Human Body and the Voice

The Vedic philosophers considered the human body as the divine musical instrument "Daeva Veena" which emits the sound of the soul, the human voice.

The composition of the universe and the body according to Hindu thinking can be broken into the five elements Apo (water), Thejo (Fire), Jayo (Air), Patavi (Earth) and Akasa (Ether) which totally agrees with Buddhist thinking too. If we consider these elements separately, we may see that each of these elements has the capacity to produce sounds peculiar to it.

Apo (Water)

When we listen to the flow of a river or the water coming out of a tap or water thrown out from an utensil, we hear the sound of water.

Thejo (Fire)

A matchstick, when struck on a box of matches, burns emitting a peculiar sound of fire. When a paper burns (also forest on fire) we hear the cracking sound of fire.

Vayo (Air)

The sound of air is a common experience in everyday life. We can identify this sound.

Patavi (Earth)

When we drop some sand on to the ground, we can hear the sound of earth.

Akasa (Ether)

The best example of the sound of Akasa is the silence. If we go to a very quite place such as a hill top, we can hear the sound of silence or the sound of Akasa.

The two forces explained above flow through the human body as psychic energies across the "nadis"

The outward expression of the sub-conscious mind is also described by the Indian philosophers as the primary divine impulse of creation namely "Kamakala", "Kundalini" is named as the base of the sound or Nada. Sound is known in Sanskrit as Nada. Indian philosophers define Kundalini as the power which is concentrated in the "Mulandhar chakra" in the form of a coiled serpent.

Chakras are the centres of vital forces or pranashakti or Prana Vayu. Other Chakras are Swadhistan, Manipuraka, Anahata, Vishuddha, Ajna and Sahasra.

Sound or sexual feelings are evolved from the Kundalini. When the vital force of air or Prana Vayu comes in contact with the will power or Iccha-shakti, a vibration originates resulting in a subtle audible sound which is called the Anahata-Nada.

The Anahata-Nada first evolves in the Mulandhar Chakra and extends to the Anahata-Chakra. At the Anahata-Chakra, it unites with the intellect or Buddhi and gradually ascends upwards to reach Vishuddha Chakra in the throat. This Anahata-Nada which associates the throat is known as "Vakhari". From there, it rises to the head and spreads over the palate, tongue, lips, teeth, etc., and produces articulate sounds where it becomes the "Anahata-Nada".

This Anahata-Nada is the base for musical sound depending on whether it is pleasing or soothing.