The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
1 In the Samhitā called Kulārnava (not the Tantra of that name) Shiva, after referring to some terrible rites with the flesh of black cats, bats, and other animals, the soiled linen of a Chandāla woman, the shroud of a corpse, and so forth, says: “Oh, Pārvati, my head and limbs tremble, my mouth is dried” (Hridayam kampate nama, gātrāni mama kampante, mukham shushyate Pārvati), adding: “One must not speak of it, one must not speak, one must not speak, again and again I say it must not be spoken of” (Na vaktavyam na vaktavyam na vaktavyam punah punah).
2 It is because the Orientalist and missionary know nothing of occultism, and regard it as superstition, that their presentment of Indian teaching is so often ignorant and absurd.
3 This Dhvani is the gross body of the Mantra. See the Author’s
“Garland of Letters”.
latter is caused by the striking of two things together, and is meaningless. Shabda, on the contrary, which is Anāhata (a term applied to the Heart Lotus), is that Brahman sound which is not caused by the striking of two things together. Lettered sound is composed of sentences (Vākya), words (Pada), and letters (Varna). Such sound has a meaning.¹ Shabda manifesting as speech is said to be eternal.² This the Naiyāyikas deny, saying that it is transitory. A word is uttered, and it is gone. This opinion the Mīmāngsā denies, saying that the perception of lettered sound must be distinguished from lettered sound itself.³ Perception is due to Dhvani caused by the striking of the air in contact with the vocal organs—namely, the throat, palate, and tongue. Before there is Dhvani there must be the striking of one thing against another. It is not the mere striking which is the lettered Shabda. This manifests it. The lettered sound is produced by the formation of the vocal organs in contact with air, which formation is in response to the mental movement or idea, which by the will thus seeks outward expression in audible sound.⁴ It is this perception which is transitory, for the Dhvani which manifests ideas in language is such. But lettered sound, as it is in itself—is eternal. It was not produced at the moment it was perceived. It was only manifested by the Dhvani. It existed before, as it exists after, such manifestation, just as a jar in a dark room which is revealed by a flash of lightning is not then produced, nor does it cease to exist on its ceasing to be perceived through the disappearance of its manifester, the lightning. The air in contact with the voice organs reveals sound in the form of the letters of the alphabet, and their combinations in words and sentences. The letters are produced for hearing by the effort of the person desiring to speak, and become audible to the ear of others through the operation of unlettered sound or Dhvani. The latter being a manifester only, lettered Shabda is something other than its manifester.
1 When the word “Ghata” is uttered, then there arises in the mind the idea of a jar.
2 Not as audible sounds (Dhvani), but as that which finds auditory expression in audible sounds. The sensible expressions are transient. Behind them is the Eternal Logos (Shabdabrahman), whose manifestation they are.
3 Samantu tatra darshanam (“But alike is the preception thereof”).
4 This is only one form in which letters find sensible expression. Thus writing gives visual expression, and to the blind perforated dots give tactual expression.
1 In the Samhitā called Kulārnava (not the Tantra of that name) Shiva, after referring to some terrible rites with the flesh of black cats, bats, and other animals, the soiled linen of a Chandāla woman, the shroud of a corpse, and so forth, says: “Oh, Pārvati, my head and limbs tremble, my mouth is dried” (Hridayam kampate nama, gātrāni mama kampante, mukham shushyate Pārvati), adding: “One must not speak of it, one must not speak, one must not speak, again and again I say it must not be spoken of” (Na vaktavyam na vaktavyam na vaktavyam punah punah).
2 It is because the Orientalist and missionary know nothing of occultism, and regard it as superstition, that their presentment of Indian teaching is so often ignorant and absurd.
3 This Dhvani is the gross body of the Mantra. See the Author’s
“Garland of Letters”.
latter is caused by the striking of two things together, and is meaningless. Shabda, on the contrary, which is Anāhata (a term applied to the Heart Lotus), is that Brahman sound which is not caused by the striking of two things together. Lettered sound is composed of sentences (Vākya), words (Pada), and letters (Varna). Such sound has a meaning.¹ Shabda manifesting as speech is said to be eternal.² This the Naiyāyikas deny, saying that it is transitory. A word is uttered, and it is gone. This opinion the Mīmāngsā denies, saying that the perception of lettered sound must be distinguished from lettered sound itself.³ Perception is due to Dhvani caused by the striking of the air in contact with the vocal organs—namely, the throat, palate, and tongue. Before there is Dhvani there must be the striking of one thing against another. It is not the mere striking which is the lettered Shabda. This manifests it. The lettered sound is produced by the formation of the vocal organs in contact with air, which formation is in response to the mental movement or idea, which by the will thus seeks outward expression in audible sound.⁴ It is this perception which is transitory, for the Dhvani which manifests ideas in language is such. But lettered sound, as it is in itself—is eternal. It was not produced at the moment it was perceived. It was only manifested by the Dhvani. It existed before, as it exists after, such manifestation, just as a jar in a dark room which is revealed by a flash of lightning is not then produced, nor does it cease to exist on its ceasing to be perceived through the disappearance of its manifester, the lightning. The air in contact with the voice organs reveals sound in the form of the letters of the alphabet, and their combinations in words and sentences. The letters are produced for hearing by the effort of the person desiring to speak, and become audible to the ear of others through the operation of unlettered sound or Dhvani. The latter being a manifester only, lettered Shabda is something other than its manifester.
1 When the word “Ghata” is uttered, then there arises in the mind the idea of a jar.
2 Not as audible sounds (Dhvani), but as that which finds auditory expression in audible sounds. The sensible expressions are transient. Behind them is the Eternal Logos (Shabdabrahman), whose manifestation they are.
3 Samantu tatra darshanam (“But alike is the preception thereof”).
4 This is only one form in which letters find sensible expression. Thus writing gives visual expression, and to the blind perforated dots give tactual expression.
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