Aum, though a three-letter word, is a one-letter Mantra. Soham is the un-intonated sound of normal breathing, meaning ‘I am He.’ Hamsa (inversion of Soham), meaning "Swan", stands for an ascetic - Hamsan. Some call Hamsa a goose (Anser indicus). To the average Indian, goose does not sound very appealing compared to swan which is said to have the mythic ability to separate milk from water.

Hams - the wild goose (Anser indicus) is known for its discipline, grace and beauty. The west's association of goose with a silly or foolish person or simpleton does not apply here. It is the culture gap here. In Vaidik times, Hamsa, the bar-headed white goose was associated with the Sun, Spirit, Aatmaa, knowledge, Praan, Brahm and life itself. Hamsa = ham + sa. Ham is exhaled breath and sa is inhaled breath; thus, Hamsa is life. Hamsa is a high flyer and thus a metaphor for spiritual endeavor to attain Brahman. The Indian goose is also associated with Brahmaa and Saraswatee as their Vaahan (vehicle of transport) as it is portrayed as the Vaahan of Brahmaa and Saraswatee.

All of us including all air-breathing living beings recite this Mantra ‘Soham’ unknowingly for a lifetime. This chantless Mantra (Ajapaa Jap) is called Ajapaa Gaayatree. As you are breathing this chantless Soham in and out, you are identifying your individual self with the Great Self of the Supreme Being. Every breath (and the Mantra) that you take pervades the whole universe of your body. This life giving force or Mantra has the Great Self as the basis. Every time you chant a Mantra, it leads the individual soul to the Great Soul - the Source, the Essence. All Mantra rituals, inclusive of Shakti, Vishnu and Shiv Mantra and many more but not all, are Taantrik in origin; that is the reason why Tantra is called Mantra Shaastra. Devee or Shakti says that any Shaastra that is in opposition to Shruti, Smriti, and Oneness (Shiv and Shakti in Shaiv tradition, Vishnu and Mahaa Lakshmee in Vaishnav tradition) such as Bhairav, Gautam, Kapala, Sakala and the like, all are created by her Maayaa power for bewilderment of those devoid of Her Grace.

Mantra is the sound-body of god. As the tree is contained in a seed, this Brahmaand (Brahm + Anda = Brahmaa's Egg = Brahman's Universe) is contained in the Mantra, Hamsa Mantra. Shiv and Shakti throb in this Mantra. There is no life without this Mantra; it is integral to life and breathing, not only inspiration and expiration of air but the internal breathing of each cell. To exemplify this fact it is said that Hamsa Mantra is like light in the Sun, oil in the sesame seed, fire in the wood, Shakti in Shiv, movement in the wind. All other Mantra do not have any potency unless they are conjoined with this Mantra. Hamsa is Prasaad Paraa (Supreme Grace) Mantra, learned it from a Guru gives release (liberation). Even gods like Vishnu, Rudra, and Brahmaa repeat this Mantra and gain knowledge, luster, and liberation. An ordinary Pashu (individual soul) becomes Pashupati (the Lord of the Pashu - Shiv). It is so powerful that a lowly man chanting this Mantra can consecrate the idols and images. This Mantra can be chanted by anyone to obtain its benefits; it erases all class distinctions, and confers liberation. Mantra in general are deity-specific and therefore fruit-specific (specific benefits); but Hamsa is the King of Mantra and confers the Complete Fruit. Hamsa is thus Shiv and Shakti, Sat-Chit-Aanand, and Supreme Reality, yielding both Yog and Bhog.

Every Mantra has two Shakti (powers): Vaachya Sakti and Vaachak Shakti; the former is the seed and latter is the flesh of the fruit; the former is life of Mantra and the latter is the sustainer of life. The Vaahcya Shakti is subject and transcendent, and Vaachak Sakti is object and immanent; one cannot get to the seed without going through the fruit; one cannot understand the meaning and true nature of Vaachya Shakti without worshipping Vaachak Shakti (they are like Brahm and Eeshwar); Vaachya Shakti is without attributes (Brahm), Vaachak Shakti is with attributes (Eashwar); Vaachya Shakti is seed and Vaachak Shakti is the tree; seed and Vaachya Shakti are latent and dormant, and tree and Vaachak Shakti are awake and florid; Vaachya Shakti is white light and Vaachak Shakti is spectral or rainbow colors, yellow, blue, red and more of Kundalinee Devee. Paramaatmaa (Krishn) is Vaachya Shakti, while the son of Devakee is Vaachak Shakti. Vaachya is meaning; Vaachak is words, phrases and mutterings of Mantra. The god who is the subject of Mantra is Vaachya Shakti and Pratipaadya (to be explained, meaning) Devata and god who is Mantra itself (god's sound body = Mantra) is Vaachak Shakti. Vaachya Shakti is like clouds and Vaachak Shakti is like rain water. Vaachya Shakti is unlimited; Vaachak Shakti is delimited. Vaachya Shakti is all-pervasive and unmanifested, while Vaachak Shakti is manifest. The Vaachak Shakti of Mantra with attributes is awakened by Siddhi of Saadhak who then with the help Devee step into the monistic world of Brahm knowledge. (Refer to white light and spectral or rainbow colors, and seed and tree are author's input.) Vaachak Shakti is the road to Vaachya Shakti; the former is the means and the latter is the goal.

'Sa' sound originates in Naad and 'Ha' sound originates in Bindu. Hamsa = Ham + Sa = Male + Female = Shiv + Shakti = Purush + Prakrti. Hamsa is a bird: swan.