The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
Before describing the nature of Shabda in its different forms of development it is necessary to understand the Indian psychology of perception. At each moment the Jiva is subject to innumerable influences which from all quarters of the universe pour upon him. Only those reach his Consciousness which attract his attention, and are thus selected by his Manas. The latter attends to one or other of these sense impressions, and conveys it to the Buddhi. When an object (Artha) is presented to the mind and perceived, the latter is formed into the shape of the object perceived. This is called a mental Vritti (modification), which it is the object of Yoga to suppress. The mind as a Vritti is thus a representation of the outer object. But in so far as it is such representation it is as much an object as the outer one. The latter—that is, the physical object—is called the gross object (Sthūla artha), and the former or mental impression is called the subtle object (Sūkshma artha). But besides the object there is the mind which perceives it. It follows that the mind has two aspects, in one of which it is the perceiver and in the other the perceived in the form of the mental formation (Vritti) which in creation precedes its outer projection, and after the creation follows as the impression produced in the mind by the sensing of a gross physical object. The mental impression and the physical object exactly correspond, for the physical object is, in fact, but a projection of the cosmic imagination, though it has the same reality as the mind has; no more and no less. The mind is thus both cogniser (Grāhaka) and cognised (Grāhya), revealer (Prakāshaka) and revealed (Prakāshya), denoter (Vāchaka) and denoted (Vāchya). When the mind perceives an object it is transformed into the shape of that object. So the mind which thinks of the Divinity which it worships (Īshtadevatā) is at length, through continued devotion, transformed into the likeness of that Devatā. By allowing the Devatā thus to occupy the mind for long it becomes as pure as the Devatā. This is a fundamental principle of Tantrik Sādhanā or religious practice. The object perceived is called Artha, a term which comes from the root “Ri,” which means to get, to know, to enjoy. Artha is that which is known, and which therefore is an object of enjoyment. The mind as Artha—that is, in the form of the mental impression—is an exact reflection of the outer object or gross Artha. As the outer object is Artha, so is the interior subtle mental form which corresponds to it. That aspect of the mind which cognises is called Shabda or Nāma (name), and that aspect in which it is its own object or cognised is called Artha or Rūpa (form). The outer physical object of which the latter is, in the individual, an impression is also Artha or Rūpa, and spoken speech is the outer Shabda. Subject and object are thus from the Mantra aspect Shabda and Artha—terms corresponding to the Vedāntic Nāma and Rūpa, or concepts and concepts objectified. As the Vedānta says, the whole creation is Nāma and Rūpa. Mind is the power (Shakti), the function of which is to distinguish and identify (Bhedasangsargavritti Shakti).
Just as the body is causal, subtle, and gross, so is Shabda, of which there are four states (Bhāva), called Parā, Pashyantī, Madhyamā, and Vaikharī—terms further explained in Section V of this Introduction. Parā sound is that which exists on the differentiation of the Mahābindu before actual manifestation. This is motionless causal Shabda in Kundalinī in the Mūlādhāra centre of the body. That aspect of it in which it commences to move with a general—that is, non-particularised—motion (Sāmānya spanda) is Pashyantī, whose place is from the Mūlādhāra to the Manipūra Chakra, the next centre. It is here associated with Manas. These represent the motionless and first moving Īshvara aspect of Shabda. Madhyamā sound is associated with Buddhi. It is Hiranyagarbha Shabda (Hiranyagarbharūpa) extending from Pashyantī to the heart. Both Madhyamā sound, which is the inner “naming” by the cognitive aspect of mental movement, as also its Artha or subtle (Sūkshma) object (Artha), belong to the mental or subtle body (Sūkshma or Linga sharīra). Perception is dependent on distinguishing and identification. In the perception of an object that part of the mind which identifies and distinguishes, or the cognising part, is subtle Shabda, and that part of it which takes the shape of the object (a shape which corresponds with the outer thing) is subtle Artha. The perception of an object is thus consequent on the simultaneous functioning of the mind in its twofold aspect as Shabda and Artha, which are in indissoluble relation with one another as cogniser (Grāhaka) and cognised (Grāhya). Both belong to the subtle body. In creation Madhyamā Shabda first appeared. At that moment there was no outer Artha. Then the cosmic mind projected this inner Madhyamā Artha into the world of sensual experience, and named it in spoken speech (Vaikharī Shabda). The last or Vaikharī Shabda is uttered speech developed in the
Before describing the nature of Shabda in its different forms of development it is necessary to understand the Indian psychology of perception. At each moment the Jiva is subject to innumerable influences which from all quarters of the universe pour upon him. Only those reach his Consciousness which attract his attention, and are thus selected by his Manas. The latter attends to one or other of these sense impressions, and conveys it to the Buddhi. When an object (Artha) is presented to the mind and perceived, the latter is formed into the shape of the object perceived. This is called a mental Vritti (modification), which it is the object of Yoga to suppress. The mind as a Vritti is thus a representation of the outer object. But in so far as it is such representation it is as much an object as the outer one. The latter—that is, the physical object—is called the gross object (Sthūla artha), and the former or mental impression is called the subtle object (Sūkshma artha). But besides the object there is the mind which perceives it. It follows that the mind has two aspects, in one of which it is the perceiver and in the other the perceived in the form of the mental formation (Vritti) which in creation precedes its outer projection, and after the creation follows as the impression produced in the mind by the sensing of a gross physical object. The mental impression and the physical object exactly correspond, for the physical object is, in fact, but a projection of the cosmic imagination, though it has the same reality as the mind has; no more and no less. The mind is thus both cogniser (Grāhaka) and cognised (Grāhya), revealer (Prakāshaka) and revealed (Prakāshya), denoter (Vāchaka) and denoted (Vāchya). When the mind perceives an object it is transformed into the shape of that object. So the mind which thinks of the Divinity which it worships (Īshtadevatā) is at length, through continued devotion, transformed into the likeness of that Devatā. By allowing the Devatā thus to occupy the mind for long it becomes as pure as the Devatā. This is a fundamental principle of Tantrik Sādhanā or religious practice. The object perceived is called Artha, a term which comes from the root “Ri,” which means to get, to know, to enjoy. Artha is that which is known, and which therefore is an object of enjoyment. The mind as Artha—that is, in the form of the mental impression—is an exact reflection of the outer object or gross Artha. As the outer object is Artha, so is the interior subtle mental form which corresponds to it. That aspect of the mind which cognises is called Shabda or Nāma (name), and that aspect in which it is its own object or cognised is called Artha or Rūpa (form). The outer physical object of which the latter is, in the individual, an impression is also Artha or Rūpa, and spoken speech is the outer Shabda. Subject and object are thus from the Mantra aspect Shabda and Artha—terms corresponding to the Vedāntic Nāma and Rūpa, or concepts and concepts objectified. As the Vedānta says, the whole creation is Nāma and Rūpa. Mind is the power (Shakti), the function of which is to distinguish and identify (Bhedasangsargavritti Shakti).
Just as the body is causal, subtle, and gross, so is Shabda, of which there are four states (Bhāva), called Parā, Pashyantī, Madhyamā, and Vaikharī—terms further explained in Section V of this Introduction. Parā sound is that which exists on the differentiation of the Mahābindu before actual manifestation. This is motionless causal Shabda in Kundalinī in the Mūlādhāra centre of the body. That aspect of it in which it commences to move with a general—that is, non-particularised—motion (Sāmānya spanda) is Pashyantī, whose place is from the Mūlādhāra to the Manipūra Chakra, the next centre. It is here associated with Manas. These represent the motionless and first moving Īshvara aspect of Shabda. Madhyamā sound is associated with Buddhi. It is Hiranyagarbha Shabda (Hiranyagarbharūpa) extending from Pashyantī to the heart. Both Madhyamā sound, which is the inner “naming” by the cognitive aspect of mental movement, as also its Artha or subtle (Sūkshma) object (Artha), belong to the mental or subtle body (Sūkshma or Linga sharīra). Perception is dependent on distinguishing and identification. In the perception of an object that part of the mind which identifies and distinguishes, or the cognising part, is subtle Shabda, and that part of it which takes the shape of the object (a shape which corresponds with the outer thing) is subtle Artha. The perception of an object is thus consequent on the simultaneous functioning of the mind in its twofold aspect as Shabda and Artha, which are in indissoluble relation with one another as cogniser (Grāhaka) and cognised (Grāhya). Both belong to the subtle body. In creation Madhyamā Shabda first appeared. At that moment there was no outer Artha. Then the cosmic mind projected this inner Madhyamā Artha into the world of sensual experience, and named it in spoken speech (Vaikharī Shabda). The last or Vaikharī Shabda is uttered speech developed in the
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