Sound - its importance in spirituality

Sound is one of the most important aspect of life. Imagine a world without sound. One cannot chit chat with friends, no melodious music, no great conversations. One would be bored to death without sound. It is such an integral part of life itself. According to vedic creation, sound is one of the fundamental element created along with taste, form, touch, and smell. We deal with varieties of sounds in our day-to-day life. They are vocal language sounds, instrumentals, singing of various genres etc. Sounds can generate emotions influencing our subtle conscious body. Music therapy is prevalent in many cultures of the world where diseases related to depression are cured using vocal and instrumental sound. Sounds from leaders like Martin Luther King, Hitler, Gandhi have triggered contrasting revolutions moving millions of hearts to action. Why do sounds from some people propel their followers to action and some do not? What is the extra flavor in the sounds emanated from these powerful personalities? Is there something beyond the sounds which impact the consciousness. The molecular vibration which is sound in its gross sense carry invisible layers of functionality which can impact the heart of the listener. Some of the layers which we can discern are an emotional layer, logical-intellectual layer, belief layer etc. Ofcourse the preliminary criteria is that access has to be given by the receiver of the sound to his inner regions. This access is provided when the listener has faith and trusts the person speaking as an authority. The bhagavad Gita describes 3 character attributes for the sound from a speaker to make an impact into the inner regions of consciousness of the listener. They are ‘Pranipatena’(enormous trust) ‘Pariprasnena’(humble enquiry) ‘sevaya’(service relationship).

For any change of action free will has to be influenced. The free will is dependent on belief system. Belief system creates values which determine what action a person approves and what are those he does not. What is belief system? Is it in the mind or the intellect? When belief system has programmed your subconscious, then your actions become involuntary. They will be naturally aligned with belief system. Repeated actions create subconscious programming. Hence all the spiritual traditions have the process of ‘repetition’ as a core spiritual practice. Thru constant repetition of sounds and physical actions related to spirit, spiritual traditions bring a transformation in the subconscious. Of the various repetitions in ancient spiritual traditions, sound repetition is very important for subconscious transformation. These are not ordinary sounds but spiritual sounds called mantras. There are sound vibrations in nature detected by our ancient sages which can liberate the mind of unwanted things. The Hare Krishna mantra can liberate the mind from selfish sense gratification oriented thoughts. Yoga means to connect with the supreme and this connection happens thru the medium of devotional service. Mantras kill individual aspirations, ambitions and focus the person entirely to embrace the supreme’s ambition, purpose. The individual starts to feel the connect with the universal will. When one drops self ambitions, plans, aspirations he moves to the brahma bhuta stage. The Brahma bhuta stage is existence in higher band of energy compared to the material band of energy which we usually dwell. A person who has dropped all selfishness and embraced satisfying the Lord as the only goal is promoted to the Brahma bhuta stage. The primary symptom of this stage is one does not anymore feel hankering for anything nor lament for anything of this world. The sound Krishna even though is composed of molecular vibration can act as a container for the supreme to manifest in the vibration based on the extent of service attitude of the chanter. It is just like the Diety though made up of material elements but is not matter after installation by a bonafide acarya. Similarly sound given to one also has to be installed, so we have to receive the sound from acarya. ‘Nama cintamaniyasya, caitanya rasas vigraha, Purna suddho, nitya mukto, abhinnatvam naama naamino’ Nama is living full of caitanya. Nama is conscious entity but based on the service spirit of the chanter. Nama being non different from the Lord is supremely pure ‘Purna Suddho’ and is never under the 3 modes of material nature ‘nitya mukto’. Naam is nirgun. The tattva or philosophical conception and the emotional state is very important for the Lord to manifest in Nama sound. The proper conception of sanatana dharma is important. Sanatana Dharma is the mood of servant and master that exists between the aatma and Paramatma. This attitude of pure servant desiring only the pleasure of the supreme master is the primary criteria for Naami to manifest in Naam. One more important word used by Rupa Goswami is being ‘aanukulyena’ which is becoming favorable for Krishna’s happiness, to stop being a competitor to Krishna as enjoyer. ‘Ekalai iswara Krishna, aar sab Bhrtya’ which means he is the only enjoyer, all others are servants meant to give pleasure to the Supreme. If there is sincerity in the seeker and he aspires to give up being an enjoyer, then Naami can manifest and accelerate the killing of purusha bhaava in the heart. The competition is in trying to increase the 4 things – Dhan(wealth), Jana(popularity, position, fame), sundarim(Association with women), Kavitam(to be known as greatly learned) – trying to grow in these 4 things means wanting to compete with Sri Krishna as enjoyer. Reducing the need for these and increasing the need for always being in divine service in the association of devotees is being anukool to his pleasure, honoring him as the only enjoyer.

What is the architecture of sound? According to physics, Sound is caused due to vibration of air molecules. The vibrating air molecules impact the ear drum and hence the experience of sound is created. The vibration travels thru the nervous system into the  mind where the sound is converted to information and sense is made out if it. Based on the seriousness of the mind the information can lead to storage and retrieval in future. Beliefs and values are like ROM memory in the computer. Sound has the capability to change beliefs thru the process of surrender and repetition. How to decipher the power of sound? The power of sound depends on the depth of impact on the living being. According to Vedas human being is not just the physical body but made of layers of existence. The Physical layer is the outer most layer. Inside it is the Mind, Intelligence, Ego and then the original existence particle ‘The soul’. There are 4 bodies in a single being according to the Vedas. They are

-          Spiritual transcendental soul body

-          Paramatma

-          Subtle body composed of Mind, intelligence and false ego

-          Gross body

We do not have vision beyond the gross body. So the power of sound is decided on the depth of impact it can make. If a sound can reach the soul then it is the most powerful. The closest layer to the real self is the ‘citta’. The various thoughts in the mind have their source in the tendencies in the ‘citta’ or consciousness. Only mantras vibrated by pure devotees of Sri Krishna can impact the citta layer. The normal chant by conditioned soul of Hare Krishna mahamantra can impact only the gross layer or maximum upto the mental layer. But the mantra received from a pure devotee has the power to hit the citta. The vibration of the mahamantra kills the selfish tendencies and inspire the service tendency. The mantra is like a farmer and the field is the citta. The goal is to cultivate only the devotional creeper in the citta and uproot all unwanted weeds. The sadhana Bhakti process is nothing but ‘Citta vyavasaaya’ means farming or culturing of the consciousness. When the creeper of divine service has started to flower then it is the Bhava Bhakti stage and when there are fruits in the creeper it is the final Prema bhakti stage. Citta bala or ‘conscious strength’ is the resource which is the conscious energy embedded with iccha shakti or the power of desire. There is competition for citt bala among various tendencies in the citta. Redirecting the citta bala to the creeper of devotional service and cutting the supply to other unwanted tendencies is the work of iccha shakti which is strengthened by sadhu sanga. Bhagavan wants to taste the flower and fruit of the devotional creeper. It is our duty to cultivate and offer the flower and fruit to Bhagavan’s pleasure. For this we have to approach the spiritual master who will provide all infrastructure and personally enter our heart as a expert Gardener.