Reading Sanskrit for its Sound Value :Chris Dennen

The Benefit of Reading Sanskrit for its Sound Value Only
By Chris Dennen

Introduction

The Veda’s are claimed to be the cognitions of the laws of nature that structure creation. This paper explores the nature of this claim and examines the practical value of reading the Vedic literature for its sound value to enhance one’s life.

Maharishi (1994) taught that:

Reading the Vedic Literature in sequence is the procedure to spontaneously train the brain physiology and the whole physiology of speech to function in the most orderly way so that every thought, speech, and action is spontaneously promoted in the evolutionary direction of Natural Law, and thereby spontaneously enjoys full support of the evolutionary quality of intelligence that upholds order and evolution in the entire universe. (pp. 182-183)

With this statement, Maharishi has made a bold assertion. The sections below examine the understanding that underlies Maharishi’s thought.

The Vedic Model of Creation

From the Vedic perspective, consciousness is a field that underlies all of creation. This field of consciousness is eternal and unchanging. Creation arises from the eternal field of consciousness when consciousness begins to interact with itself. When consciousness becomes conscious of itself, it becomes aware of its innate nature which is pure intelligence. This first awakening of consciousness is said to have a three-in-one structure. This is because consciousness is the observer of itself. Therefore, consciousness is the observer, the observed, and the process of observing, so consciousness takes on three aspects while remaining one field of consciousness.

The act of consciousness observing itself is a self-referral process. Starting from the first self-referral experience of consciousness becoming aware of its innate intelligence, creation sequentially arises. The Veda is the cognition of the intelligence of consciousness that structures creation. The Veda is the sounds of the natural laws that structure creation.

Maharishi (1986) describes how the three-in-one self-referral process gives rise to creation:

Innumerable tendencies are arising in creation. From this one can imagine there must be innumerable qualities of self-interaction in the self-referral state of consciousness. Vedic Science completely reveals the knowledge of that reality, where the innumerable values of the knower, the known, and the process of knowing are contained in that sea of consciousness. Thus, the perpetual continuum of the self-referral state of consciousness is known to be responsible for the infinite variety of creation. (p. 30)

Creation then, is the expression of the intelligence of the field of consciousness, interacting within itself, that is expressed as the Veda. The Veda is the intelligence of consciousness that is expressed as natural law. The Veda can be experienced (heard) as a reverberation within the field of consciousness.

The Language of the Veda

Because consciousness is a field that underlies all of creation it is available to be experienced by anyone, anywhere, at any time. In fact, the field of consciousness is experienced by everyone as the “I” within that is the experiencer. When you refer to “I,” you are referring to the field of consciousness that is within you.

The ancient seers of the Veda, known as rishis, perceived the sounds of the Veda within their consciousness. They later spoke these sounds out in the form of the Sanskrit language. Because Sanskrit is cognized as the naturally occurring sounds of the Veda (natural law), it is not a man-made language. Sanskrit is the language of nature or natural law. Sanskrit words are called mantras.

Maharishi (1980) describes the value of the Sanskrit Mantras this way:

The Mantras are the language of nature in which cosmic intelligence reverberates as the laws of nature. All the Mantras together form the structure of pure knowledge, a lively field of the total potential of the organizing power of nature. The Mantras, being the fabrics of the unmanifest, immortal field of pure knowledge, are eternal and indestructible. The indestructibility of the Mantras extends even to the sequence in which they are available to us in the Samhita (verses of the Veda). This structure of pure knowledge has such perfect order that each successive verse is a commentary on the previous one. This natural and self-unfolding organization of the Mantras places the total potential of the Ved in its most compact form in its very first expression. This seed expression of the Ved, unmanifest and eternal, blesses every grain of creation with the total potential of pure knowledge residing at its unmanifest basis, from where cosmic intelligence as the nature of pure knowledge displays its infinite organizing power. (pp. 73-80)

We see in this quote that Sanskrit contains and expresses the infinite organizing power of cosmic intelligence as natural law.

Reading the Vedic Literature for its Sound Value

We have seen how the laws of nature are inherent in the field of consciousness, and that they are expressed as the Veda in the form of the Sanskrit language. We have also seen that the field of consciousness is our own awareness. So, the Veda is not foreign to anyone. It is naturally there within the awareness of everyone.

Maharishi (1995a) explains the phenomena this way:

Vibrancy of intelligence in the form of sound generated by the self-referral dynamics of consciousness—those specific sounds that construct self-referral consciousness, which have been heard by the ancient seers in their own self-referral consciousness and are available to anyone at any time in one’s own self-referral consciousness. (p. 352)

The natural laws expressed as the Veda not only structure creation, but natural law gives rise to the evolutionary nature of all living things. Natural law is evolutionary, causing all beings to grow.

When someone reads the Vedic literature in its original language (Sanskrit,) and in the proper sequence, natural law, which is already inherent in one’s awareness, is enlivened. The enlivenment of natural law is the result of hearing the sounds of the Veda in their proper sequence, not on the basis of the meaning of the Sanskrit words. Because of this, the benefit of hearing the Vedic mantras is an automatic process that does not depend on the listener’s ability to understand the word meanings. The enlivening of natural law within a person results in spontaneous access to the infinite organizing power of nature.

Maharishi (1994) explains how reading the Vedic Literature effects human physiology and its functioning:

How does reading the Vedic sounds create this effect in the mind and body? Every person is a part of creation. Our bodies are structured by the same natural laws that manifest all of creation. As discussed earlier in this paper, natural law is found within everyone within their own consciousness. Therefore, the Veda and its expression as natural law is both within our consciousness and is expressed as our body. When the physiology and mind are exposed to the vibrations of the sounds of natural law, they naturally resonate with these familiar vibrations, which in turn cause the body and mind to become more in tune with natural law.

The awaking or synchronizing of the physiology with natural law benefits every aspect of living. Maharishi (1995a) states:

It is necessary that all these values of Natural Law always remain fully awake within the physiology of everyone so that all thought, speech, and action can always be according to Natural Law, so that no one violates Natural Law and no one creates the ground for suffering. (p. 120)

Because natural law is the law of nature, aligning thoughts and actions with natural law minimizes the resistance from the environment to fulfilling desires, because the desires that arise are naturally in tune with the laws functioning in nature. This reduces the amount of energy required to fulfill desires and also reduces the frustration and stress that naturally results from the lack of support from the laws of nature.

Conclusion

The value of reading the Vedic Literature in the original Sanskrit is not equivalent to any other exercise in reading. This is because the Veda, expressed as the Vedic literature, is not man-made. The Veda is the sound of natural law that manifests creation. The Veda is not foreign to us; it is found within our consciousness and structures our bodies and the world around us. Maharishi (1995b) summarized the value of reading the Vedic Literature in this quote:

Every aspect of the Vedic Literature expresses a specific quality of consciousness. Reading every aspect of the Vedic Literature as it flows and progresses in perfect sequential order has the effect of regulating and balancing the functioning of the brain physiology and training consciousness, the mind, always to flow in perfect accordance with the evolutionary direction of Natural Law. (pp. 144–145)

Reading and hearing the sounds of natural law, that structures the universe and our lives, naturally resonates with our consciousness, and synchronizes our thoughts and actions with the power of natural law. This brings each life the formidable support of nature, and nature’s evolutionary power in fulfilling desires and ultimately living a life of fulfillment. Gaining the support of natural law makes reading the Vedic Literature, only for its sound value, a truly valuable contribution to every life.

References

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (1994). Vedic Knowledge for Everyone

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. (1967). Maharishi Mahesh Yogi on the Bhagavad Gita: A new translation and commentary, Chapters 1–6. New York, NY: Penguin Group. Republished by Arkana, 1990

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. (1980). The structure of pure knowledge. In Science, consciousness, and ageing, Rheinweiler, W. Germany: Published in, Vedic Science, Fulfillment of Modern Science, Maharishi European Research University Press.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. (1986). Life supported by natural law. Washington, DC: Age of Enlightenment Press.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. (1994) Maharishi Vedic University: Introduction. The Netherlands: Maharishi Vedic University Press.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. (1995a) Maharishi’s Absolute Theory of Government: Automation in administration. India: Maharishi Prakashan.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. (1995b) Maharishi University of Management: Wholeness on the move. India: Maharishi Prakashan.