Sound is known is known as ‘nada’ in Sanskrit. There are two types of sound. One type is created or caused sound. It is caused by friction, by two things rubbing together or dashing against each other. The second type is ‘anahat‘ or uncaused sound.
When sound is caused, there are two principles which create a third. This is the theory of creation. At least two things are needed to create something. Sounds is the first manifestation of divine energy. How did the cosmos come into existence? There must have been one force which split into which then created a third. From these three forces everything both seen and unseen was created.
Were are able to know about that which is within the grasp of the five senses. The five senses know about the five elements. These are:
- Earth – can be cognised by all five senses
- Water – can be heard, felt, seen and tasted
- Fire – can be heard, felt and seen
- Air – can be heard and felt
- Ether, Sky – can be only heard
Earth has five qualities, water has four, fire has three, air has two and sky has only the one quality of sound. Beyond that, we have no idea as it is beyond the human range. Everything is conceived in the language of the senses. We cannot think of anything beyond.
Sound was the first manifestation of God’s energy. Sky with the quality of sound was the first thing that manifested. Later air manifested. Sky was subtle, formless, weightless. It condenses itself and became what we call atmosphere, ionosphere, air. After air came fire, heat. When fire or hot gas cooled down, there was water. When water condensed itself, it became solid rock and stone.
I the Bible it says God created the earth in seven days. The occult meaning of this is the seven planes of existence. There are five planes within our senses and two beyond, that is the astral or heaven plane. The astral plane and beyond have their own nature.
Sound and the five elements were born out of one subtle element called ‘maha tattwa,’ or great element. That great element had three properties. One was pure in nature (satogun), the second was active in nature (rajogun), the third was dull in nature or crude (tamogun). Out of the gross, crude quality this universe was formed, therefore we have everything concrete or visible or within the range of the senses. If it was sattogun, we wouldn’t be able to see it. It wouldn’t need to be concrete, solid or crude.
The people living in the heaven world are different. In dreams our consciousness is not subject to the five elements. When we run and fall in dreams, we are not hurt. When we kill somebody in a dream, he’s not really killed. Our experience their is subtle, whereas here we are subject to the nature of the five elements.
The first manifestation of cosmic energy was sky with its quality of sound. Sound can travel anywhere. It is supposed to be immortal, indestructible. In Sanskrit a letter of the alphabet is known as ‘akshar‘ which means indestructible. A consonant is known as Varna Mala – a garland of colors. Now science has learnt that sound has colors and that sound can never be destroyed. The pattern is always in the atmosphere. Time is elastic. It can be stretched or condensed. In a tape recorder or film, time is condensed.
Everything has its own perspective. The world has many dimensions like a prism. It depends on how you look at it. The sankya yogis see the world one way, mathematicians see the world as numbers, painters see the world as colors. Everybody sees the world a different way. There is one of thinking which says that everything is sound. Sound is the quality of his creation. The whole creation is governed by sound. Everything is sound vibration. We are we are dancing on the rhythm of sound. This is Shiva’s dance. The earth is dancing, the waves are dancing, the moon is dancing. There is a rhythm everywhere governing all our lives and governing the planets.
Even in complete silence you can hear sound. It is a very loud roaring noise – the sound of silence. When the mind is one-pointed or full of love and devotion, you can hear sound in your ears. When you have purity of mind, when mind is more receptive to astral things, when you are in a high state of meditation, you can hear these sounds. You can listen by plugging your ears and listening to the internal sound. There are several notes. The first is like a cricket, then you will hear silver bells; when you meditate higher and higher you can distinguish these notes which are coming from astral planes. There are seven planes and seven notes are related to those planes.
Mantra or sound can control the universe. The world is being ruled by words. We are listening to the power of words. Sound is so powerful that it moves the body. We need words. If no word is spoken to us, we are unhappy. Food is not enough. A word can revive life. A word can take life away. Every law is a word. Every communication is a word. We live by words. We sustain ourselves by words.
