Anāhatanāda

By Swami Harshananda

Anāhatanāda literally means ‘sound produced without beating’.

When a yogi practices prāṇāyāma^[1] and achieves purification of the nāḍīs^[2], he starts hearing melodious sounds of praṇava or Oṃkāra. Since these sounds are generated without any beating (āhati) of two objects^[3] they are called ‘anāhata-nāda.’ The sound is normally heard through the right ear whether open or closed. However, it is more distinct when the ears are kept closed.

Some authorities say that the sound can also be heard if the ajapā mantra is repeated one lakh times.

References[edit]

↑ breathing exercises aimed to regulate the energy of prāṇa
↑ tubular structures through which prāṇic energy flows
↑ which, incidentally, is the usual way of producing sound

The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

Contributors to this article

Krishna Maheshwari, Deval Sancheti

Explore Other Articles

Rājavidya
Ūrī
Dhruvadevi
Dirghabahu
Agneyī-dhāraṇā

[1] reathing exercises aimed to regulate the energy of prāṇa

[2] tubular structures through which prāṇic energy flows

[3] which, incidentally, is the usual way of producing sound

[1]

[2]

[3]