Om (or Aum) is a sacred sound, syllable, mantra, or an invocation in Hinduism. Om is the prime symbol of Hinduism. It is variously said to be the essence of the supreme Absolute, consciousness, Atman, Brahman, or the cosmic world. In Indic traditions, Om serves as a sonic representation of the divine, a standard of Vedic authority and a central aspect of soteriological doctrines and practices. The syllable is often found at the beginning and the end of chapters in the Vedas, the Upanishads, and other Hindu texts.