aum-ity-etad-aksharammandukya-upanishadvedantaomkara

Aum Ity Etad Aksharam Idam Sarvam (Aum Is All This)

ओमित्येतदक्षरमिदं सर्वम् in English · English

🕉️ upanishad·📿 108× repetitions·🕐 Early morning (Brahma Muhurta) at the start of meditation and Vedanta study·📜 Mandukya Upanishad, Verse 1

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

Aum Ity Etad Aksharam Idam Sarvam is the opening verse of the Mandukya Upanishad, the shortest of the principal Upanishads, devoted entirely to the sacred syllable Aum. It declares that Aum — the imperishable Word — is this whole universe: all that was, is, and will be, and even what lies beyond time, is Aum. This mantra is the gateway to the Upanishad's profound analysis of Aum as the symbol of Brahman and of the four states of consciousness.

Origin & Story

Mandukya Upanishad, Verse 1 · Traditional (Upanishadic) · 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.

✦ As told in scripture

Tradition holds that the Mandukya Upanishad, with its twelve verses and the karikas of Gaudapada, contains the essence of all Vedanta, and that meditation on Aum as taught here carries the knower through the three states of consciousness to the silent Fourth (Turiya) — the pure, non-dual Self that is Brahman itself.

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The Mantra

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om ity etad akṣaram idaṁ sarvaṁ tasyopavyākhyānaṁ bhūtaṁ bhavad bhaviṣyad iti sarvam oṁkāra eva yac cānyat trikālātītaṁ tad apy oṁkāra eva

Meaning: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.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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om iti🔊The syllable Aum (Om), thus

etat akṣaram🔊This imperishable syllable (akshara also means 'imperishable')

idam sarvam🔊All this, this whole universe

tasya upavyākhyānam🔊Its explanation, the exposition of it

bhūtam🔊The past

bhavat🔊The present

bhaviṣyat🔊The future

iti sarvam🔊Thus all of it

oṁkāraḥ eva🔊Is Aum (Omkara) alone

yat ca anyat🔊And whatever else there is

trikālātītam🔊Beyond the three times (past, present and future)

tad api oṁkāraḥ eva🔊That too is Aum alone

Benefits of Chanting ओमित्येतदक्षरमिदं सर्वम्

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Reveals the sacred syllable Aum as the symbol and sound-form of Brahman, encompassing all that exists.

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Establishes Aum as embracing past, present, future and even what is beyond time.

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Forms the foundation for meditation on Aum (Omkara/Pranava) as taught in the Mandukya Upanishad.

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Unites all of creation into one imperishable Word, calming the mind into oneness.

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Opens the Upanishad's teaching on the four states — waking, dream, deep sleep, and Turiya.

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Recited at the beginning of meditation and Vedic chanting to attune the mind to Brahman.

How to Chant ओमित्येतदक्षरमिदं सर्वम्

Repetitions108times

Best TimeEarly morning (Brahma Muhurta) at the start of meditation and Vedanta study

FaceEast or North

Recite the verse to set the mind, then chant the single syllable 'Aum' slowly and repeatedly, drawing out the three sounds A-U-M and resting in the silence that follows each chant. Contemplate, as the verse teaches, that all that was, is, and will be — and all that is beyond time — is this one imperishable Aum. Let the chanting dissolve distinctions into the one Word, the symbol of Brahman, and abide in the stillness it opens.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete ओमित्येतदक्षरमिदं सर्वम् written in the English script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

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.

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.

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.

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.