________________
The Säma Veda, the Hindu scripture says': Aum kära is an auspicious one, it is sacred, it is religious, and it brings about the desired results and is a symbol of the highest divinity. It is also the leader of all the mantras.
The Mändukya Upanishad says: Meditate upon your own soul, which is a form of Aum. This will bring welfare and destroy the darkness of ignorance?
Jains and Buddhists also use Aum as a seed mantra with or without the combination of other seeds. Jains have interpreted Aum in a different way saying that it is a combination of five different sounds. These are:
A, A, A, U and M. (1) A represents enlightened souls, the Arihantas. (2) The second A represents ashriri meaning the Siddha (liberated souls). (3) The third A represents the Acharya. (spiritual masters). (4) U represents the Upadhyayas (preceptors) (5) M represents the munis or monks.
This way, all five 'god-like figures', which are worshipped in the Namaskära Mantra, are worshipped by reciting Aum.
Hrim: The other important seed widely used by the Jains is 'Hrim'. This according to the Jains is the second most important seed after Aum. The seed Hrim consists of the letters H, R, I and M.
Hrim is a seed of energy; it is also called a Maya-beej or the seed of illusion, which is also a force to be tackled. As per the Hindu definition, H in the Hrim signifies Hara or the God Shiva, R represents prakriti or nature, I represents illusion, and M, which is written with a crescent and a dot, represents creation.
As per the Jain belief, H in the Hrim mantra represents Pärshvanatha, R represents His yaksha Dharnendra, I represents the goddess Padmavati, and M (a crescent with a dot) symbolises light and energy.
The seed 'Aum' can be used as a single mantra and one can just chant 'Aum' only, repeatedly. People doing yoga and breath control often use this mantra. Aum can also be used with other seeds and other words worshipping a particular deity. 'Hrim' is never used on its own as a mantra. It is a seed, which combines with other seeds and words. Usually it is incorporated in between other seed(s) and words. In addition 'Hrim' is not used as a starting point for any mantra. Like a mantra, Aum Pärshvanäthay Namah can be Aum Hrim Pärshvanatha Namah but it cannot be Hrim Pärshvanathay Namah.
mangalyam, pavanam, dharmyam, sarvakam-prasadhanam. Aumkaram paramam brahm sarva mantreshu nayakam.) - aumeti dhyayath atmanam swasti vah paray tamasah parastat
133
