Ik Onkar

Ik Onkar is a central Sikh concept expressing divine oneness. It opens the Sikh holy scripture and encapsulates the religion’s core theology.

Ik Onkar (also spelled Ik Oankar) is the first verse of the Mul Mantar, which introduces the Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred scripture of Sikhism. The expression combines two Punjabi words: “Ik” meaning “one”, and “Onkar”, derived from Omkar, referring to the primordial divine sound. Together, they convey the message: “There is only one God”, affirming the monotheistic foundation of Sikh belief.

Visually represented in Gurmukhi as ੧ਓ, the symbol appears in Sikh art, literature, and gurdwaras. It does not refer to a personified deity, but to a formless, eternal, creative divine presence that permeates all existence. It expresses a spiritual philosophy where divine unity and creation are inseparable, and can be realized through meditation and devotion.

Reciting Ik Onkar precedes most Sikh prayers. Though revered, the term functions more as a doctrinal formula than a proper name for God. It underscores the unity of being, divinity, and truth in Sikh theology.