The Sant Mat tradition relies on specific poetic verses (Vanis and Dohas) to catalog the internal sounds (Anhad Naad) experienced during deep meditation. Mystics use the cricket's chirp (Jhingur) as a precise metaphor or literal descriptor for the first threshold of cosmic sound.
1. Direct Scriptural Quotes from Sant Kabir
In his deeper, esoteric compositions describing Surat Shabd Yoga (the yoga of the sound current), Sant Kabir explicitly maps the Jhingur sound to the initial stages of concentration at the third eye:
(Close your eyes, mouth, and ears; the chirping of crickets is heard in the form of an unbroken cosmic melody.)
Kabir Saheb warns that these initial sounds are sweet traps designed to halt a practitioner's progress if they confuse them with the ultimate reality. He explains that these sounds belong to the realm of Niranjan (the lower cosmic governor) rather than Sat Purush (the True Supreme Being):
"झींगुर घंटा शंख मिलाजै, प्रथम धून निरंजन गाजै।
बांसुरी वीणा मृदंग बजै, अनहद नाद भीतर साजै।"
(The cricket, the bell, and the conch resound together; this first echo thunders in the realm of Niranjan.)
Furthermore, Kabir clarifies that a pure mind is required to transcend these initial echoes and hear the highest, unmanifest spiritual sound (Saar Shabd):
“कबीरा मन निर्मल भया, जैसे गंगा नीर। पाछे-पाछे हरि फिरे, कहत कबीर कबीर॥”
(When the mind becomes pure like the waters of the Ganges, the Divine Sound follows the seeker, rather than the seeker chasing lower sounds.)
2. Quotes from Other Saints in the Sant Mat Tradition
Other major mystics align perfectly with Kabir, defining the Jhingur sound as the standard introduction to the ten types of internal sounds (Dashvidha Naad). [1, 2]
A. Sant Dariya Sahib (of Bihar)
Sant Dariya Sahib, an influential mystic in the Kabir lineage, describes the transition where the external world fades and the Jhingur heralds the entry into the internal garden:
(The chirping of the cricket and the tinkling of tiny bells stir the inner consciousness like wind through a grand royal garden...)
B. Swami Santsevi Ji Maharaj & Maharishi Mehi Paramhans
Modern stalwarts of the Sant Mat tradition explicitly document the sequential progression of Surat Shabd Yoga in their couplets:
"प्रथमहिं धारी सिंह की, झींगुर धून सुनि लेय।"
(In the beginning of the inner journey, hold onto the concentration, and the sound of the cricket will be heard.)
They emphasize that a practitioner must use this initial sound as an anchor, but must never stop there:
"झींगुर, मंजीरा, विणा, बांसुरी, तूर, मृदंग, सिंह गर्जना। इन नादों को पार कर, सार शब्द में समाना॥"
(Listen to the cricket, cymbals, lute, flute, horn, drum, and the lion's roar—but cross all these sounds to merge into the ultimate True Word, the Saar Shabd).
C. References from the Hatha Yoga Tradition (Gorakhnath / Nath Panth)
Because Kabir was deeply in dialogue with the Nath Yogis of his era, his references mirror their classical scriptures. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika (which Kabir frequently critiqued and refined) contains the identical classification:
"प्रथमे झर्झरी नादः चिञ्चिणी-नाद-सम्भवः। ततो भेरी-मृदङ्ग-शङ्ख-काहल-ताजादिभिः॥"
(In the first stage, the sound is like the roaring ocean or a waterfall, quickly resolving into the high-pitched "Chinchini"—the distinct chirping sound of a cricket.)
Key Summary of the Saints' Quotes
- The Cricket is the Gateway: The Jhingur sound is universally acknowledged by the Saints as a sign that the soul is successfully pulling its energy away from the physical sense organs. [1, 2]
- Do Not Linger: All Saints' Bani emphasizes that the cricket sound is a passing station. The goal is to let the mind become single-focused until this sharp hum gives way to the deep resonance of the cosmic bell (Ghanta), conch (Shankh), and eventually the silent music of the soul. [1, 2]
The Ten Sequential Internal Sounds (Dashvidha Naad)
In Sant Mat and Esoteric Yoga scriptures, the inner sound current (Anhad Dhuni) refines itself into ten distinct stages as the soul withdraws deeper into the spiritual centers:
| Stage | Sound Name (Sanskrit / Hindi) | Description & Spiritual Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chini (चिणी) | A soft, high-pitched ringing sound like a tiny chime. |
| 2 | Chinchini (चिंचिणी) | The Jhingur (cricket) sound. A continuous, buzzing hum that vibrates at the entry of the third eye. |
| 3 | Ghanta (घण्टा) | The deep, heavy tolling of a cathedral or temple bell. Highly magnetic and stabilizing. |
| 4 | Shankh (शङ्ख) | The resonant, piercing blow of a conch shell. Clears away spiritual illusions. |
| 5 | Tantri (तन्त्री) | The sweet, melodic plucking of a stringed lute or Sitar. |
| 6 | Taal (ताल) | The rhythmic, metallic clash of small hand cymbals. |
| 7 | Venu (वेणु) | The enchanting, captivating melody of a divine flute (Bansuri). |
| 8 | Bheri (भेरी) | The deep, powerful boom of a large kettle-drum or Dholak. |
| 9 | Mridang (मृदङ्ग) | The reverberating rhythm of a twin-headed drum. |
| 10 | Megh-Naad (मेघनाद) | The ultimate grand finale—a roaring sound like rolling thunder or the ocean. Beyond this lies the Saar Shabd (Silent Word). |
Sant Dadu Dayal (a prominent mystic in the Kabir tradition) summarizes this entire journey in a single definitive verse:
"दस द्वारे का तालिया, अनहद बाजे ढोल। दादू सुरत समाईया, तब मुख अनबोले बोल॥"
Meaning: When the soul transcends the ten types of internal instruments and drums, the attention (Surat) merges into the Absolute, and the seeker witnesses the unspoken, silent language of God.
"झींगुर झंकृति किंकिणि सिंजन, करवन उपवन राजि प्रमंथन।
हहरा हर-हर-हहर-प्रभंजन,
झर-झर-झर बरसे करुणा घन;सर-सर-सर सिहरे तृणत्तरु तन।"
— दरिया साहेब बानी
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