This technique offers a gentle yet profound methodology for diving into the ultimate state of silence and the Void, utilizing the inherent power of sound and its cessation to transcend the thinking mind.
The Four-Stage Path to Silence
Lord Shiva presents a systematic practice involving the elements of language, vibration, and quietude:
Meditate successively on the twelve Sanskrit letters. First in a gross form. Then leaving that aside, in a subtle form. Then leaving that aside, in a supreme form. Finally leaving them aside, become Shiva. (Verse 30)
The core purpose of this meditation is to help the practitioner go into the Void—into profound silence—by leading them there in gradual stages. The “twelve Sanskrit letters” referred to are the vowels: a, ā, e, ī, i, ū, u, e, ai, o, au, am, ah. The technique, however, can be practiced using the vowels of any language.
The practice unfolds in a clear four-stage sequence for each vowel:
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Gross Form (Sight): The practice begins with the gross form: “first look at it”. This means simply looking at the written vowel.
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Subtle Form (Sound): The next stage is the subtle form: “say it out loud”. This is meditation through sound.
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Supreme Form (Vibration): The sound ends, but a subtle vibration or feeling of the sound remains. The supreme form is to “concentrate on that” subtle vibration until it too fades.
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Final Stage (Silence): After the vibration ends, there is silence. This is the most critical part, and the practitioner must “meditate on that silence,” spending the “maximum amount of time on this stage”.
The process is then repeated with the next vowel.
The Philosophical Power of Silence
The culmination of this systematic approach is the final instruction: “Finally leaving them aside, become Shiva.” This carries a dual meaning:
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Become Silent: To become silent like Shiva. As the text states, “God is found in the silence” .
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Become Liberated: To become liberated, which is the uncovering of one’s true nature.
The power of this technique lies in the inherent nature of the mind. Thoughts are noise, and the mind struggles to survive in absolute quiet. By using the fading of a sound—a gentle progression from an active object (sound) to the absence of an object (silence)—the mind is skillfully transcended. This method reinforces the core teaching that yoga is interested in transcending the mind, rather than improving or sharpening it.
This is an ancient practice, using the building blocks of language and sound to systematically dissolve the mind’s hold and usher the meditator into the pure awareness that lies beyond all conceptual forms—the state of God.