5. Importance of the Sound

The scriptures on Yoga render significant importance to Sabda - Sadhana, the spiritual experiment of the realization of the eternal cosmic sound, via the practices of -Swor Yoga, Surati Yoga and the Mantra Yoga. The science and philosophy of mantra has emerged from the in-depth knowledge of the Risis and their expertise in using the latent powers of Sabda and Nada - towards fulfilling the noble purposes of global purification and uplifting at the physical as well as the spiritual levels. This is the reason why in case of every mantra, it is the pattern and strength of vibration and energy generated by its japa and not its linguistic structure, grammar or the word-meaning that play the key role in making the mantra so effective…..

The Vedic mantras are said to have been created as specific configuration of phonemes and syllables corresponding to the 'sonic pattern' of the enormous expressions of the subliminal vibrations of the unlimited expansion of Brahm as realized by the Risis in the state of deep trance.

Sonic energy, being a physical manifestation of Sabda exists in its original form in the universe forever, without any natural conversion into any other form of energy. The subtle vibrations and impact of mantra is therefore regarded as sterna.

In scientific terms, the vibrations in any material form or in the etheric medium constitute the fundamental source of existence and manifestation of sound. As we all know, the quavering of the wires of a musical instrument creates specific vibrations in the medium in the vicinity of these wires; due to this, the air (particles) around is first compressed and then spread periodically according to the frequency of these vibrations. The sound so generated is carried along the entire expansion of the medium.

The vibrations carried via the air medium are audible (i.e. recognized by the sensors of our ears) if they fall into the frequency range of 16 to 20,000 cycles per second in general. Upon perception by the nerve-sensors in the ears, these vibrations are transmitted - through appropriate electrical signals, to the neural system in our brain and the corresponding sound is 'heard' by us. The presence of the medium of air is essential for the normal functions of hearing by the ears in a human body. For most of the marine animals, the medium of water fulfills this purpose. in some creatures the centers for perception and transmission of sound are located along the skin pores or elsewhere in the body instead of the ears.

The position (vis-à-vis their connections with specific centers in the brain) of our two ears helps instantaneous hearing of the audible sound and the recognition of the direction from where it is arriving. However, despite optimal functioning state of the brain and the ears, we cannot hear the infra sound - produced by the vibrations of frequencies much lower than 16 cps, and the ultrasound -generated by vibrations of frequencies much higher that, 20,000 cps. Moreover, even the sound belonging to the audible frequency range, but produced at a long distance or in a noisy surrounding, would not be heard by our ears; because, the disturbances in the air-medium would perturb its original vibrations in such cases.

The orderly expansion of the sound waves (vibrations) of compatible characteristics produces well structured sonic patterns while a disorder converts them into a noise (in terms of communication signals). The velocity (around 1088 ft/sec) of sound is much lesser than that of light. This is the reason why the flash of lightening is seen before the loud noise of a thunder bolt…… or …... smoke produced by cannon is seen before the cracking sound of its explosion is heard….. 'How far a sound will be heard or received by a sensor that is perceptive to its frequency' - depends upon its intensity and loudness. The larger is the intensity, the lesser would be the effect of distance…. For example, the noise of a volcano, exploded in Indonesia in 1883, was heard up to a distance of over 5000 miles in open air. The propagation of the sound is hindered or reflected back whenever its carrier medium is blocked. This gives rise to an echo or to a dispersed sound depending upon the (atomic) structure and shape of the obstacle. The quality (loudness and amplitude) of the reverberation depends upon the type of the original sound and the regularity and geometry of the dense medium (or the obstruction) with which the sound waves collide. At times, the sound produced at one place and perceived within a certain range can be heard beyond an intermediate region of its non perception. For instance, an explosion that took place in Moscow sometime in 1920s became popular because, its noise was heard up to 60 miles but not at a distance from 60 to 90 miles. Amazingly, it was clearly heard at a distance of another 60 miles forward (i.e. within the distance from 91 to 121 miles approximately) from the place where it occurred.

Propagation of sound via radio waves amplifies its velocity up to the order of 186000 miles per second or more. This is how the radio stations can communicate from one end of the globe to the other in a matter of few seconds. Marching ahead from the knowledge and utilization of radio waves, the modern science and technology have advanced up to the level of capturing as well as generating infra sound and ultrasound with the help of sophisticated instruments. The present century might enable experimentation on still higher dimensions of sound and pave the way for experiencing the yet 'hidden' realms of its sublime existence.