Purva-Mimamsa in its Sources c19.10.4

c19.10.4

The next question that arises is—"What is the change in the Auditory Organ which renders it capable of manifesting Sound?" What happens is that the Air-waves issuing out of the Speaker's mouth, strikes the first layer of Air enclosed within the hearer's Tympanum and produces in the latter a peculiar modification whereby it is rendered capable of manifesting Sound and making it audible. To this end, the Mīmāṃsaka postulates the presence, in the ear-cavity, of the fixed layer of Air, for the purpose of affording a screen of resistance to the Sound-waves; against which screen these waves strike and thereby effect the change in the Auditory Organ. It is a well-recognised fact that Air cannot produce any effects unless it meets with a certain degree of resistance. Even though the Auditory Organ consists of Ākāsha, and Ākāsha is one only, yet the Ear-Drum is distinct in each person—each being limited in its power and scope by virtue of the Merit-Demerit of the person to whom it belongs. Then again, the change produced in the Sound-waves is not in the *Ākāsha* of the Ear, but in the Air enclosed within the Ear-Drum; and as this latter differs in each person, all men need not hear the Sound that may be heard by one of them. That all this diversity is due to *Air-waves* is also indicated by the fact that when Sound-waves travel with the wind, the Sound is heard at a greater distance than when they travel against the Wind.