How is Om correctly pronounced?

Shri Vinay Jha · English edition 18 October 2026 · Hindi original 1 September 2021 · 2 min read

The Ashtadhyayi (1.2.34; Panini's grammar treatise) states, “Except in japa (repetition of a mantra), nyunkha (insertion of the syllable Om), and Sama (Samavedic chant), ekashruti (monotone recitation) may be used in yajna-karma (sacrificial rituals).” Whenever a dirgha (long) “Om” (or hrasva “u” or “o”) has to be added to any Veda mantra, that “Om” is called “nyunkha”. Ekashruti means reciting all tones as a single uniform pitch. Ekashruti is forbidden in japa, nyunkha, and Sama. However, all Vedic scholars and other pandits of North India now know only ekashruti; the tradition of sasvara (accented) Veda recitation survives only among the Samavedis, whose numbers are tiny. According to Panini's Ashtadhyayi, “Om” must always be pronounced sasvara. This means that recitation has to be done according to the rules of the Veda of one's own shakha (recensional branch). Adherents of the Madhyandina recension of the Shukla Yajurveda ought to perform trisvara (three-toned) recitation according to the rules of their Pratishakhya (Vedic phonetic treatise)—which no one does anymore. Therefore, silent recitation is better than faulty recitation. If even japa cannot be done with accents, then silent japa alone is best. But Samagana (chanting of the Sama) must never be done silently, which is precisely why the accented recitation of the Samaveda has survived.

For example, Gayatri is in all shakhas of the three Vedas; adding Omkara (the syllable Om) to it makes it the Gayatri mantra. On account of the Omkara, the Gayatri mantra ought to be recited silently; otherwise, one incurs the fault of improper recitation.

The Veda has thousands of shakhas, most of which are lost, though dozens still remain. One must recite the Omkara according to the rules of one's own Veda-shakha, but adherents of the Shukla Yajurveda have forgotten this. Accented recitation has survived among followers of the Rigveda and Samaveda, but they have numerous shakhas, each with different rules for accented recitation. Hence, adherents of the Shukla Yajurveda should only do silent recitation.

Removing “kara” from “Omkara” leaves the actual pronunciation = Om .

ॐ ＝ A＋U＋M ॥ However, reciting it as “AUM” is incorrect.

“Om” may be hrasva, dirgha, or pluta (protracted vowel), depending on the mantra and its application. Generally, people nowadays recite it as O'm, but during the Savitri at the time of pranayama (yogic breath control), one can perform pranayama only by reciting an ultra-short ॐ; reciting O'm will break the breath.

‘Mantra’: Meaning, Application, and Results

Cite this article

Shri Vinay Jha. “How is Om correctly pronounced?”. YugSamvad, 18 October 2026. https://yugsamvad.com/en/articles/kaa-sahee-uchchaarana-kaise-hotaa-hai

https://yugsamvad.com/en/articles/kaa-sahee-uchchaarana-kaise-hotaa-hai · accessed

Shri Vinay Jha

Vedas

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