Patanjali Yoga Sutra – III – 17

Separate the sound, form and meaning

Shabdartha Pratyayanam Itaretaradhyasath Sankaram Tatpravibhagasamyamath Sarva Bhoootha Rupa Jnanam

Every object, person or creature has three things in them. They have a name, a form and together they generate an idea in the mind of the perceiver. For instance – take a guava fruit. It has a name – Guava which is a sound vibration. It has an almost round shape and is either green, yellow or a mixed colour. It brings up many ideas in the mind – sweet, sour, seeds that can get caught between the teeth – the ideas are different according to our different preferences and past experiences with the fruit.

This practice of samyama which Patanjali Maharshi tells us to do is to meditate on the word of an object alone, on its form alone or the idea it brings to our mind separately. Usually, there is a confusion born out of a natural superimposition of the name, form and our ideas.

This practice when done constantly gives rise to a knowledge of the sounds produced by humans, animals and even inert objects which are constantly communicating through sound vibrations. - SS