Yogasūtra III.17 - śabda-artha-pratyayānām-itaretara-adhyāsāt saḿkaraḥ-tat- pravibhāga-saṁyamāt-sarva-bhūta-ruta-jñānam
The confusion of word, meaning, and individual understanding [happens] because each [component] resides within the other. Saṁyama on these [individual] components [leads to] knowledge of how all beings communicate.
Patañjali takes up the process of communication as a focus for Saṁyama. Language tries to express the reality of an object or experience, to another.
Words have a sound (Śabda) and a meaning (Artha), that are usually inseparable. When a word is uttered, it is expressed together with its meaning. And when people hear it, they do so, together with its meaning. Already here there can be a confusion, because the same word can mean different things to different people. Our own past experiences, our social and cultural upbringing, the context of life, the deeply personal meaning (Pratyaya) that each word may have for us - all these may be different for different people. For instance, the term Svastika means an auspicious sign for most Hindus in India and makes them feel positive when they hear it. But for Europeans, this term has a very different meaning, based on its use during the Second World War.
When we become sensitive to language, through Saṁyama on these three constituent parts, we will understand a lot about the deep conscious and unconscious emotions related to language and expression. This will help us better understand, not only each other, but even birds and animals.
Excerpt from Truth Unclouded, The Yogasūtra-s of Patañjali by TKV Desikachar with Dr Kausthub Desikachar. If you wish to purchase a copy, please visit https://khyf.net/shop/
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