Aum Ity Etad Aksharam Idam Sarvam (Aum Is All This) — Word-by-Word Meaning

ओमित्येतदक्षरमिदं सर्वम्

Every Sanskrit word explained in English

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Word-by-Word Breakdown

ओम् इति

om iti

The syllable Aum (Om), thus

एतत् अक्षरम्

etat akṣaram

This imperishable syllable (akshara also means 'imperishable')

इदम् सर्वम्

idam sarvam

All this, this whole universe

तस्य उपव्याख्यानम्

tasya upavyākhyānam

Its explanation, the exposition of it

भूतम्

bhūtam

The past

भवत्

bhavat

The present

भविष्यत्

bhaviṣyat

The future

इति सर्वम्

iti sarvam

Thus all of it

ओङ्कारः एव

oṁkāraḥ eva

Is Aum (Omkara) alone

यत् च अन्यत्

yat ca anyat

And whatever else there is

त्रिकालातीतम्

trikālātītam

Beyond the three times (past, present and future)

तत् अपि ओङ्कारः एव

tad api oṁkāraḥ eva

That too is Aum alone

Complete Translation

Aum — this imperishable syllable is all this. Its explanation is this: all that is past, present and future is verily Aum. And whatever else there is, beyond the three times, that too is verily Aum.

Origin & History

Source: Mandukya Upanishad, Verse 1

Author: Traditional (Upanishadic)

Period: Vedic / Upanishadic

The Mandukya Upanishad, though the briefest of the principal Upanishads, is held in the highest esteem; the Muktika Upanishad declares that the Mandukya alone is sufficient for the liberation of an earnest seeker. It opens with this verse proclaiming Aum to be the whole of reality across all time, then unfolds the meaning of the syllable through the four quarters of the Self — the waking (Vaishvanara), dreaming (Taijasa), deep-sleep (Prajna) and the transcendent fourth (Turiya). The first verse thus sets the stage for one of Vedanta's most profound meditations on Aum and consciousness.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Aum Ity Etad Aksharam Idam Sarvam mean?▼

It means 'Aum — this imperishable syllable is all this'. The verse declares that the whole universe, including past, present and future, and even what is beyond time, is the sacred syllable Aum, which stands for Brahman, the supreme Reality.

Where does this verse come from?▼

It is the very first verse of the Mandukya Upanishad, which belongs to the Atharva Veda. With only twelve verses, the Mandukya is the shortest of the principal Upanishads and is devoted entirely to the meaning of Aum and the four states of consciousness.

Why is Aum said to be 'all this'?▼

Aum is regarded as the primordial sound from which all names and forms arise and the closest expression of Brahman in sound. Because Brahman is the substance of all that exists across all time, the Upanishad declares that Aum, its symbol, is likewise this entire universe and even what transcends time.

How is Aum connected to the states of consciousness?▼

The Mandukya Upanishad explains that the three sounds of Aum — A, U and M — correspond to the waking, dream and deep-sleep states, while the silence after Aum represents Turiya, the fourth, the pure Self. Meditating on Aum thus leads the seeker from the changing states to the unchanging Brahman.

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