THE FIRST UNIVERSAL SOUND

Now let us turn our attention to the first universal sound: According to our interpretation of the ancient science, it should be characterized by longitudinal sound waves that have a wavelength on the scale of the first layer above the half measure—that is, 1 digit, or approximately 2 centimeters.

We should understand, however, that the first universal sound does not represent a sound wave in air or any other physical medium. Instead, it represents a sound wave in consciousness, which propagates nonlocally at the speed of thought, rather than locally at the speed of sound. This means that it will be undetectable by any empirical means—which presents a serious problem: How can the prediction be evaluated empirically?

The ancients provided the answer. According to the Vedic seers, the first universal sound represents the first shruti—the first sound that was “heard” by the Creator at the beginning of creation. More specifically, it represents the smallest wavelength of transcendental sound that can be heard by the divine ear—the ear of pure consciousness.

To evaluate the wavelength of this sound, the ancients used a fundamental anthropomorphic principle. The Bible tells us that humans were created in the image of the Creator, and similar anthropomorphic principles can be found in virtually all of the ancient traditions. In this instance, they suggest that the smallest wavelength of transcendental sound that can be heard by the divine ear should correspond to the smallest wavelength of physical sound that can be heard by the human ear. Although a wavelength of transcendental sound cannot be measured practically, it can be measured in principle by drawing upon the correspondence between the human ear and the divine ear. This leads to the prediction that the finest physical sound that can be heard by the human ear should have a wavelength on the order of 1 digit. We can evaluate this empirically.

Modern acoustics tell us that the highest frequency that can be heard by the average adult human ear is roughly 16,000–20,000 Hertz (cycles per second). At 70 degrees Fahrenheit, which we may take as the ideal temperature for human life on earth, the speed of sound in the ambient air at sea level is 344 meters per second. The highest frequency that can be heard by the adult human ear will therefore have a characteristic wavelength that is roughly 1.72–2.15 centimeters. The average of this range is 1.94 centimeters. One digit is estimated to be approximately 2 centimeters, which means that the highest frequency of sound that can be heard by the adult human ear has a wavelength that is more or less equal to 1 digit—as predicted on the basis of ancient principles. Is this, however, just another coincidence?

To calculate the smallest wavelength of audible sound that can be heard by the human ear, we must know the speed of sound in air. Yet there is no archaeological or textual evidence to suggest that the ancients knew this figure. Nevertheless, it appears that they knew, directly and intuitively, that the smallest wavelength of physical sound that can be heard by the human ear corresponds to the smallest wavelength of transcendental sound that can be heard by the divine ear. According to the ancient “system of measured arrangement” that wavelength is on the order of 1 digit.

We can demonstrate the validity of this prediction with respect to the human ear, but not to the divine ear. If, however, we accept the principles of the ancient science as authoritative, then the two sounds should correspond.