Mandukya_Upanishad

magnificence of Om, but how are we to recite Om? Are weto think anything when we recite Om? The usual procedureprescribed is that the recitation of Om should neither betoo short nor too long. There is a short, middling andelongated pronunciation, no doubt, but for all practicalpurposes of meditation, I would suggest that you may taketo the middling duration of the recitation of Om. There iswhat is called a mātrā or a measure, and you may regardone mātrā as the time taken by the fist of the hand to goround your knee, in leisure, neither too fast nor too slow,and to snap the fingers. Take your hand once round yourknee. This is the time taken for the measure called onemātrā. Bring the hand round your knee once and make asnap of your fingers. How much time have you taken? Thisis one mātrā. Bring it twice, these are two mātrās; bring itthrice, these are three mātrās. Now, when it is once, it is ashort mātrā. When it is twice, it is a middling mātrā. Whenit is thrice, it is the elongated mātrā. You may choosewhichever mātrā is convenient to you. There is nocompulsion as to the measure. Whichever is convenient,practicable and agreeable to your temperament andcapacity may be chosen by you as the required mātrā forthe recitation of Om.What have you to think when you recite Om? You arethe ocean, and all the rivers of objects enter you. Rememberthe śloka of the Gītā: āpūryamanam acalapratishtham... etc.You are the ocean into which all the rivers of objects rush.There are, then, no rivers, no objects, you are the ocean.Imagine your feeling at that time, a feeling that I cannotdescribe. Each one of you should feel it for himself or27