Sabda

Sabda (Sanskrit: शब्द) is a term meaning sound, speech, or word. In ordinary usage it refers to any uttered sound or linguistic unit; in Sanskrit philology it denotes the spoken form of a word and, by extension, the word itself.

In Indian philosophy, sabda also denotes a means of knowledge. Sabda-pramāṇa refers to verbal testimony or authoritative hearsay, typically grounded in reliable sources such as the Vedas and other scriptures. Different schools assign different status to sabda. Some traditions of Nyaya-Vaisheshika accept sabda as a valid pramana alongside perception and inference; others view it as part of scriptural testimony (śruti) and emphasize knowledge received through a recognized lineage (parampara). In Vedanta and Mimamsa, śruti is often cited as a primary source of knowledge, with sabda serving as the vehicle for that knowledge.

In practice, sabda is central to Hindu epistemology, theology, and ritual, where scriptural verses are cited to support philosophical and doctrinal claims. In Hindu devotional and liturgical contexts, sabda also refers to sacred sound or mantras believed to convey spiritual efficacy.

Modern usage preserves sabda as 'word' or 'sound' in languages such as Hindi and Marathi, while it continues to carry philosophical connotations in discussions of pramāṇa and the authority of scriptures.