Nāda — Inner Sound

The subtle inner sound (anāhata). The path of nāda-yoga and listening as a doorway to absorption and liberation.

39 verses · 5 texts

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Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā 22

  1. HYP 1.31There is no āsana like Siddhāsana, no kumbhaka equal, no mudrā like Khecarī, no laya comparable to nāda.
  2. HYP 1.45There is no āsana like Siddhāsana, no kumbhaka like Kevala, no mudrā like Khecarī, no laya like Nāda.
  3. HYP 1.65Āsana, kumbhaka, the practices called mudrā, and the contemplation of nāda: this is the order of practice in Haṭha Yoga.
  4. HYP 2.30Retention of breath at will, kindling of the digestive fire, manifestation of nāda, and perfect health arise from the purification of the nāḍīs.
  5. HYP 2.44Sūrya Bhedana, Ujjāyī, Sītkārī, Śītalī, Bhastrikā, Bhrāmarī, Mūrcchā, and Plāvinī — these are the eight kumbhakas.
  6. HYP 2.51Āsana, kumbhaka, the various practices called mudrās, and then absorption in nāda — this is the order of practice in haṭha yoga.
  7. HYP 2.55Now ujjāyī: closing the mouth, inhaling slowly through both nostrils, so that the sound is heard from the throat to the heart.
  8. HYP 3.104The lord of the senses is the mind; the lord of the mind is the breath; the lord of the breath is laya (dissolution); that dissolution depends on nāda.
  9. HYP 4.1Salutations to Śiva, the Guru, whose nature is nāda, bindu, and kalā. Whoever is eternally absorbed in Him attains the immaculate state.
  10. HYP 4.29With the mind absorbed in listening to nāda, which penetrates the penetrable, arises awakening from sleep and the deep sleep state of the Self.
  11. HYP 4.30As long as there is sound in space, nothing is perceived.That which is beyond sound is the supreme Brahman, chanted as the supreme Being.
  12. HYP 4.31Whatever is heard in the form of nāda is Śakti itself.The partless state at the end of all categories is the Supreme Lord.
  13. HYP 4.32In the investigation of nāda, everyone dissolves into the mindless state.There, what is the use of discussing the Vedas or other things?Where is the mind that knows?
  14. HYP 4.33When the air is bound, the mind is bound;when the bindu is fixed, the mind is still.In the achievement of nāda is the achievement;there is no doubt.
  15. HYP 4.39Now, the practice of nāda.Having closed the ears with the fingers and blocking them with effort, there is heard the silent sound, the nāda that leads to liberation.
  16. HYP 4.47When there is immersion in space, an abundance of drum sounds arise.Then the bindu is produced and the nāda becomes of multiple types.
  17. HYP 4.49The abandonment of all thought is the liberation of the rāja yogis.The supreme Brahman beyond sound and letters dissolves at the end of nāda.
  18. HYP 4.64Knowing the anāhata sound, cause of all, incomparable origin of sound, blocking the ears and listening to the inner sound, the sage attains the supreme state.
  19. HYP 4.67Knowing the truth through the search for nāda, he proclaims himself rāja yoga.The light of lights resides in the body;the mental is beyond the mind.
  20. HYP 4.70Relying on the doctrine of nāda, the yogi progresses in yoga.Established in Brahman at will, he experiences happiness and bliss.
  21. HYP 4.76Neither awake nor asleep, neither opening nor closing his eyes—liberated is surely the man whose mind is dissolved in nothingness.
  22. HYP 4.81Where the mind goes, prāṇa goes;where the prāṇa goes, the mind goes.The dissolution of both must be done by one who practices haṭha through nāda.

Bhagavad Gītā 7

  1. BG 12.13Without hatred toward any being, friendly and compassionate, without sense of possession or ego, equanimous in pleasure and pain, patient.
  2. BG 2.47Your right is to action alone, never to its fruits. Do not be the cause of the fruits of action, nor be attached to inaction.
  3. BG 2.62When one contemplates sense objects, attachment to them arises. From attachment, desire is born; from desire, anger arises.
  4. BG 3.4Not by abstaining from action does one attain freedom from action, nor by renunciation alone does one reach perfection.
  5. BG 6.12There, seated on the seat, making the mind one-pointed, with the activities of mind and senses controlled, one should practice yoga for the purification of the self.
  6. BG 6.16Yoga is not for one who eats too much nor for one who fasts excessively; nor for one who sleeps too much nor for one who stays awake excessively, Arjuna.
  7. BG 6.25Gradually, little by little, one should become quiet through the intellect held with firmness. Having established the mind in the Self, one should not think of anything.

Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali 4

  1. Sūtra 3.17Word, meaning, and idea are confused by mutual superimposition. From saṃyama on their distinction arises knowledge of the sounds of all beings.
  2. Sūtra 3.41From saṃyama on the relationship between the ear and space arises divine hearing.
  3. Sūtra 3.49Only for one who has knowledge of the distinction between sattva and puruṣa arise supremacy over all states and omniscience.
  4. Sūtra 3.54The knowledge born of discernment is liberating, encompasses all objects, all conditions, and is instantaneous.

Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā 4

  1. GS 5.19The yogi standing in Padmāsana, having sealed the net [of nāḍīs], gently fills the nāḍī with the excellent sound of Bhrāmarī.
  2. GS 7.2Samādhi is of six types, knower of the perfection of the perfected: Dhyāna yoga, Nāda, Rasānanda...
  3. GS 7.7Closing well the mouth and ears, one listens to the inner sound. Making the mind absorbed in the sound, the yogi dedicated to yoga...
  4. GS 7.8Making the mind absorbed in the sound, the yogi dedicated to yoga attains samādhi, turns toward Brahman.

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 2

  1. Dhāraṇā 15Of any compact mantra, following the sequence of gross letters — half-moon, point, final resonance, void — with these, supreme meditation.
  2. Dhāraṇā 23Also through the words of praise and prayer, one enters into the reality of sound. At the end of sound, in the supreme space, one reaches true equanimity.

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