The Vedas form the sound-manifestation of Ishvara. This sacred sound has four divisions:
- Para: Manifesting in Prana
- Pasyanti: Manifesting in the mind
- Madhyama: Manifesting in the Indriyas
- Vaikhari: Manifesting in articulate expression
Articulation is the last and grossest expression of divine sound-energy. The highest manifestation of sound-energy, the primal voice, the divine voice, is Para. The Para voice becomes the root-ideas or germ-thoughts. It is the first manifestation of voice. In Para, the sound remains in an undifferentiated form.
Para, Pasyanti, Madhyama, and Vaikhari are the various gradations of sound:
- Madhyama: The intermediate unexpressed state of sound, with its seat in the heart.
- Pasyanti: The seat is the navel or the Manipura Chakra. Yogins with subtle inner vision can experience the Pasyanti state of a word, which has color and form, common for all languages, and the vibrating homogeneity of sound. In the Pasyanti state of voice or sound, all beings experience the same Bhavana of a thing.
- Indians, Europeans, Americans, Africans, Japanese, birds, and beasts—all experience the same Bhavana of a thing in the Pasyanti state of voice or sound.
- Gesture: A sort of mute subtle language, one and the same for all persons. For example, any individual of any country will make the same gesture by holding his hand to his mouth in a particular manner when thirsty.
"As one and the same power or Shakti working through the ears becomes hearing, through the eyes becomes seeing, and so forth, the same Pasyanti assumes different forms of sound when materialized."
The Lord manifests Himself through His Mayaic power first as Para Vani in the Muladhara Chakra at the navel, then as Madhyama in the heart, and eventually as Vaikhari in the throat and mouth. This is the divine descent of His voice.
All the Vaikhari is His voice only. It is the voice of the Virat Purusha.