Part 3.5 - The Ten Kinds of Sounds

Nāda that is heard is of 10 kinds.

1. the first is chini (like the sound of that word chini);
2. the second is chini-chini;
3. the third is the sound of bell;
4. the fourth is that of conch;
5. the fifth is that of tantri (lute);
6. the sixth is the sound of jata (symbols);
7. the seventh is that of flute;
8. the eighth is that of bhauri (drum);
9. the ninth is that of mṛdaṅga (double drum) and
10. the tenth is that of clouds viz., thunder.

Dhvani:—In certain sounds such as the beating of a drum, the roar of thunder, the sounds of laughing, crying etc. no letters are manifestation. This is called dhvani. In certain others, letters on vanas are manifested as in the case of sounds of articulate speech. This is varnātmaka śabda.

Sound is produced by the contact of one thing with another of the hand the drum in the case of unlettered sound and the vocal organs and ear in the case of uttered speech.

But the anāhata sound is uncreated and self-produced. It is not caused by the striking of one thing against another.

Varnātmaka śabda has a meaning. Every dhvani also has a meaning. The sound of laughing indicates that a particular person is happy. The sound of a bell indicates that tea or food is ready. The sound of a bugle indicates that there is a parade.^[1]

How is nāda to be practiced? Let us what Haṭha yoga pradipikā and Yoga-cuḍāmaṇi Upaniṣad says:—

“The practioner should adopt the muktāsana posture and form the śambhavi mudrā. He should, in this posture and mudrā, with undivided attention, listen to the internal nāda (sound) in the light ear. While doing this one should close the ears, eyes, nose and mouth. Then a pure sound is clearly heard in the cleansed (free from impurities and obstructions) suṣumnā nāḍī”.^[2]

The Yoga-cuḍāmaṇi Upaniṣad describes the same as under:—

(i) Sit in the sidhāsana posture (in which one hed presses against the place below the genital organ and the other against the spot above it).
(ii) Inhale thought the mouth.
(iii) Close the ears, eyes, nostrils with fingers.
(iv) Draw the air in the aṇus upwards to the chest through mūlādhāra (mūlābandha).
(v) Hold the breath in the head.

Once the air reaches the hole in the head (sahasrāra cakra or Brahma randhra), then a big sound of musical instruments is produced like those of the big bells (as one generally hears in the temples) etc. This is called the acquisition on attainment of the power of nāda.^[3]

What are these various sounds? In this regard further says–closing his ears with his hands, the practitioner hears a sound. The yogī should to engage his mind in that sound until it becomes fully established. In due course of time he will achieve complete control over his distributions and thereby experience a sense of happiness.

In the beginning of the practice all sorts of big sounds are heard. But as the practice progress gradually one starts hearing fine and finer sounds.

In the beginning these sound resemble hose produced by the ocean, cloud, kettle drum (bheri–an ancient India war drum) and symbol.

In the intermediate stage these sounds resume these sounds resemble those produced by mardala (an Indian musical instrument) a conch (conch), a big bell (ghantā) and kāhala (a large military drum).

In the end these sounds resemble those produced by kinkini (a small bell), a bamboo flute and large black bee (bhramara). In this way different types of sounds are heard inside the body.

Now even though big sounds like those of the cloud and bheri are heard one should try to seek a fine and finer sound. On one need not take the mind anywhere else even if it is distracted, sometime jumping from the gross to the finer sound and sometime from the fine to the gross sound.

As a matter of fact, in the beginning let the mind stay wherever it feels attached. Later on the mind becomes firm and manages in the same sound.

As an example let it be remembered that just as a large black bee (bhramara), when it is engrossed in sucking the nectar from the flower does not pay any need to its fragrance, so also the mind when engrossed in that mysterious sound, no longer desires any sense object (viṣaya).^[4]

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

“Tantra Yoga, Nada Yoga & Kriyā Yoga”, p.156.

[2]:

Haṭhayoga-pradīpa-IV-67-68.

[3]:

Yogacūḍāmaṇi-upaniṣad-Mantra- 114-115.

[4]:

Haṭhayoga-pradīpa-IV-82-90.