Some Important Shiksha Vedangas (study)
by Mala Laha | 2021 | 31,647 words
This page relates ‘Process of Sound Production� of the study dealing with Shiksha Vedangas—a crucial component of Vedic literature focusing on phonetics and pronunciation in ancient texts. The researched texts include the Paniniya, Yajnavalkya and Naradi Shiksas, among others. The study also investigates historical phonological transformations between Sanskrit and Pali, exploring the evolution of sounds and pronunciation.
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Part 3 - Process of Sound Production
The `ṇa� or Word is a form of articulate sound. This word or �ś岹� can be divided into two classes namely �dhvani� and �ṇa�[1]. Actually we can approach structure and semantics. Structural study of a particular language means the formation of a word by the help of syntax, �� etc. But the Semantics study means an universal nature relevant to all languages. This universal nature of all languages is named by the �ś岹ٲٳٲ�.&Բ;
महता देवे� नः साम्यं स्यात् इत्यध्येयं व्याकरणम�
It refers to the ś岹ٲٳٲ.
While defining `ś岹� at language level, he says�
शव्द� स्फोटः ध्वनिः शब्द्गुणः।
ś岹� ṭa� Ծ� śabdguṇaḥ|
(ʲ貹śԾ첹, Ѳṣym)
This �ṭa� refers to the mental level �ⲹ� and the �Ծ� refers to the audible level �ī�[2] also, both these level are considered�
येनोच्चारिते� सास्नालङ्गलककुदखुरविषाणिना� सम्प्रत्यय� भवति � शब्द�.अथवा प्रतीतपदार्थक� लोके ध्वनिः शब्द इत्युच्यते
yenoccāritena sāsnālaṅgalakakudakhuraviṣāṇinā� sampratyayo bhavati sa ś岹�.athavā pratītapadārthako loke Ծ� ś岹 ityucyate
(ʲ貹śԾ첹, Ѳṣym).
In the evolution of sound, air plays an important part. According to ṇiīⲹ Śṣ�, this air is the creative factor of sound. The course, in which the physical air acts itself manifested in the shape of audible sound, as follows:-
Having intellectually determined to the object to be communicated to others, the soul urges the mind in order to give expression that is to vocalize the thought rising within. The mind, so stimulated, acts upon the physical fire which is its turns about a movement in the region of internal air.
The internal air, thus moved, Gets upwards till it reaches the vocal organs�
आत्म� बुद्ध्या समेत्यार्थान� मन� युङ्क्ते विवक्षया� मन� कायाग्निमाहन्त� � प्रेरयति मारुतम्॥
ātmā buddhyā sametyārthān mano yuṅkte vivakṣayā| Բ� kāyāgnimāhanti sa prerayati ܳٲ||
The ԻDzDZ貹Ծṣa also has described the same mental process of speech production. According to this 貹Ծṣa the speech sound is a Kind of internal air. It has clearly stated that the internal air called �Բ�, which represents intermediary stage between inspiration (ṇa) and expiration (Բ), is same as ��. On this account, at the time of speaking one has to refrain from both inhaling and exhaling[3]. This act of breathing, while in ordinary course is transformed into audible sound, is essentially connected with physical heat (energy). In the ⲹ貹īⲹ, Bhartihari has more than once drawn our attention to the fact that �tejas� (energy) largely contributes to the materialization of sound by the expression �tejasā pākamāgata�� (ⲹ貹īⲹ, ṇḍ) and �tejasaiva vivartate� (ⲹ貹īⲹ, ṇḍ). He has tries to show that the evolution of sound involved the operation of fire as primary condition. It is fire that pushes air in motion and represents the energy which is required for the utterance of a sound. Thus, this view apparently tends to make sound a modification of fire.
Now we can say that there are three very important conditions for the production of sound. This three point’s are�
(i) The contact of mind with the soul is a necessary or primary condition for the production of speech sound.
आत्म� बुद्ध्या समेत्यार्थान� मन� युङ्क्ते विवक्षया�
ātmā buddhyā sametyārthān mano yuṅkte vivakṣayā|
(ṇiīⲹ Śṣ�, 3)
No cognition is possible unless the mind invariably comes into touch with soul. It is surely on activity of the mind that sends a stimulus to the whole mechanism of speech and sets the sounding apparatus to work.
(ii) Secondly, the mind first acts upon the physical fire�
मन� कायाग्निमाहन्त�
Բ� kāyāgnimāhanti
(ṇiīⲹ Śṣ�, 3)
This physical fire is the most active element known to the world of phoneticians. The world is said to be an embodiment of fire. It may be considered to be the essence of all things. From a physiological point of view fire is the vital force which animates all living beings and accounts for the activity of all physical mechanisms.
(iii) The important part for the production of speech sound is the life-breath or �ṇavāyu�. It gives rise to all kind of sounds. The navel region is generally considered to be the place where from air passes upwards till it reaches the speech-organs which are finally employed for the production of sound like � k �, �kh� etc. This process of speech sound production is illustrated in figure 2.
Fig. 2-Internal cycle of sound production
Footnotes and references:
[2]:
Paramalaghumañjuṣ�, p.23
[3]:
Chāndogyopaniṣat, 1.3