[Bábá was sitting as usual, very gracefully, on a cot, and started with these words:] This is Sádhaná Year, next year will be Seminar Year. [Then he added:] Of course, Sádhaná Year will be continued for an indefinite period.

[He then ordered the doors and windows to be closed so that the external sounds might not disturb people in any way. At his command, all the sádhakas (spiritual aspirants) sat in one dhyánásana (meditation posture) or other. Those who had been imparted the lesson of Dhyána were told to sit in siddhásana,⁽¹⁾ and those who had not received that lesson were told to sit in padmásana.⁽²⁾ All were told to fix their minds at their prescribed Iśt́a cakra,⁽³⁾ but not to start sádhaná. After some time, all but a few started to hear a sound such as that produced by crickets.]

[After some time, Bábá told the sádhakas to open their eyes and look at him. He next told the sádhakas to concentrate at their trikut́is (the mid-point between the eyebrows) and to enjoy the prańava dhvani (also called the oṋḿkára sound). The sound that everyone had been hearing became more intense and changed slowly into the nupur dhvani [sound of ankle bells]. Bábá repeated many times, “Enjoy this sound, this is the divine sound, the prańava dhvani.”]

[In the third stage, Bábá told the sádhakas to take their minds and concentrate at the vishuddha cakra (situated at the throat). He then said:] Open your eyes and look at me for a second or two and then again concentrate. [The sádhakas then felt that the sound had become fainter and had changed slightly. Bábá said:] It is now more madhur [sweet] than what you heard at the other two points.

[At the end of this, Bábá said:] All of you have experienced the sound excepting a few. Those who have not heard it should do more intensive sádhaná for a few days, and in their normal sádhaná they will also hear this sound. [He assured everyone:] Those to whom I give the experience of this sound once, will be able to listen to this sound even while walking on the road only by remembering me for a few seconds. I will complete the course of one and all who will only follow the Supreme Command.⁽⁴⁾

[He then finally explained that this was the “sound of silence”, the “divine sound”, or the prańava dhvani:] This sound is caused by the process of thinking of the Creator when He thinks of creation. The entire universe is within His mind. Every action produces a particular sound. The average of all sounds produced within Him, is this sound: the sound caused by the creation of a thing, the sound due to the existence of a thing, and the sound due to the destruction of a thing – as everything is happening only within Him. Everything has its own individual vibration, and every individual possesses different vibrations for different points, and the average vibration is at the nucleus of the entire body.

[Bábá then told a young sádhaka to sit in any dhyánásana, as per his own choice, with his spinal cord in the proper position. He also told him to keep his navel exposed. He then touched the boy’s navel point with a stick. Some movement in his body could be noticed. His anáhata (at the mid-point of the chest) was then touched, and the boy started crying out. Bábá explained:] The anáhata is the seat of all sentiments, so by a touch to it, all the sentiments are touched – so this cry occurred in him. [The boy’s vishuddha cakra was touched, and the boy became completely silent now (as the vishuddha cakra controls the vocal cord).]

[Finally Bábá touched the trikut́i of the boy and said:] The average individual vibration of the boy is now merged into the Cosmic vibration, so he will enjoy the constant flow of bliss. [The boy fell flat on the ground. Bábá commanded:] Enjoy now the supreme bliss – enjoy. [He pointed out that one should always sit for sádhaná in a proper position.]

Footnotes

(1) Siddha posture (meditation posture of a siddha, a perfected person). –Eds.

(2) Lotus posture. –Eds.

(3) The psycho-spiritual plexus used for concentration in the practice of Iishvara prańidhána (surrender to the Cosmic Controller through meditation). –Eds.

(4) The most fundamental spiritual instructions. See page v. –Eds.