Previous Life of Narada
Narada said: During the previous Kalpa, in my previous existence, I was born of a maid of Brahmanas. While yet a boy, I was asked to serve wandering ascetics, who wished to stop at our place during rains. Though a mere child, I was free from all childish frolics, was quiet tame and submissive, spoke little and remained aloof from playthings. Though viewing all alike, the sages were particularly kind to me, who did all kind of services to them. With the willing consent of those Brahmanas I ate, once in twenty four hours, whatever was left in their dishes, and was therefore cleansed of all sins. Thus engaged in their service, I attained purity of mind, which conceived a liking for their religious activities. There in that society of saints, who were given to singing the Lord’s praises, I would listen to the soul ravishing songs of Sri Krishna. Even as I heard these stories with reverence, dear Vyasa, step by step I developed an attraction for the Lord of delightful fame. When I developed an affinity for him, my mind firmly got established in the Lord of delightful glory. Through such a mind I began to perceive the whole of this gross and subtle world as assumed in me, the absolute through Maya. In this way throughout the rains as well as in the coming autumn, I heard with rapt attention thrice everyday the holy praises of Sri Hari as they were sung by those high-souled sages. To me who was devoted to those sages, those saints, compassionate as they were to the afflicted, graciously imparted, when about to depart, that most esoteric wisdom, which has been directly revealed by the Lord himself. Through that wisdom, I came to know the glory of that Maya of Lord Vasudeva, the maker of this world, by knowing which men attain his Adobe.
Vyasa said: When the ascetics who instructed you in spiritual wisdom had departed, what did you do, since you happened to be a mere child at that time? In what manner did you spend the rest of your life? How did you cast of your mortal coil when the time came? Foremost of heavenly beings, please tell me, how did time, that obliterates everything, fail to obscure the memory of your existence in the preceding Kalpa?
Narada said: When the ascetics who instructed me had left, I proceeded to do this, tender of age as I was. I was the only son of my mother, who was an ignorant woman and a maid. She had bound herself with ties of affection to me, who solely depended on her. Much as she liked to supply my wants and to provide against my future, she failed to do so, dependent on others as she was. The world is indeed subject to the control of its ruler even as a puppet is controlled by the wire puller. Out of regard for her I continued in that locality of Brahmanas. Being only five years of age, I had no idea of the four quarters or even of space and time. Once during the night she left her house to milk the cow. While on her way she trod upon a snake, which as fate would have it, bit the helpless woman. I took this as a boon from the Lord and set out in a northerly direction.
In that journey I passed through prosperous lands, cities, villages, temporary habitats of cowherds, mines, hamlets, stray habitations by the side of mountains and rivers, mountains charming with minerals of various colors, trees with boughs broken by elephants, lotus-ponds frequented by gods and rendered vocal by birds of diverse notes and adored by bees hovering about. Having journeyed across these all alone, I came in sight of an extensive and formidable forest dense with rushes, bamboos, reeds and which presented a dreadful appearance, infested as it is with serpents, owls and jackals. Wearied in mind and body and overcome with thirst and hunger, I bathed in the pool of a river and felt refreshed. In that forest, uninhabited by man, I sat down at the foot of a peepul tree and contemplated with a collected mind on the Lord residing in my heart, as I had heard from them. Even as I meditated on his Lotus-feet with a mind overpowered by love, tears rushed to my eyes as a result of eagerness to behold Sri Hari, who gradually appeared on the screen of my heart. My hairs stood on end due to an outburst of Love and my heart experienced a thrill of excessive joy and tranquility. Immersed in a flood of ecstasy, I lost consciousness of both myself and the object of my perception. Even as I failed to perceive that indescribable form of the Lord, which was enrapturing to the heart and dispelled all grief, I felt disturbed and sprung up on my feet like one troubled at heart. Longing to behold him once more, I fixed the mind on my heart and looked for it, but could not see it. Now I felt miserable like one whose desire had not been sated. To me thus struggling in that forest, the Lord, who is beyond words, spoke in sublime yet soft words, as if to soothe my grief: “Alas in this birth you are unfit to behold me; for I’m difficult of perception for those who have not attained perfection in yoga, and the impurities of whose heart have not yet been wholly burnt. It was only to arouse in you a burning desire to see Me that I have once revealed My form to you. One who longs to see me shakes off gradually but completely all one’s latent desires. Through services rendered by you to the saints even for a short period your thoughts are irrevocably fixed on Me. Therefore casting of this reprehensible body you will attain to my own attendant. The thought you have thus fixed on me shall never cease. By my grace you will continue to remember me even when the whole creation has perished.” Having said this much, that great invisible being, the ruler of all, stopped short. Shaking off all shyness, I repeated his holy names and fixed my thoughts on Him and roamed about on the globe awaiting my end.
To me who had thoughts fixed on Sri Krishna, who was free from attachment, death came at the appointed hour like a flash of lightning. At the end of the previous Kalpa, when Lord Narayana slept on the waters of the Universal deluge, having reabsorbed the whole creation into Him and when Brahma was going to enter his body and sleep there, I too entered his body with the ingoing breath. At the expiry of one thousand revolutions of the four yugas when Brahma rose and wished to bring forth this creation again, Marici and the other sages as well as myself were evolved out of his senses.
With my vow of constant remembrance of the Lord continuing uninterrupted, I moved about inside as well as outside the three worlds; and by the grace of MahaVishnu, my passage is nowhere obstructed. Playing upon this lute, bestowed upon me by the Lord himself, I go about singing the stories of Sri Hari.
As I thus sing of his exploits, the Lord of delightful renown, whose feet represents all sacred places, soon reveals in my heart as if summoned by me. Narration of the Lord’s doings has been found to be a raft to cross the infinite ocean of mundane existence for those whose mind is incessantly tormented by the craving for sense enjoyments. A heart smitten with lust and greed every moment does not attain tranquility so surely by recourse to the various practices of Yoga, such as self-control and so on, as through the worship of Lord Mukundha.
Sinless Vyasa, I have thus told you all that you have asked me, the secret of my birth and its doings and the means of satisfying your soul.
Suta said: Having thus spoken to Vyasa, the divine sage Narada took his leave and playing upon his lute, went his way, having no object of his own to accomplish. Ah, blessed is this sage, who while singing the glory of Lord Vishnu to the accomplishment of his lute, feels not only intoxicated himself but delights the unhappy world as well.
Vyasa said: When the ascetics who instructed you in spiritual wisdom had departed, what did you do, since you happened to be a mere child at that time? In what manner did you spend the rest of your life? How did you cast of your mortal coil when the time came? Foremost of heavenly beings, please tell me, how did time, that obliterates everything, fail to obscure the memory of your existence in the preceding Kalpa?
Narada said: When the ascetics who instructed me had left, I proceeded to do this, tender of age as I was. I was the only son of my mother, who was an ignorant woman and a maid. She had bound herself with ties of affection to me, who solely depended on her. Much as she liked to supply my wants and to provide against my future, she failed to do so, dependent on others as she was. The world is indeed subject to the control of its ruler even as a puppet is controlled by the wire puller. Out of regard for her I continued in that locality of Brahmanas. Being only five years of age, I had no idea of the four quarters or even of space and time. Once during the night she left her house to milk the cow. While on her way she trod upon a snake, which as fate would have it, bit the helpless woman. I took this as a boon from the Lord and set out in a northerly direction.
In that journey I passed through prosperous lands, cities, villages, temporary habitats of cowherds, mines, hamlets, stray habitations by the side of mountains and rivers, mountains charming with minerals of various colors, trees with boughs broken by elephants, lotus-ponds frequented by gods and rendered vocal by birds of diverse notes and adored by bees hovering about. Having journeyed across these all alone, I came in sight of an extensive and formidable forest dense with rushes, bamboos, reeds and which presented a dreadful appearance, infested as it is with serpents, owls and jackals. Wearied in mind and body and overcome with thirst and hunger, I bathed in the pool of a river and felt refreshed. In that forest, uninhabited by man, I sat down at the foot of a peepul tree and contemplated with a collected mind on the Lord residing in my heart, as I had heard from them. Even as I meditated on his Lotus-feet with a mind overpowered by love, tears rushed to my eyes as a result of eagerness to behold Sri Hari, who gradually appeared on the screen of my heart. My hairs stood on end due to an outburst of Love and my heart experienced a thrill of excessive joy and tranquility. Immersed in a flood of ecstasy, I lost consciousness of both myself and the object of my perception. Even as I failed to perceive that indescribable form of the Lord, which was enrapturing to the heart and dispelled all grief, I felt disturbed and sprung up on my feet like one troubled at heart. Longing to behold him once more, I fixed the mind on my heart and looked for it, but could not see it. Now I felt miserable like one whose desire had not been sated. To me thus struggling in that forest, the Lord, who is beyond words, spoke in sublime yet soft words, as if to soothe my grief: “Alas in this birth you are unfit to behold me; for I’m difficult of perception for those who have not attained perfection in yoga, and the impurities of whose heart have not yet been wholly burnt. It was only to arouse in you a burning desire to see Me that I have once revealed My form to you. One who longs to see me shakes off gradually but completely all one’s latent desires. Through services rendered by you to the saints even for a short period your thoughts are irrevocably fixed on Me. Therefore casting of this reprehensible body you will attain to my own attendant. The thought you have thus fixed on me shall never cease. By my grace you will continue to remember me even when the whole creation has perished.” Having said this much, that great invisible being, the ruler of all, stopped short. Shaking off all shyness, I repeated his holy names and fixed my thoughts on Him and roamed about on the globe awaiting my end.
To me who had thoughts fixed on Sri Krishna, who was free from attachment, death came at the appointed hour like a flash of lightning. At the end of the previous Kalpa, when Lord Narayana slept on the waters of the Universal deluge, having reabsorbed the whole creation into Him and when Brahma was going to enter his body and sleep there, I too entered his body with the ingoing breath. At the expiry of one thousand revolutions of the four yugas when Brahma rose and wished to bring forth this creation again, Marici and the other sages as well as myself were evolved out of his senses.
With my vow of constant remembrance of the Lord continuing uninterrupted, I moved about inside as well as outside the three worlds; and by the grace of MahaVishnu, my passage is nowhere obstructed. Playing upon this lute, bestowed upon me by the Lord himself, I go about singing the stories of Sri Hari.
As I thus sing of his exploits, the Lord of delightful renown, whose feet represents all sacred places, soon reveals in my heart as if summoned by me. Narration of the Lord’s doings has been found to be a raft to cross the infinite ocean of mundane existence for those whose mind is incessantly tormented by the craving for sense enjoyments. A heart smitten with lust and greed every moment does not attain tranquility so surely by recourse to the various practices of Yoga, such as self-control and so on, as through the worship of Lord Mukundha.
Sinless Vyasa, I have thus told you all that you have asked me, the secret of my birth and its doings and the means of satisfying your soul.
Suta said: Having thus spoken to Vyasa, the divine sage Narada took his leave and playing upon his lute, went his way, having no object of his own to accomplish. Ah, blessed is this sage, who while singing the glory of Lord Vishnu to the accomplishment of his lute, feels not only intoxicated himself but delights the unhappy world as well.