The Vibrational World of Sanskrit

There are many amazing things about Sanskrit. One beautiful aspect of the language is how many of her sounds are what is called soft. Hard and soft refer to how much a sound vibrates. When a sound is hard the vocal cords come together and release producing a less resonant sound. In a soft sound, the vocal cords rub together creating a friction and heat that results in a more resonant sound. Alphabetically, the language is made up of 49 letters. Out of the 49 sounds, 35 of them are soft (more resonant). This means that there are considerably more resonant sounds on the building block level of the language.

When you chant a Sanskrit mantra you can’t miss feeling its vibrational force.

On a psychological level when you chant a Sanskrit Mantra, you become calmer, more at ease and joyful. But what is at the core of a mantra’s strength? A key element that makes a mantra powerful is its vibrational quality.

Language of Vibration

You hear it said again and again, “Sanskrit is a language of vibration.” The speaker says it with awe, conviction and mystery, but what does it actually mean? And why is Sanskrit being called the language of vibration important?

Scientists tell us that everything in the manifest universe is nothing but the vibration of atoms and molecules. So to come in contact with a language of vibration is to come in contact with what we are essentially. It gets deeper than that. When you connect with what you are essentially on the manifest level, you can more easily feel what you are beyond manifestation.

Take for example, when you go to a loud music concert… Afterwards the music and festivities have stopped, and you are suddenly aware of sound and silence in a new way. You actually hear the silence that was present under the sounds. This ability to hear the silence is not nothing. It’s at the heart of a mantra. Not only do you hear silence more clearly after you chant but you feel the deeper meaning of the silence as well.

Chanting leads to Unity

Chanting Sanskrit mantras stirs up energy. Similar to the concert metaphor mentioned above, after chanting a mantra, when you remain still, you can feel your self as energy.

Eventually this awareness of you, as energy, leads you to its juxtaposition, i.e. to the recognition of you as stillness.

The more you remain with this inner stillness that the chanting gave you access to, the more you feel less separateness, or put another way the more you feel unity. Remember according to Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati, “Silence in Yoga is not just the absence of speaking… It is also the absence of thinking…” When you chant in Sanskrit you gain access to the silent mind and since it is only on the level of the mind that there is separateness, in the state of inner silence you feel united with all.

Sanskrit mantras are powerful vibrational fields of sounds. The next time you chant a mantra pause afterwards and feel pure energy. Notice how quiet your mind has become by singing these vibrational sounds and perceive how, from the place of yogic stillness, you feel a joyful unity with all.

© 2016 Sanskrit Studies, Luminous Soul & Manorama

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