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THE SPEECH OF THE GODS as we have seen, the turning point of evolution. These ethereal sounds represent the objective and supersensual planes whose peculiar types of being have been called the fire, air and water elementals. When we reach the earth and the objective kingdoms, we come again to hard sounds. Proceeding outwards froin the earth we get the sound of Ith which ineans “ growth,” or “expansion": with this sound came the einanation or evolution of vegetable life-to use the words of Genesis.
“The earth brought forth herbs." After Ith comes the sound of F and B, representing the kingdom of birds, fishes and animals and the crowning evolution of man.
Close on the heels of life, fullows death, representeci by the sound of M. Let us compare this with the Upanishad.
* From that self (Brahiman) sprang cther, (or spirit.) " From ether sprang air : (expansion and hea'.) “From air sprang fire; (light or colour.) " From fire, water; from water, earth ;
“ Fro:n earth, herbs r;rom herbi, fod; fro n food, man." Here we have exactly the order we have arrived at by taking the spiritual values of the sounds as they occur in the human throat and mouth, A,-god; R,spirit; H,-heat; L.-light ; W,-water; K,-hardness; J,-earth ; Ith, --Growth ; B-life ; M,-death.
A few inore sounds may be added. S, formed by a rapid number of sibilations, means " number.” D means “descent” or “falling' ; T “ascent.''
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