Talk 148

27th January, 1936
Talk 148.

A Gujerati gentleman said that he was concentrating on sound - nada ^[?] - and desired to know if the method was right.

Maharshi: Meditation on nada is one of the several approved methods.
The adherents claim a very special virtue for the method. According to them it is the easiest and the most direct method. Just as a child is lulled to sleep by lullabies, so nada soothes one to the state of samadhi; again just as a king sends his state musicians to welcome his son on his return from a long journey, so also nada takes the devotee into the Lord's Abode in a pleasing manner. Nada ^[?] helps concentration. After it is felt the practice should not be made an end in itself. Nada is not the objective; the subject should firmly be held; otherwise a blank will result. Though the subject is there even in the blank he would not be aware of the cessation of nada of different kinds. In order to be aware even in that blank one must remember his own self. Nada upasana (meditation on sound) is good; it is
better if associated with investigation (vichara ^[?]). In that case the nada is made up of chinmaya ^[?] and also tanmaya ^[?] (of Knowledge and of Self). Nada helps concentration.

Talk 147 Talk 149