Yogataravali Verse 4: Nadanusandhana

नादानुसन्धान नमोस्तु तुभ्यं
त्वां तन्महे तत्त्वपदे लयानाम् ।
भवत्प्रसादात् पवनेन साकं
विलीयते विष्णुपदे मनो मे ॥४॥

(your “तन्महे” is likely “मन्ये”; both readings exist, but “मन्ये” fits grammar better)

1️⃣ Literal Meaning

  • नाद-अनुसन्धान — O practice of following the inner sound
  • नमः अस्तु तुभ्यम् — salutations to you
  • त्वां तन्महे — I consider you
  • तत्त्व-पदे लयानाम् — the highest principle/state among all laya methods
  • भवत्-प्रसादात् — by your grace
  • पवनेन साकं — along with prāṇa (breath)
  • विलीयते — dissolves
  • विष्णु-पदे — into the all-pervading state (Vishnu-pada)
  • मनो मे — my mind

2️⃣ Clean Meaning

“Salutations to nādānusandhāna. I consider it the highest among all methods of laya. By its grace, my mind — along with prāṇa — dissolves into the all-pervading state (Vishnu-pada).”

3️⃣ Structure of the Verse

This verse completes what earlier verses prepared:

  • Verse 2 → Nāda is best
  • Verse 3 → Nāda arises
  • Verse 4 → Nāda leads to total dissolution

4️⃣ “नादानुसन्धान नमोस्तु तुभ्यम्”

This is not devotional exaggeration.

It indicates:

Nāda is no longer just a technique — it becomes the central doorway.

Almost like acknowledging:

“I cannot cross without this.”

5️⃣ “तत्त्वपदे लयानाम्”

Very precise phrase.

  • लयानाम् — among all methods of dissolution
  • तत्त्वपदे — the ultimate principle / highest state

So:

Nāda is not just one method — it is the most direct access point to the essence.

6️⃣ The Critical Line

“पवनेन साकं मनो विलीयते”

This is extremely important.

Mind dissolves along with prāṇa

This confirms earlier principle:

  • mind and prāṇa are linked
  • they rise together
  • they dissolve together

So:

When nāda absorbs attention:

  • prāṇa stabilizes
  • mind stabilizes
  • both dissolve simultaneously

7️⃣ “विष्णुपदे” — What Does This Mean?

Do not take it sectarian.

“Vishnu” here means:

all-pervading, that which pervades everything

So:

विष्णुपद =

  • the all-pervasive state
  • non-local awareness
  • non-dual reality

Equivalent in Advaita to:

  • Brahman
  • pure consciousness

8️⃣ Full Mechanism (Now Complete)

This verse gives the entire process:

  1. Nāda is followed (अनुसन्धान)
  2. Attention becomes absorbed
  3. Prāṇa stabilizes
  4. Mind loses movement
  5. Mind + prāṇa dissolve
  6. Only all-pervading awareness remains

9️⃣ Important Clarification

Nāda does not produce Vishnu-pada.

It does:

dissolve the structures that prevent recognition

🔟 Subtle Experiential Marker

This verse implies something very specific:

At some point:

  • you are not “listening to sound”
  • rather:
    • breath becomes subtle or irrelevant
    • mind is no longer operating separately

And:

there is a sense of expansion or non-locality

It indicates:

narrowing attention while attaining nadanusandhana, must eventually lead to dissolution of both attention and breath

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