Notions of speech as sacred sound are revealed mainly in the Vedic texts, the Brahmanas, the Upanishads, Aranyakas, and the Vedangas. The Rig Veda is said to be impregnated with sacred speech and has extended insight into the origins of language. The Sphota Theory was originally developed by grammarians Patanjali and Bhartrhari who wrote the Mahabhasya and Vakyapadiya, respectively. Wider concepts concerning the philosophy of grammar in India draw mostly from Patanjali and Bhartrhari. Sphota is the transcendent ground in which the spoken syllable and the conveyed meaning find themselves unified.

…   more »