Bhagavatam - Story of Narada
Chapter 5-6 - Skandha 1
This is the story of Narada as told in Bhagavatam Chapter 5 and 6 of Skandha one !.
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"Devoted to the vow of celibacy , I have been endowed by Mahavishnu's grace with power to go about unobstructed every where within the three worlds and also beyond it "!.
"Playing on this Vina given by the Lord Himself and possessing the power of producing various notes automatically , I go about the three worlds singing the excellences of the Lord"
- Narada ( slokas 32-33 Chapter 6 Skandha 1)
The Story of Narada
The story of Narada comes out of the discussion between Sage Vyasa and Narada. While explaining to Veda Vyasa about Bhakti , Narada also explains his back ground in his own words !:
“ I was born in another Kalpa in another cycle of time. I was born as the son of a maid servant in a community of Vedic Ritualistic families".
From the childhood he was attending to Yogis who gather for the annual Four month ritual of the rainy season . So he was used to hearing, seeing and following the rituals. The seers were very pleased with his services even as a boy of five years. By their blessings daily he was able to hear the recitals in praise of Lord Krishna. He developed bhakti and devotion to Lord Krishna from that time .
While dispersing after the Chaturmasya period, the Seers imparted to Narada the Knowledge of Supreme Divine.
Narada says what is implied in his story is that Karma dedicated to Lord produces liberation, though Karma in all its forms generally generates bondage. When a person dedicates his services to Supreme Being and and performs Karma that Karma generates Jnana combined with Bhakti, and not bondage.
Vyasa again asks Narada , " At that age of five years what did you do when the seers departed ? " . Narada replied that being the only son and with his mother herself being dependent as a maid he continued staying in the same community of ritualistic families. But one day his mother was bitten by a snake when she went out in the night to milk the cow. She then passed away.
Then Narada left the community and proceeded in northerly direction. He crossed many prosperous countries towns, rivers and mountains he reached a dense impenetrable forest. Tired , he took a bath in forest stream and sat under a banyan tree and started meditating upon the supreme Bring as instructed by his teachers.
Little by little Sri Hari revealed himself to Narada. When he was steeped in bliss of realization , then vision of the God that appeared in his mind disappeared all of a sudden . Then Narada tried to regain that vision and could not . He was anguished with frustration. Then he heard the voice telling him that he appeared once to increase Narada's longing, that in this birth Narada will not be able to see him, and also that after abandoning the impure body in this life he will become the attendant of the Lord Himself !.
There after Narada continued his travels always singing praises of the Lord .
When the end of Kalpa came, death also came to Narada. As the cycle ( kalpa) ended , everything was with drawn into Casual condition and the Supreme being lay floating in cosmic slumber on the milky ocean . Everything was withdrawn including Brahma who sought rest from his creative duties . After a lapse of thousand divine years Brahma woke up and started the creative activity. Narada too was endowed with the power to go about unobstructed into all the three worlds and also beyond .
Playing on Veena given by the Lord Himself , possessing the power to automatically produce all musical notes Narada went about singing the glory of Narayana. When he sings the praises the supreme Lord makes his presence felt in his heart !.
That is the story of Narada.
Om tat Sat
Ref:Srimad Bhagavata Vol1, Published by Ramakrishna Math, .