of an Actor is a fundamental biomechanics of the body and the memory path
that lives in us. It is impossible to perfect the “state of remembering” without
viewing life as a musical vibration. How can we perceive a person as sound?
What is the transmission of sound over generations and over space? What
is voice among different domains of human experience? These questions are
fundamental in our Teatr ZAR work, bringing new paths for anthropological
research through and in theater practice. These questions are present in many
ancient traditions, one among them being the Sama Veda. So, let’s start from
the beginning:
1. Om. Verily, he who knows the eldest and the best, surely becomes the
eldest and the best. Prana is indeed the eldest and the best (of the organs).
2. Verily, he who knows the richest, becomes the richest among his own
people. Speech is indeed the richest.
3. Verily, he who knows the stable basis, becomes stabilized in this world
and in the next. The eye is indeed the stable basis.
4. Verily, he who knows prosperity, attains all desires, both divine and hu¬
man. The ear is indeed prosperity.
5. Verily, he who knows the abode, becomes the abode of his people. The
mind is indeed the abode.
6. Now once, the five senses disputed among themselves about their personal
superiority, saying, ‘I am superior’, ‘I am superior.
7. Those five senses approached the father Prajapati and said to him, ‘Revered
sir, who is the best amongst us?’ He replied, ‘He amongst you is the best
on whose departure the body would appear its worst, as it were.’
8. Speech departed. Staying a year out, it came back and asked, ‘How have
you been able to live without me?’ The others replied, ‘Just like the dumb:
though not speaking, yet living with the breath, seeing with the eye,
hearing with the ear, and thinking with the mind.’ At this speech entered
the body.
9. The eye departed. Staying a year out, it came back and asked, ‘How have
you been able to live without me?’ Just like the blind, though not seeing,
yet living with the breath, speaking with the organ of speech, hearing
with the ear, and thinking with the mind. At this the eye entered the
body.
10. The ear departed. Staying a year out, it came back and asked, How have
you been able to live without me?" Just like the deaf, though not hearing,
yet living with the breath, speaking with the organ of speech, seeing with
the eye, and thinking with the mind. At this the ear entered the body.
11. Ihe mind departed. Staying a year out, it came back and asked, How have
you been able to live without me?’ ‘Just like infants without developed