99. The sense of hearing is subtler than the sense of sight

DISCOURSES ON

RADHASOAMI FAITH

BY

MAHARAJ SAHAB

Pandit Brahm Sankar Misra, M.A.

99. THE SENSE OF HEARING IS SUBTLER THAN THE SENSE OF SIGHT

            150. All sounds, as we experience them here, are produced by the action of energy when that action is communicated to the apparatus of hearing. This apparatus, as it exists in our body, is made of solid, liquid, and to some extent gaseous substances. That force alone which affects a solid, a liquid, or a gaseous plane could, therefore, act upon our physical apparatus of hearing. This explanation, however, refers to that stage in which communication of the force is confined to the grosser planes of hearing referred to. All forces, however, have subtler forms other than those produced as effects upon the grosser planes, and it is this subtle form which is heard as sound, as we shall explain presently.

            151. It will be observed from Article 8, that constant exercise since birth has developed the various functions appertaining to the physical frame, and whatever our subjective knowledge is, has also been obtained through impressions initially conveyed within by means of the physical frame. The subtle media of receiving impressions, therefore, depend entirely upon the physical apparatus for the conveyance of impressions to them. Accordingly, when anything affects the physical apparatus, then alone the subtle media within are excited and in that condition alone the sense concerned becomes cognizant of the effect. Now, in the case of hearing, if the force had not reached a stage where it could affect the physical constituents of the sense of hearing, it would have no effect upon that sense; inasmuch as the hearing faculty, as stated above, becomes kinetic in our body only when it is associated with the physical apparatus. A converse condition of communication takes place when the forces reach the physical apparatus of hearing, i.e. from the physical plane of that apparatus, the force, in its subtle aspect, communicates to the tanmatra within. What that subtle aspect is we now proceed to explain.

            152. We have stated above that the force which affects the physical apparatus of hearing can alone be felt as sound. As the constituents of that apparatus are the solid, liquid, and gaseous conditions of matter, it is clear that the force which acts upon them is practically acting upon the force of gravitation, for all these conditions of matter are maintained in their existing condition mainly by the effect of the force of gravity. Whenever one of these planes of matter is acted upon, gravity reacts, and this reaction always takes place along with the original action of the force. The reaction of the force of gravity is the subtle aspect we have referred to above.

            153. A further examination will show that the gravity of our earth is derived from the sun, being the result of the attractive action of the sun on the earth. The attraction we have been speaking of is somewhat similar to that of a magnet, and it takes place through the intervening ethereal medium. Thus we find that the force which is agitating the ethereal plane in the shape of terrestrial gravitation is always taking part as the subtle factor in the perception of sound. We may well deduce the following general proposition from the explanations given above :-

            When force-actions agitate the physical planes peculiar to the various senses, then they affect the senses concerned, otherwise they remain unperceived.

            154. If, however, the spirit-force is developed by the method of the spiritual practices prescribed in the Radhasoami Faith, at planes higher than those at which it is kinetic in ordinary circumstances, the tanmatras of the various senses will no longer be dependent upon the physical frame for communication of impressions, and subtle actions of various degrees, which are always taking place, would all come within their cognizance. This is the manner in which persons in cases of abnormal conditions affecting the higher planes become for the time being endowed with subtle functions. We have now said enough, we presume, to show that the sense of sound is not of that gross description as we take it ordinarily to be.