Verse 1.1.8

तद्वा एतदनुज्ञाक्षरं यद्धि किंचानुजानात्योमित्येव तदाहैषो एव समृद्धिर्यदनुज्ञा समर्धयिता ह वै कामानां भवति य एतदेवं विद्वानक्षरमुद्गीथमुपास्ते ॥ १.१.८ ॥

tadvā etadanujñākṣaraṃ yaddhi kiṃcānujānātyomityeva tadāhaiṣo eva samṛddhiryadanujñā samardhayitā ha vai kāmānāṃ bhavati ya etadevaṃ vidvānakṣaramudgīthamupāste || 1.1.8 ||

8. That akṣaram [Om] stands for assent. A person says Om whenever he wants to say yes. This Om is the key to progress. He who worships Om as the udgītha [Brahman], knowing it thus [as the fulfiller of all desires], has all his desires fulfilled.

Word-for-word explanation:

Tat, that; vai etat, this; anujñā akṣaram, syllable [Om] indicates assent; yat, when; hi kim ca anujānāti, assent is to be indicated; om iti, this Om; eva tadā āha, is then uttered; eṣā u eva, this; samṛddhiḥ, progress; yat, that; anujñā, assent; samardhayitā, makes it possible; ha vai kāmānām bhavati, one attains those desires; yaḥ, he who; etat, this; evam, this way; vidvān, having known; akṣaram udgītham upāste, worships the syllable Om as the udgītha [Brahman],

Commentary:

The word Om means ‘yes.’ Once someone named Śākalya asked the sage Yājñavalkya, ‘How many gods and goddesses are there?’ Yājñavalkya replied, ‘Thirty-three.’ Then Śākalya indicated his agreement by saying ‘Om.’

When you say Om it is also an indication of your faith in yourself. It is proof of your strength and vigour, and proof also of your prosperity.

Om is therefore a symbol of certain basic qualities. When you worship Om you acquire those qualities, and you begin to progress and also prosper.