All World
Gayatri Pariwar

Astonishing Power of the Eternal Element of Sound

We all can easily experience the powers of hydro, thermal, electrical and wind energies in different forms. The sound, especially its inaudible frequencies, also has similar or greater impact, but cannot be perceived or realized so effortlessly. Even the perceivable effects of music are often found to vary according to the psychology or emotional state of the subject and are therefore experienced in varied contexts and intensities. Scientific investigations on the existence and properties of sound-waves indicate that the effects of sound could be as physical as those of the other forms of energy.

The Doppler Effect is worth mentioning in this regard. The historical breaking of a bridge due to the superimposition of the cyclic sound created by the orderly footsteps of Napoleon’s army; collapse of several huge and stout bridges due to the synchronization of sound of noisy winds or noises of the surroundings – for instance, the falls of Angers Bridge (also called the Basse-Chaîne Bridge) in France in April, 1850, the Wheeling Suspension Bridge on Ohio river in USA in May 1854 and the bridge over Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Washington (USA), in November 1940, etc, are some of the well known examples of this significant effect. As per some reports, during the period of First World War, some German scientists had acquired the knowledge about development of a weapon that could produce sound- waves of a frequency higher than 105 vibrations per second.

Such waves would ruin the targeted persons in few seconds, as the resultant sonic effect would destroy the neurons of the subjects at a rate faster than that of a high-voltage direct electrical shock.

According to acoustic experts, even the harmonious tune of a musical instrument if repeated under appropriate synchronization (in terms of frequency, amplitude, intensity and rhythm) with some other musical output (e.g. the tinkling sound of the bells in the ankle-ornament of a dancer), can result in the destruction of the stage set for the musical performance. Similar destructive effect could be observed by the orderly, superimposed high-intensity audible sounds.

Occurrences of seismic tremors (earthquakes) are also at times attributed to similar effects of periodic resonance of superimposed sound waves (at specific frequencies in a specific order) deep inside the earth’s surface. Some experiments are also reported to have shown that the destructive power of sound could be used, in lieu of dynamite for instance, to create high-energy explosions.

In order to make constructive use of this physical effect of the amplified powers of superimposed sound-waves some physicists have carried out systematic experiments in advanced laboratories. An interesting experiment conducted about a century ago in one of the Westinghouse Laboratories at New York is worth citing here. An eight-feet long iron rod of nearly 50 kilogram weight was hung in the center of the roof of a hall. A small bottle-cork, weighing about 0.5 ounce, was also hung near the rod at a parallel position. The experiment was controlled so that the cork would hit the rod at a constant frequency without any other disturbance.

An immediate thought in our minds would be that the hits of such a tiny cork would only result in its own destruction. But the facts are quite the contrary! After 15-20 minutes of these periodic collisions the rod was found to have vibrations in it. About an hour later, the rod also began to oscillate like a pendulum! If the orderly vibrations (and hence the sound) of such tiny dimensions could be so powerful, then imagine the gigantic impact of the enormous vibrations created by the ever more loud sound (ranging from day-to-day speech to the trafficnoise, and to the explosive sound of spacecrafts, etc) produced by the living beings on the earth; and by the natural collisions and (meteoritic) explosions in the space!

Propagation and Perception of Sound: Vibrations in any material form or in the etheric medium constitute the fundamental source of existence and manifestation of sound. As people having scientific background would know, the quivering of the wires of a musical instrument creates specific vibrations in the air-particles in the closed vicinity of these wires; due to this, the air around is first compressed and then spreads periodically according to the frequency of these vibrations.

The sound so generated is carried along the entire expansion of the air-medium. Vibrations carried via 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 nerve-sensors in the ears, these vibrations are transmitted – through appropriate (bio)electrical signals, to the neuronal system in our brain and the corresponding sound is ‘heard’ by us. Presence of the medium of air is essential for normal functions of hearing by the ears in a human body. For most of the marine animals, the medium of water fulfils 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.

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

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 per 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. Larger the intensity, the lesser would be the effect of distance. For example, the deadly noise of the Krakatau volcanic eruption in Indonesia in 1883 is said to have been heard up to a distance of over 5000 miles in open air.

Propagation of 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 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 nonperception. 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.

Sublime Facets of Sonic Power: Modern scientific research has gone a long way in its study of the sonic waves. These investigations coupled with the advancement of electronics have now made speech recognition by machines like computers and robots, an established reality. Applications of radio waves and the lasers have become integral part of modern life.

It looks like it will be possible sometime for specifically designed laboratories to experiment and verify (and may also demonstrate) the supernatural physical effects of ïastriya sangºta (Indian classical music): e.g. - automatic kindling of oil-lamps by R³ga Dºpak, the potential of R³ga Malh³r in attracting rainfall, the power of R³ga Ïankar to transform a dry branch of a tree blossom with fresh green leafs, etc.

Advancement of ongoing research on using the creative power of music in psychological treatments, stress management and in healthier maintenance of animals and vegetation, etc, would certainly pave the ways for realization and use of the knowledge of Ïabda and N³da1,2 for an overall ascent of personality as described in the ancient Indian scriptures. On the subtler front as well, modern science is moving towards investigating, to some extent, the latent powers and subtle energies of Ïabda (and N³da) as described in the ancient Indian texts.

The journey of research from atoms to electromagnetic waves has finally been oriented on the fundamental and vital role of sound-waves pervading everywhere in the cosmic expansion. The big-bang hypothesis of the origin of the universe is also coming closer to the ‘theories’ cited in the Vedic literature.

The scriptures on spiritual science of yoga render significant importance to Ïabda-S³dhan³, viz., a higher level spiritual experiment of realization of the eternal cosmic sound, via the practices of – swara yoga, surati yoga and the mantra yoga. The science and philosophy of mantra has emerged from the spiritual acumen of the rishis (Vedic Sages) and their expertise in using the sublime powers of Ïabda1 and N³da2 towards fulfilling the noble purposes of collective awakening and upliftment of humankind at mental (intellectual and emotional) as well as spiritual levels.

The Vedic Mantras are said to have been created as specific configuration of phonemes and syllables corresponding to the ‘sonic patterns’ in the transcendent vibrations and sublime expressions of the afflatus of Brah®3 as realized by the rishis in the state of deep trance. It is the sonic-patterns and strength of vibrations and energy generated by the japa-s³dhan³4 of such a mantra and not its linguistic structure, grammar or the word-meaning that plays the key role in making the mantra so effective.

Sound-energy, being a physical manifestation of Ïabda 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 devout japa-s³dhan³ of a Vedic Mantra is therefore regarded as eternal.

Notes: 1. Ïabda: Eternal element of cosmic sound generated by the evolutionary impulse of Brah®. 2. N³da: Rhythmic flow (music) of perpetual current/flow of Ïabda. 3. Brah®: Omnipresent, Eternal Consciousness-Force. 4. Japa-s³dhan³: Japa (meditative rhythmic (mental) chants of a Vedic Mantra) under observance of certain spiritual disciplines.