Science of Sound in Hinduism
Dr. M.G. Prasad
Professor Emeritus
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Stevens Institute of Technology
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Srijan Talks
August 17, 2019
On Sound
“ We say that we hear a sound, which means that somewhere or other an air quiver
has been started and has reached our ears. As the life and processes of the world go
on the actions which take place are accompanied by these tremors, and we live in
this world of sound.”
Sir William Bragg
2
Ubiquity of Acoustics
Lord Shiva
with
Lord Krishna “DRUM”
with
“CONCH-
SHELL”
“ROSARY” as Speech Alphabet Sounds
Goddess
Saraswathi with
“VEENA” Lord
Krishna
with
“FLUTE”
4
Vedic Literature as an Inverted Tree
Param Brahman
Shabda Brahman
वे म ण वे दत ये श द मं परं च यत ्
श द म ण न णातः पर मा धगछ त
There are two manifestations of Brahman to
be realized: Shabda (Transcendental Sound)
and Param Brahman (Light). One who has
realized and is well versed in Shabda Brahman
will realize Param Brahman .
Amrita Bindu Upanishat
ॐ इत म ॐ इतीदगम ् सव
त य वाचकः णवः I
त य ई वर य णवो नामे यथः (योगवा तक)
Om is Brahman and Om is everything
Om (Pranava) is Shabda Brahman
OM is a Spiritual Symbol
• OM is name (sound) and form of God. Om is Brahman
• OM has five parts including the union of sounds of A, U and M
(A+U+M + Halfmoon + Bindu)
• OM chanting is also practiced in Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism
• OM is very important in Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism).
It is recited along with prayers, Vedic chants, rituals, spiritual and philosophical gatherings
• OM is heard by a baby in the womb in the eighth month.
• OM is produced in the inhale and exhale pairs of breathing. (Soham)
Complex Plot of OM (393-786Hz) Complex Plot of OM (375-750Hz)
Vedic Literature as an Inverted Tree
Veda Mantras
The creation of the Vedic Mantra is not a mental
activity;
It originates from the superconscious part of the
seer, received in the depth of his heart, brought
forward by the contemplation of his conscious mind
and finally breathed-out in the form of the inevitable
word.
Mantras (chants) are orally transmitted with precision
in intonations and phonetics from teacher to disciples
Vedic Svaras (Notes):
Udatta, Anudatta, Svarita
Vedic Literature as an Inverted Tree
Vedic Svaras (Notes): Udatta, Anudatta, Svarita
Deals with Music Sangeeta Svaras: Sa, Ri, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni
Deal with Phonetics
(Musical Notes)
Udatta (Ni, Ga),
Anudatta (Ri, Dha),
Svarita (Sa, Ma, Pa).
Also Naada Yoga Deals with Metres
Vedic Chanting Through Oral Tradition
“ Om. O Divinities. May we hear auspicious things through our ears?
May we see auspicious things through our eyes? With our steady limbs
praising the Divinities (Energies in Nature), may we spend our life span
joyfully for the benefit of the Divinities? ”
A Vedic Shanti Mantra
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To ensure that the sound of each word remains unaltered, practitioners are
taught from childhood complex recitation techniques that are based on
tonal accents, a unique manner of pronouncing each letter and specific
speech combinations.”
(World Intangible Cultural Heritage – ICH)
UNESCO Proclamation 2003
Shiva Panchaakshari mantra
123
1| 2 | 3
12|23
12 21 12 | 23 32 23
12 21 123 321 123 | 23 32 23
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Shiva Aphorisms
12
Acoustical Aspects of Sanskrit
13
Acoustical Knowledge of Ancient Hindus
“It would form a fascinating chapter of history to try
and trace the gradual development of musical
instruments and musical knowledge, from the rhythmic
chanting of Rigveda in the ancient home of the Aryan
race to the (Classical) Indian music of the present day”
Sir [Link] (1922)
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Shabda and Naada Brahman as Chaitanyam (Consciousness)
चैत यं सव भत
ू ानां श द मे त मे म तः
Consciousness (Chaitanya) in all beings is Shabda Bramhan according to me ...
Sharada Tilaka by Lakshmana Deshika
चैत यं सव भत
ू ानां ववत
ृ ं जगदा मना
नाद म तदान दं अ वतीयमपु ा महे
We worship the “Naada Bramhan” second to none which is blissful and is in all
beings as consciousness and has expressed (manifested) itself as universe ...
न नादे न वना गीतं न नादे न वना वरः
न नादे न वना न ृ यं त मा नादा मकं जगत ्
There is no songs without Naada, no sound or letters without Naada, no dance or
movement without Naada. So this Universe is all-pervaded by Naada.
Sangita Ratnakara (Saranga Deva)
Naada and Shabda transforming to sound and speech
आकाश वायु भवः शर रात ् समु चरन ् व मप
ु ै त नादः
थानान तरे षु वभा यमानो वण वं आग छ त यः सः श दः
पा ण न
Naada is generated in the body by the interaction of space and air which becomes Shabda after
passing through places of utterances
श दो व न च वण च मदृ गा दभावो व नः
क ट संयोग ज मनो वणा ते कादयो मतः
भाषा प र छे दः
On Naada and Music
“Just as from a seed comes naturally sprout, branch, leaf, flower,
unripe fruit and full fruit like wise starting from spiritual light as seed
the naada, svara and akshras have developed into the various
aspects of knowledge”
“Music should become the bridge that takes the listeners from
sensual level to spiritual level.”
Yogi-seer Sriranga Sadguru (1913-1969 )
Four-Fold Manifestations of Vak (Speech/Sound)
च वा र वाक् प र मता पदा न
ता न वद ु ा मणा ये मनी षणः
गुहा ी ण न हता ने गयि त
तुर यं वाचो मनु या वदि त
There are four stages of Vak (speech/sound). The first three stages are hidden and
are only perceptible to Yogis. The last stage is used by all the human beings.
RigVeda (1.164.45)
Analogy
Cloud परा Para (Causal) .
Rain प यि त Pashyanthi (Seen)
म यमा Madhyama (Through Medium)
Reservoir
वैखर Vaikhari (Manifested)
Water In Tap
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How Sound of Voice Manifests?
आ मा वव माणोयं मनः ेरयते , मनः
ना भ थं वि हमाहि त स ेरय त मा तं
म ि थ ि थतो नादः माद ू वपथे चरन ्
ना भ क ठमूधा ये वा वभव त स व नः
An individual (soul) with a desire to speak encourages the
mind. The mind strikes the heat (fire) center at the navel,
which then pushes the air (wind). The sound (Naada) energy
then gradually moves up through stomach, heart, throat,
mouth as audible sound...
Ganarahasya Prakashini
Through the Audible
Soul Mind Heat and Air
Organs Sound
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Production of Speech
वैखर श द न प ः म यमा म ृ तगोचरा Vaikhari is word manifestation. Madhyama is
यो तकाथ य प य ती सू मा मैव केवलं at memory level. Pashyanti is level of seeing.
Pure causal is Para.
Pure Causal Yogic Insight Memory Speech
Vishuddhi
Anaahata
Manipoora
Mooladhaara
The Para stage of speech is at base of the spine.
परावा मल ू च था प य ती ना भसंि थता Pashyanthi stage is at the navel. Madhyama
गा तु म यमा ेया वैखर क ठ दे शगाः
stage at the heart and Vaikhari is at the throat.
Base of Spine Navel Heart Throat/Mouth
Speech, Music, Literature and Yoga
Speech (Vaak)
Language (Bhasha)
Perception (Artha)
Drama (Naatak)
Vaikhari
Vaikhari Vaikhari
Music (Sangeet) Literature (Saahitya)
Vocal Instrument Figures of Speech
Dance (Nrtya) Metre
Vaikhari
Mantra
Japa
Bhajan
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Acoustical Knowledge of Ancient Hindus
प चन यः सर वतीम प यि त स ोतसः
सर वती तु प चधा सो दे शोSभव स रत ्
Five organs of cognition Emanating from their source, the mind, like five
rivers speed onward to speech. The flowing speech, in its dwelling place, the
mouth becomes five-fold.
Yajurveda
INFORMATION COGNITION SPEAKER LISTENER
HEARING HEARING
TOUCH SPEECH TOUCH
UNIVERSE VISION MUSIC VISION
TASTE TASTE
SMELL SMELL
Vedic order of Natural Elements and Perception
Element Sense of perception
Space Sound (hear)
Air Touch and Sound
Fire See, Touch and Sound
Water Taste,See,Touch and Sound
Earth Smell,Taste,See,Touch, Sound
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Space is characterized by only sound
Sound is the most subtle sense of perception
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A typical Hindu Temple A Rock-cut cave Hindu Temple
Sri Venkateswara Temple Sri Ramalingeshwara Cave Temple,
Bridgewater, New Jersey Hulimavu
Propagation of Sacred Sound in a Hindu Temple
25
Sounds of Chant, Conch-Shell, Bell and Gong
(Simultaneously Sounded)
Mic @ 2ft Mic @ 15ft
Conch-Shell Bell Gong
327.5 Hz, 392 Hz, 440 Hz, 655 Hz…
Sound of Shankha and Chants
in Sri Ramalingeshwara Temple (Rock-cut cave Temple) in Hulimavu
3. Chanting in Ardha Matap being recorded from the
1. Shankh in Ardha Matap far end of the cave 70.04m
2. Chanting in Ardha Matap
Musical Pillars at the Temple in Hampe
Power Spectrum of a Musical Pillar
Measurement Data for Conch Shell
Straightened Conch Cavity
Measurements of tones from a Bamboo Flute (a5)
Indian Musical Drums
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Human Body as a Musical Instrument VEENA
Reference: Sriranga Sadguru in “Amaravani”, Ashtanga Yoga Vijnana Mandiram, Mysore ([Link])
Effects of Sound
Worship through Procession and inside the Ganesha Temple, Flushing, New York
Ah! Music
Ah! Music, are you the flow of sound?
Or in silence the feelings of mind?
Can you be described as frequencies?
Or as thoughts through sound waves?
From speech how do you differ?
How do you cross language barrier?
What makes you good or bad?
As you influence listener’s mood.
What makes you so powerful?
Although you are invisible.
Various emotions come through you.
Dancing patterns depend on you.
Is your secret harmony?
Or is your strength melody?
Or is it the lyric with memory?
Or the rhythm in which you vary?
What you are, it is hard to say,
Whatever you are, give us Peace and Joy.
M.G. Prasad
Concluding Remarks
• Sound plays an important role in both scientific and spiritual aspects of
Hinduism.
• Anything that moves produces sound and sound carries information.
• The Vedas emphasize that the ubiquity of manifested sound is integrally
related to Universal Consciousness.
• Four-fold description of Naada leading to manifested sound enables the
seeker to advance towards the Universal Consciousness.
• The role of manifested sound (Vaikhari) is seen in many areas of human
interest such as speech, chants, vocal and instrumental music.
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Acknowledgements
• my deep gratitude is to my guru Yogi-Seer Sriranga Sadguru of
Astanga Yoga Vijnana Mandiram, Mysore, India whose
guidance and blessings enables my Vedic studies and work.
• I also acknowledge Prof. K.S. Kannan, Sri K.V. Varadaraja
Iyengar and Mrs. Geetha Prasad for their input and help.
• Thanks are also due to Mr. Chenhui Zhao, Mr. Chetan Bhatt and
Dr. B. Rajavel and Dr. Harihara Sreenivasarao for their help in
preparation of this presentation.
Thank You!
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Nadanamakriya
The scales of Nadanamakriya :
Aarohanam (Ascending) : S R1 G3 M1 P D1 N3
Avarohanam (Descending) : N3 D1 P M1 G3 R1 S
Nadanamakriya is a janya raga, derived from Mayamalavagowla
(below), 15th on the Melakarta scale.
Nadanamakriya Nadanamakriya
(Long) 3 min 24 sec (Short) 52 sec
Smt. Asha Janardhan
Rasas as given in Natyshastra
Karuna Raudra Beebhatsa
Grief Anger Disgust
Hasya Shanta Bhayanaka
Humor Peaceful Grief
Shringara Adbhuta Veera
Love Wonder Valor
Arpitha Gorur
Music and spirituality
• Sounds especially from nature, chants and music provide joy and
spiritual experiences for humans.
• The notes of music are derived from nature (for ex: from sounds of
animals and birds).
• Sa: Peacock (C)
• Ri: Cow (D)
• Ga: Goat (E)
• Ma: Krouncha bird (F)
• Pa: Nightingale (G)
• Dha: Horse (A)
• Ni: Elephant (B)
• A Raga is a pleasing
• combination of these notes.
• Raga also provides spiritual experience.
• Raga also depicts moods and sentiments. There are hundreds of ragas.
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MEASUREMENTS OF TONES FROM A BAMBOO FLUTE [A6]
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