[Advaita-l] Difference among Baikhari, Madhyama, Pashyanti and Para vak.

[Ryan Armstrong]

Namste Shashwata-ji
I appolgise for the late reply - I am going through old mails and catching
up on reading.

Here is my understanding of the subject you have raised.
If the understanding presented is incorrect, please could another member of
the group correct any mistakes.
It is presented as taught to me form notes made by one who approached a
guru with this question.

When speech is uttered, it passes through these four phases.
Whether it is in a pure language like Sanskrit, or some deformed language
(like English!)
All speech arises in परा
परा is pure potential, unmoving, unlimited.
Within the human body, परा is located in the navel as it were.
पश्यनती is located in the heart.
This is where the initial impetus for speech arises - the desire to express
something.
At this point, the speech is not yet in any form other than the desire to
be expressed.
In a way, it is related to the emotion.
मध्यमा has its location in the throat and is related to the mental function.
It is where the desire is formed into a set of words, typically in the
tongue native to the one speaking.
वैखरी is the final stage - at the tip of the tongue where the words are
formed into sounds and presented to the world.

The explanation given to me was followed by some examples...
In general, people speak from वैखरी - there is little thought or
understanding of what is said.
The speaker will say "any old thing" and the words would be mechanical and
pure reaction.
If the centre of speech, or the awareness is placed in मध्यमा, there is
consideration of what is said.
"Think before you speak" is a saying which details this.
If the awareness is in the पश्यनती, the emotional import of the speech is
understood and the speaker would have even greater control of what is said.
Very few - only the truly wise, it is said -can speak from परा.
Such speech is, in effect, from the Absolute.
It is completely untainted by any desire or thought of the speaker and
arises in response to the need being addressed.
The speaker would not be expressing opinion or desire, instead such speech
would be pure and True.


Recently, I was informed that the same four stages are present in reverse.
That is, when the role is to listen and not to speak.
Listening from वैखरी is, in a sense not listening at all.
>From मध्यमा, the listener will, in the mind, compose arguments, agreements,
associations etc. based on the words heard.
>From पश्यनती, a real empathy with the speaker would occur and the listener
would be well disposed to the emotional import of what is being said.
Listening from परा involves a complete lack of interference on the part of
the listener.
This is true listening - where the one hearing does not harbour any idea of
difference between himself and the speaker.

I hope that this assists with your enquiry.
Yours in Truth
Ryan



On 20 September 2016 at 19:20, Shashwata Shastri via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> Dear All,
> I want an elaborate explanation regarding these terms. A discussion
> regarding the matter is most welcomed.
>
> Best Regards,
> Shashwata Chowdhury
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-- 
Regards

Ryan Armstrong
+27 82 852 7787
ryanarm at gmail.com