The Power of Sound in Sacred Texts

Throughout human history, sound has occupied a significant place in spiritual and religious traditions. Sacred texts contain numerous passages in which sound appears as much more than a means of communication or musical expression.

The spoken word creates. A voice commands the forces of nature. Music brings relief or accompanies revelation. Sacred syllables purify and liberate. Mantras and divine names protect. Inner sound becomes a focus of meditation and a means of transforming consciousness.

These passages come from very different cultures, periods and spiritual traditions, and their meanings belong first of all within those particular contexts. They should not necessarily be understood as descriptions of the same phenomenon. Yet, when brought together, they reveal the extraordinary variety of ways in which human beings have attributed significance and transformative power to sound. This is in addition to the vast number of creation myths, where sound is described as the means through which creation itself happens.

The following collection brings together direct quotations from sacred texts referring to sound, voice, speech, music, sacred utterance and inner sound, particularly where these are associated with creation, healing, protection, transformation, altered states of consciousness or spiritual realisation.

My intention here is simply to present these passages side by side and let the texts speak for themselves.

Rig Veda

Note: Vāc is the Vedic personification of sacred speech, presented in this hymn as a divine feminine power speaking in the first person.

Rig Veda 10.125.1

“I TRAVEL with the Rudras and the Vasus, with the Ādityas and All-Gods I wander.
I hold aloft both Varuṇa and Mitra, Indra and Agni, and the Pair of Aśvins.”

Rig Veda 10.125.3

“I am the Queen, the gatherer-up of treasures, most thoughtful, first of those who merit worship.
Thus Gods have stablished me in many places with many homes to enter and abide in.”

Rig Veda 10.125.4

“Through me alone all eat the food that feeds them, each man who sees, breathes, hears the word outspoken.
They know it not, but yet they dwell beside me. Hear, one and all, the truth as I declare it.”

Rig Veda 10.125.5

“I, verily, myself announce and utter the word that Gods and men alike shall welcome.
I make the man I love exceeding mighty, make him a sage, a Ṛṣi, and a Brahman.”

Rig Veda 10.125.8

“I breathe a strong breath like the wind and tempest, the while I hold together all existence.
Beyond this wide earth and beyond the heavens I have become so mighty in my grandeur.”

Bhagavad Gītā

Bhagavad Gītā 8.12-13

“Controlling all the senses, confining the mind in the heart, drawing the Prâna into the head, occupied in the practice of concentration, uttering the one-syllabled “Om”, the Brahman, and meditating on Me; he who so departs, leaving the body, attains the Supreme Goal.”

Bhagavad Gītā 17.23

“”Om, Tat, Sat”: this has been declared to be the triple designation of Brahman. By that were made of old the Brâhmanas, the Vedas and the Yajnas.”

Śvetāśvatara Upanishad

Śvetāśvatara Upanishad 1.13

“As the form of fire, while it exists in the under-wood, is not seen, nor is its seed destroyed, but it has to be seized again and again by means of the stick and the under-wood, so it is in both cases, and the Self has to be seized in the body by means of the praṇava (the syllable Om).”

Śvetāśvatara Upanishad 1.14

“By making his body the under-wood, and the syllable Om the upper-wood, man, after repeating the drill of meditation, will perceive the bright god, like the spark hidden in the wood.”

Nāda-Bindu Upanishad

Nāda-Bindu Upanishad

“An adept in yoga who bestrides the Haṃsa (bird) thus (viz., contemplates on Om) is not affected by karmic influences or by tens of crores of sins.”

Nāda-Bindu Upanishad

“Then as prārabdha has, in course of time, worn out, he who is the sound resulting from the union of Praṇava with Brahman who is the absolute effulgence itself, and who is the bestower of all good, shines himself like the sun at the dispersion of the clouds.”

Nāda-Bindu Upanishad

“The yogin being in the siddhāsana (posture) and practising the vaiṣṇavīmudrā, should always hear the internal sound through the right ear.”

Nāda-Bindu Upanishad

“The sound which he thus practises makes him deaf to all external sounds. Having overcome all obstacles, he enters the turya state within fifteen days.”

Nāda-Bindu Upanishad

“In the beginning of his practice, he hears many loud sounds. They gradually increase in pitch and are heard more and more subtly.”

Nāda-Bindu Upanishad

“At first, the sounds are like those proceeding from- the ocean, clouds, kettle-drum, and cataracts: in the middle (stage) those proceeding from mardala (a musical instrument), bell, and horn.”

Nāda-Bindu Upanishad

“At the last stage, those proceeding from tinkling bells, flute, vīṇā (a musical instrument), and bees. Thus he hears many such sounds more and more subtle.”

Nāda-Bindu Upanishad

“The mind having at first concentrated itself on any one sound fixes firmly to that and is absorbed in it.”

Nāda-Bindu Upanishad

“Being indifferent towards all objects, the yogin having controlled his passions, should by continual practice concentrate his attention upon the sound which destroys the mind.”

Nāda-Bindu Upanishad

“The sound serves the purpose of a sharp goad to control the maddened elephant—citta which roves in the pleasure-garden of the sensual objects.”

Nāda-Bindu Upanishad

“The sound proceeding from Praṇava which is Brahman is of the nature of effulgence; the mind becomes absorbed in it; that is the supreme seat of Viṣṇu.”

Nāda-Bindu Upanishad

“The sound exists till there is the ākāśic conception (ākāśasaṅkalpa). Beyond this, is the (aśabda) soundless Parabrahman which is Paramātmā.”

Nāda-Bindu Upanishad

“The mind exists so long as there is sound, but with its (sound’s) cessation, there is the state called unmanī of manas (viz., the state of being above the mind).”

Hamsa Upanishad

Hamsa Upanishad

“When Hamsa is absorbed in Nāḍa (spiritual sound), the state beyond the fourth is reached. Nāḍa (which is at the end of sound and beyond speech and mind) is like a pure crystal extending from (Mūla) Ādhāra to Brahmaranḍhra.”

Hamsa Upanishad

“Having thus reflected upon manas by means of this (Hamsa), one hears Nāḍa after the uttering of this japa (manṭra) a crore of times. It (Nāḍa) is (begun to be heard as) of ten kinds.”

Hamsa Upanishad

“The first is chini (like the sound of that word); the second is chini-chini; the third is the sound of bell; the fourth is that of conch; the fifth is that of ṭanṭri (lute); the sixth is that sound of ṭāla (cymbals); the seventh is that of flute; the eighth is that of bheri (drum); the ninth is that of mṛḍaṅga (double drum); and the tenth is that of clouds (viz., thunder).”

Amrita-Nada Upanishad

Amrita-Nada Upanishad 18-20

“Then he should think of the sound (Om) alone.”

Amrita-Nada Upanishad 21

“Om, the one letter is Brahman; Om should not be breathed out. Through this divine mantra (Om), it should be done many times to rid himself of impurity.”

Amrita-Nada Upanishad 26

“Prana travels through (or goes by) that path through which this Akshara (Om) goes. Therefore it should be practised daily, in order to pass along that (course).”

Biblical Texts

Joshua 6:5

“And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.”

Joshua 6:20

“So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.”

Psalm 29:5

“The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon.”

Psalm 29:7

“The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire.”

 Psalm 29:8

“The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.”

Psalm 29:9

“The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.”

Psalm 33:6

“By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.”

Psalm 33:9

“For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.”

Psalm 107:20

“He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.”

Samuel 16:23

“And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.”

Kings 3:15

“But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.”

Mark 4:39

“And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”

John 11:43

“And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth…”

Revelation 8:7

“The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth…”

Revelation 8:8

“And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea…”

Revelation 8:10

“And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp…”

Revelation 8:12

“And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars…”

Revelation 11:15

“And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord…”

Thessalonians 4:16

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:”

Hebrews 11:3

“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”

Qur’an

Qur’an 36:82

“All it takes, when He wills something to be, is simply to say to it: “Be!” And it is!”

Qur’an 39:68

“The Trumpet will be blown and all those in the heavens and all those on the earth will fall dead… Then it will be blown again and they will rise up at once…”

Qur’an 69:13-14

“At last, when the Trumpet will be blown with one blast, and the earth and mountains will be lifted up and crushed with one blow…”

Sikh Scripture

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, p. 2

“The Guru’s Word is the Sound-current of the Naad; the Guru’s Word is the Wisdom of the Vedas; the Guru’s Word is all-pervading.”

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, p. 6

“The Sound-current of the Naad vibrates in each and every heart.”

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, p. 115

“The Unstruck Melody of the Bani resounds through the Pure Word of the Shabad; through the Word of the Guru’s Shabad, we are absorbed into the True One.”

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, p. 121

“Through the Word of the Guru’s Shabad, the filth of egotism is washed away.”

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, p. 121

“The Immaculate Bani and the Unstruck Melody of the Sound-current vibrate, and in the True Court, honor is obtained.”

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, p. 293

“The Deepest Samadhi, and the unstruck sound current of the Naad are there.”

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, p. 888

“The Panch Shabad, the five primal sounds, echo the perfect sound current of the Naad.”

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, p. 1144

“Repeating the Naam, the Unstruck Sound-current of the Naad resounds.”

Buddhist Scripture

Lotus Sūtra, Chapter 26

“World-Honored One! I also will utter dhāraṇīs in order to protect the person who reads, recites and keeps the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.”

Lotus Sūtra, Chapter 26

“World-Honored One, with these supernatural spells I shield and guard the teachers of the Law.”

Śūraṅgama Sūtra / Śūraṅgama Mantra section

“If any poison or poisoning gold, any poisoning silver, any plant, tree, insect, or snake, or any of a myriad kinds of poisonous vapors enter the mouth of people who recite the Shurangama Mantra, it will turn into sweet dew.”

Tao Te Ching / Dao De Jing

Tao Te Ching 41

“Loud is its sound, but never word it said.”

Zhuangzi / Chuang Tzu

Zhuangzi, Book II, Section 1

“You may have heard the notes of Man, but have not heard those of Earth; you may have heard the notes of Earth, but have not heard those of Heaven.”

Corpus Hermeticum / Poimandres

Corpus Hermeticum I.6

“The Light-giving Word who comes from Mind is Son of God.”

Corpus Hermeticum I.11

“The Formative Mind, together with the Word, surrounding the spheres and spinning them with rushing motion, caused His formations to revolve.”

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā IV.67

“Sitting with Mukta Âsana and with the Sâmbhavî Madill, the Yogî should hear the sound inside his right ear, with collected mind.”

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā IV.68

“The ears, the eyes, the nose, and the mouth should be closed and then the clear sound is heard in the passage of the Suṣumnâ which has been cleansed of all its impurities.”

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā IV.70

“When the Brahma granthi (in the heart) is pierced through by Prâṇâyâma, then a sort of happiness is experienced in the vacuum of the heart, and the anâhat sounds, like various tinkling sounds of ornaments, are heard in the body.”

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā IV.74

“In the third stage, the sound of a drum is known to arise in tie Sûnya between the eyebrows, and then the Vâyu goes to the Mahâśûnya, which is the home of all the siddhîs.”

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā IV.76

“When the Rudra granthi is pierced and the air enters the seat of the Lord (the space between the eyebrows), then the perfect sound like that of a flute is produced.”

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā IV.77

“The union of the mind and the sound is called the Râja-Yoga. The (real) Yogî becomes the creator and destroyer of the universe, like God.”

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā IV.80

“The Laya produced by nâda, at once gives experience (of spiritual powers).”

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā IV.81

“The happiness which increases in the hearts of Yogiśwaras, who have gained success in Samâdhi by means of attention to the nâda, is beyond description, and is known to Śri Gurû Nâtha alone.”

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā IV.82

“The sound which a muni hears by closing his ears with his fingers, should be heard attentively, till the mind becomes steady in it.”

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā IV.83

“By practising with this nâda, all other external sounds are stopped. The Yogî becomes happy by overcoming all distractions within 15 days.”

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā IV.84

“In the beginning, the sounds heard are of great variety and very loud; but, as the practice increases, they become more and more subtle.”

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā IV.85

“In the first stage, the sounds are surging, thundering like the beating of kettle drums and jingling ones. In the intermediate stage, they are like those produced by conch, Mridanga, bells, &c.”

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā IV.86

“In the last stage, the sounds resemble those from tinklets, flute, Vîṇâ, bee, &c. These various kinds of sounds are heard as being produced in the body.”

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā IV.87

“Though hearing loud sounds like those of thunder, kettle drums, etc., one should practise with the subtle sounds also.”

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā IV.91

“The mind, like an elephant habituated to wander in the garden of enjoyments, is capable of being controlled by the sharp goad of anâhata nâda.”

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā IV.92

“The mind, captivated in the snare of nâda, gives up all its activity; and, like a bird with clipped wings, becomes calm at once.”

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā IV.100

“The knowable interpenetrates the anâhata sound which is heard, and the mind interpenetrates the knowable. The mind becomes absorbed there, which is the seat of the all-pervading, almighty Lord.”

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā IV.101

“So long as the sounds continue, there is the idea of âkâśa. When they disappear, then it is called Para Brahma, Paramâtmana.”

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā IV.102

“Whatever is heard in the form of nâda, is the śakti (power). That which is formless, the final state of the Tatwas, is tile Parameśwara.”

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 89

“If you recite the great ‘a’ sound without bindu (making it ‘am’) or visarga (making it ‘aha’), the supreme Lord who is a torrent of wisdom, arises at once.”

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 90

“Fix your awareness with a mind free of thoughts at the end of a letter (ending in ha) and you will be in contact with the eternal absolute.”

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 155

“The breath is exhaled with the sound ‘ha’ and it enters again with the sound ‘sa;’ therefore, the living being is always reciting the mantra ‘haṁsa’ (I am He).”

Śiva Sūtras

Śiva Sūtras II.1

“The mind (of someone who constantly ponders over the Highest Reality is) the Mantra.”

Sāma Veda

Sāma Veda, Book I, II.4

“There where the mountains downward slope, there at the meeting of the streams The Sage was manifest by song.”

Lotus Sūtra

Lotus Sutra, Chapter XXIV

“All the hundred thousands of myriads of kotis of creatures, young man of good family, who in this world are suffering troubles will, if they hear the name of the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara, be released from that mass of troubles.”

Lotus Sutra, Chapter XXIV

“Those who shall keep the name of this Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara, young man of good family, will, if they fall into a great mass of fire, be delivered therefrom by virtue of the lustre of the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva.”

Lotus Sutra, Chapter XXI

“By those talismanic words being pronounced out of compassion for creatures, the common weal of creatures is promoted; their guard, defence, and protection is secured.”

Lotus Sutra, Chapter XXVI

“The Bodhisattva Mahâsattva, whose organ of hearing is struck by these talismanic words, Lord, shall be aware that the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Samantabhadra is their ruling power.”

Orphic Hymns

Orphic Hymns 33, To Apollo

“’Tis thine all Nature’s music to inspire, with various-sounding, harmonising lyre.”

Popol Vuh

Popol Vuh, Creation narrative

“Earth, they said, and on the instant it was formed.”

Popol Vuh, Creation narrative

“The Voice of Thunder is the first; the second is the Flash of Light; the Lightning is the third.”

Popol Vuh, Creation narrative

“They spoke, and the land appeared because of them.”

Egyptian Book of the Dead

Egyptian Book of the Dead, Chapter XC

“Restorest memory in the mouth of the dead through the Words of Power which they possess.”

Egyptian Book of the Dead, Chapter XC (Protective utterance)

“Let not my mouth be closed, through the Words of Power which I possess.”

Dead Sea Scrolls

Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice, Song 7, lines 35-36 (Creation through speech)

“At the words of His mouth come into being all the lofty angels; at the utterance of His lips all the eternal spirits.”

Nag Hammadi Texts

Thunder, Perfect Mind (NHC VI,2)

“I am the voice whose sound is manifold, and the word whose appearance is multiple.”

Thunder, Perfect Mind (NHC VI,2, 20:26–35) 

“I am the name of the sound and the sound of the name.”

Gospel of Truth (NHC I,3)

“When the Word appeared … it is not a sound alone, but it became a body.”

Gospel of Truth (NHC I,3)

“Light spoke through his mouth, and his voice brought forth life.”

Trimorphic Protennoia (NHC XIII,1)

“I am the Voice that appeared through my Thought.”

Paraphrase of Shem (NHC VII,1)

“And the voice of the Word was heard saying through the Majesty to the unbegotten Spirit, “Behold, the power has been completed.””

Marsanes (NHC X,1)

“The consonants are self-existent, and as they are changed, they submit to the hidden gods by means of beat and pitch and silence and impulse.”

Sources

Rig Veda 10.125 and 10.130: Ralph T.H. Griffith translation, 1896, Sacred Texts. https://sacred-texts.com/hin/rigveda/rv10125.htm ; https://sacred-texts.com/hin/rigveda/rv10130.htm

Bhagavad Gītā: Swami Swarupananda translation, 1909, Sacred Texts. https://sacred-texts.com/hin/sbg/

Śvetāśvatara Upanishad: Max Müller translation, 1879, Sacred Texts. https://sacred-texts.com/hin/sbe15/sbe15100.htm

Nāda-Bindu Upanishad: K. Narayanasvami Aiyar translation, 1914, Wisdom Library / Thirty Minor Upanishads. https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/thirty-minor-upanishads/d/doc217069.html

Hamsa Upanishad: K. Narayanasvami Aiyar translation, 1914, Sacred Texts / Thirty Minor Upanishads. https://sacred-texts.com/hin/tmu/tmu27.htm

Amrita-Nada Upanishad: K. Narayanasvami Aiyar translation, PDF. https://www.spiritual-minds.com/easternrelgions/upanishads/108upanishads/amritanadaupanishad.pdf

BibleGateway / KJV (public domain): https://www.biblegateway.com/

BibleHub / World English Bible for Revelation 14:2: https://biblehub.com/revelation/14-2.htm

Quran.com: https://quran.com/

SriGranth.org English translation: https://www.srigranth.org/

Lotsawa House, Heart Sūtra: https://www.lotsawahouse.org/words-of-the-buddha/heart-sutra

Lotus Sūtra, Chapter 26 at 500 Yojanas: https://www.500yojanas.org/lotus-sutra/chapter26/

Nichiren Library, Lotus Sūtra Chapter 26: https://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/lsoc/Content/26

CTTB, Śūraṅgama Mantra section: https://www.cttbusa.org/shurangama6/shurangama6_11.asp.html

Tao Te Ching, trans. James Legge, Sacred Texts: https://sacred-texts.com/tao/taote.htm

Zhuangzi / Chuang Tzu, trans. James Legge, Sacred Texts: https://sacred-texts.com/tao/sbe39/sbe39123.htm

Corpus Hermeticum I: Poimandres, G.R.S. Mead translation: https://www.gnosis.org/library/hermes1.html

Egyptian Book of the Dead, Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/69566/69566-h/69566-h.htm

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā: Pancham Sinh translation, 1914, Internet Sacred Text Archive.

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra: Publicly accessible English translations consulted for verses 89-90 and 130, 140, 155-156.

Śiva Sūtras: Gabriel Pradīpaka translation, Sanskrit & Trika Shaivism.

Atharva Veda quotations: Hymns of the Atharva Veda, trans. Ralph T.H. Griffith, 1895, Internet Sacred Text Archive.

Sāma Veda quotations: The Hymns of the Sāma Veda, trans. Ralph T.H. Griffith, Internet Sacred Text Archive.

Lotus Sūtra quotations: The Saddharma-Pundarîka, or The Lotus of the True Law, trans. H. Kern, 1884, Internet Sacred Text Archive.

Saddharma-Pundarîka, or The Lotus of the True Law, translated by H. Kern, 1884, Sacred Books of the East, Vol. XXI.

The Dhammapada, verse renderings as widely published from Acharya Buddharakkhita for verses 100-102.

The Sutta Nipâta, translated by V. Fausböll, 1881, Sacred Books of the East, Vol. X.

Theoi Classical Texts Library, Orphic Hymns 1-40: https://www.theoi.com/Text/OrphicHymns1.html

Theoi Classical Texts Library, Orphic Hymns 41-86: https://www.theoi.com/Text/OrphicHymns2.html

Jason Colavito, Popol Vuh: https://www.jasoncolavito.com/popol-vuh.html

Project Gutenberg, Guatemala and Her People of To-day: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/59367/pg59367-images.html

Project Gutenberg, The Egyptian Book of the Dead, trans. P. Le Page Renouf: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/69566/69566-h/69566-h.htm

Nag Hammadi Library, Thunder, Perfect Mind: https://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/thunder.html

War Scroll (1QM): qumran.org translation, https://www.qumran.org/js/qumran/hss/1qm

Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice: Library of Congress, transcription and translation by C. Newsom, https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/scrolls/trans10.html

Community Rule (1QS): translations represented in CCAT/Penn and related public excerpts; wording follows commonly reproduced English renderings.

Thanksgiving Hymns (1QHa): public excerpts from Religion for Her and TheTorah.com.

Nag Hammadi texts: Gnosis.org / Nag Hammadi Library and Early Christian Writings public web translations where available.

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