Beginning, vessel, familiarization and consummation: these are the four stages.The yogi achieves achievement through yoga.

This verse presents the four stages (avasthās) of nāda yoga:

1. Ārambha (beginning) — The initial stage when prāṇa penetrates brahma-granthi (the knot in the heart) and the sound of anāhata begins to be heard.

2. Ghaṭa (vessel) — Praṇa unites with nāda in viśuddhi cakra.The body becomes like a perfect, sealed vessel (ghaṭa).

3. Paricaya (familiarization) — The practice matures.The practitioner becomes familiar with increasingly subtle states.The sound reaches ājñā cakra.

4. Niṣpatti (consummation) — The final stage.The nāda attains sahasrāra.Complete perfection is achieved.

Yogī yogena sidhyati — the yogi perfects through yoga.Phrase that seems tautological but emphasizes that there is no shortcut: constant practice produces the result.

The Bihar School details these stages in terms of specific experiences, sounds heard, and changes in the body-mind.Each stage has recognizable characteristics that allow the practitioner to evaluate their progress.

Svātmārāma will describe each stage in the following verses.