it down and does not bring out adequately its great dualities of catholicity of outlook and free thinking as even an atheist is not precluded from being a Hindu and no hell nor doomsday envisioned for the agnostic. It is therefore called Sanatana Dharma or the Eternal Religion. Others call it a fellowship of religions from its liberal absorption of the faiths of others.

The greatness of Hinduism is at once its complexity and its simplicity and the fact that it permeates totally the life of every Hindu from the moment of his birth, be he a believer or non-believer, a scholar or an illiterate, It is for this reason that it is often said that Hinduism is not just a religion but a way of life.

It is important to realize, before we delve further, that Hinduism is a rare faith with few ”do’s” and “dont's” postulated, but one which has many signposts showing the different spiritual paths available to different types of people. It accepts the reality the there are varying intellectual and spiritual levels in each one of us and all cannot therefore take the same path, although the goal may be the same. Hinduism therefore offers different approaches to persons of different aptitudes, depending on whether he be a philosopher or a poet a mystic or a man of action, an intellectual or a simple man of faith. This is a unique feature of the religion as it permits the greatest of freedom of worship and insists that each person must be guided by his or her own individual spiritually experience. Its does not accept dictatorship in religious guidance.