Pranav

What does Pranav mean?

Pranav is a Sanskrit term for the sacred syllable Om. Monier-Williams records praṇava with Vedic and later religious citations, connecting it with a verb for humming or reverberating. Pranav and Om therefore refer to the same syllable in different ways: Om names its sound, while Pranav uses a term for it. The religious meaning is directly documented and is more precise than a general translation such as prayer or spirituality.

Source: Monier-Williams Sanskrit dictionary, प्रणव. How we use sources.

Spelling and pronunciation

प्रणव is read pra-nav in Hindi, in two syllables. Pranava retains the Sanskrit final vowel. Keep p and r together; the n is made with the tongue curled back. The v may sound between English v and w, and the short vowels are not doubled in Roman spelling.

Also spelled Pranava.

Pranav in tradition and story

Yoga texts and the Upanishads use praṇava when discussing Om as an object of meditation. Patanjali's Yoga Sutras prescribe its repetition, while the Chandogya and Mandukya Upanishads explore the syllable's significance.