Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 40
Parīkṣit’s Final Absorption, Takṣaka’s Bite, Janamejaya’s Snake Sacrifice, and the Vedic Sound-Lineage
शृणोति य इमं स्फोटं सुप्तश्रोत्रे च शून्यदृक् । येन वाग् व्यज्यते यस्य व्यक्तिराकाश आत्मन: ॥ ४० ॥ स्वधाम्नो ब्राह्मण: साक्षाद् वाचक: परमात्मन: । स सर्वमन्त्रोपनिषद्वेदबीजं सनातनम् ॥ ४१ ॥
śṛṇoti ya imaṁ sphoṭaṁ supta-śrotre ca śūnya-dṛk yena vāg vyajyate yasya vyaktir ākāśa ātmanaḥ
Cet oṁkāra, en tant que sphoṭa, est ultimement immatériel et imperceptible ; le Paramātmā l’« entend » sans oreilles matérielles, tel un auditeur au-delà des sens. De lui se déploie la parole, et il se manifeste dans le ciel du cœur de l’âme.
The senses of a sleeping person do not function until he has awakened. Therefore, when a sleeping person is awakened by a noise, one may ask, “Who heard the noise?” The words supta-śrotre in this verse indicate that the Supreme Lord within the heart hears the sound and awakens the sleeping living entities. The Lord’s sensory activities always function on a superior level. Ultimately, all sounds vibrate within the sky, and in the internal region of the heart there is a type of sky meant for the vibration of Vedic sounds. The seed, or source, of all Vedic sounds is the oṁkāra. This is confirmed by the Vedic statement om ity etad brahmaṇo nediṣṭhaṁ nāma. The full elaboration of the Vedic seed sound is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the greatest Vedic literature.
FAQs
This verse describes sphoṭa as a primal revelatory sound by which speech becomes manifest, indicating that sound (śabda) is a potent medium through which the Supreme is revealed.
In the final canto, Śukadeva summarizes deep metaphysics for Parīkṣit, showing how realization can arise through śravaṇam (hearing) and how the Absolute is approached through Vedic sound.
Prioritize attentive hearing of sacred sound—especially Bhāgavatam recitation and the holy name—because disciplined listening refines consciousness even when the senses feel dull or distracted.