॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
Tuesday, 30 August 2022 - Chapter six of the first skanda - Sage Narada describes how he did tapas, secured the vision of Bhagavan Hari, and by His grace, was reborn in the next epoch as the Devarshi Narada, and has ever since been travelling in the three worlds singing the glories of Bhagavan.
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Sage Vyasa asks,
भिक्षुभिर्प्रवसिते
वर्तमानो वयस्याद्ये ततः किमकरोद्भवान् ।
कथं चेदमुदस्राक्षीः काले प्राप्ते कलेवरम् ॥
T: “Oh revered Sage, how did you, so young then, eke out your time after those rishis left? How did you relinquish your physical body at the end of that Janma?”
Sage Narada replies: “Indeed, I was bound by the great love of my unlettered mother who had led the simple life of a Dasi. There was none else there. We continued in the same place. I was only five then. One night, when my mother went out to milk the cow, she was bitten to death by a snake, acting under the force of Destiny. I considered this an act of the Divine, asking me to move on. I started northward, and passed many regions, cities, forests, lakes, mountains, of great variety. I walked on. Soon, I entered a very dense forest, full of wild creatures. I was greatly exhausted by hunger and thirst. I went to a lake, drank water, and refreshed myself.
Recovering somewhat,
तस्मिन्नर्मनुजेऽरण्ये पिप्पिलोपस्थ आस्थितः।
आत्मनाऽत्वानमात्मस्थं यथाश्रुतमचिन्तयम् ॥
T: “In that uninhabited forest, I went and sat under a Peepul tree. I began to meditate on the Lord, as I had been taught by those sages before. Soon, I was able to focus on the Paramatman in my heart deeply.”
ध्यायतश्चरणाम्भोजं भावनिर्जितचेतसा ।
औत्कण्ठ्याश्रुकलाक्षस्य हृद्यासीन्मे शनैर्हरिः ॥
T: “As I meditated with total concentration on the lotus feet of the Lord, my eyes welled up with tears of devotion, my throat was choked, and slowly, Sri Hari manifested in my heart!”
“Oh, Sage Vyasa, I must tell you I was simply overwhelmed by the thrilling experience of that divine love. I was flooded with bliss and was unaware of anything inside or outside. There was only Divinity, nothing else.”
“Suddenly, the Lord disappeared from my heart, and try as I did, I could not get back the experience. I was greatly disheartened. As I was struggling relentlessly, I heard a disembodied voice. It was deep, and soothing, and cathartic.”
हन्तास्मिन्जन्मनि भवान्ना मां द्रष्टुमर्हति सकृद्दर्शितं रूपमेतत्कामाय तेऽनघ
T: “Child, you were given just one glimpse of my Being on account of your intense devotion. But alas, you are not going to have another vision in this birth. You have to live out your karma and at the right time, you shall end this Janma.”
हित्वावद्यमिमं लोकं गन्ता मज्जनतामसि
T: “You have acquired the best of devotional and meditative values by now, and shall expend your karmas and soon be liberated from this defective existence. You shall then be reborn as one of my own inner circle in the next epoch, and shall never lose your transcendental status or your devotion, even after many epochal cycles.”
“The oracle ended. I felt blessed and lost my anxiety. I carried on, engaged solely in intense spiritual disciplines, until one day, like a stroke of lightning at the height of monsoon, my body dropped dead. I was relieved of this body made of the five elements. I merged in the breath of Brahma at the end of that epoch, just as Sriman Narayana slipped into his Yoga Nidra in the ocean.”
“After a long time, the new epoch was created by Brahma, and I was created as Narada, along with rishis like Marichi and Atri.”
अनुग्रहाद्महाविष्णोः
T: “By Maha Vishnu’s grace…”
“I started travelling freely in the three worlds, spreading devotion.”
देवदत्तमिमां वीणां स्वरब्रह्मविभूषिताम् ।
मूर्छयित्वा हरिकथां गायमानश्चराम्यहम् ॥
T: “I have been given this Veena by the Lord, and it enshrines “SwaraBrahman= Transcendental Musical Vibrations”. Playing on this Veena, singing the infinite glories of the Lord, I travel the three worlds constantly.”
“Anytime I wish to have the vision of the Lord in my heart, I can do so, all by His grace.
यमादिभिर्योगपथैः कामलोभहतो मुहुः ।
मुकुन्दसेवया यद्वत्तथाऽत्माद्धा न शाम्यति॥
T: “It is true that people can curb their lower tendencies like lust and greed by the practice of Yogic Yama and restraint repeatedly. But they cannot get from those alternative practices that eternal peace and solace that is conferred by lovingly serving Lord Mukunda Narayana.”
“Oh, Sage, as you desired, and for your guidance, I have told you everything, the most esoteric secrets of liberation and peace, including my own story of emancipation.”
Thereafter, Divine Sage Narada cordially took leave of Sage Vyasa and left.
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॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
