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Sri Narad a PancarAtra Volume One r v:.\ Sri Krsna Sri Narada-Pancaratra is a Vaisnava literature that was compiled by Srila Vyasadeva. It deals with five branches of transcendental knowledge and was spoken by Lord Siva to the great sage Narada. Another name of this literature is Jnanamritasara. The five types of knowledge descibed in this book are; knowledge of the Absolute Truth, knowledge of liberation. knowledge of devotional sevice. knowledge of mystic yoga, and knowledge in the mode of ignorance. From cover; The Narada-Pancaratra is mentioned many times in the writings of Srila Prabhupada. One verse, especially, was quoted by Srila Prabhupada innumer-- able times because it serves as the definition of devotional service. In the purport of Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 19.170) Srila Prabhupada has written: Devotional service is defined in the Narada-Pancaratra as follows: sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam hrsikena hrsikesa- sevanam bhaktir ucyate “One should be free from all material designations and cleansed of all material contamination. lie should be restored to his pure identity, in which he engages his senses in the service of the proprietor of the senses. That is called devotional service.” This is the most famous verse from Narada-pancaratra. Sri Narada Pancaratra ✓ of Sri Krsna Dvaipayana Vyasa Volume One First and Second Ratra Translated by Bhumipati Das Edited by Purnaprajna Dasa Dedicated to !£ \ % V His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada founder-dcdrya International Society for Krishna Consciousness Contents First Ratra Chapter 1 1 Chapter 2 25 Chapter 3 49 Chapter 4 75' Chapter 5 101 Chapter 6 111 Chapter 7 131 Chapter 8 157 Chapter 9 169 Chapter 10 181 Chapter 11 205 Chapter 12 217 Chapter 13 241 Chapter 14 251 Chapter 15 285 Second Ratra Chapter 1 295 Chapter 2 309 Chapter 3 335 Chapter 4 365 Chapter 5 381 Chapter 6 399 Chapter 7 409 Chapter 8 425 First Ratra ' Chapter 1; The glories of the Narada-pancaratra, as told by Snla Vyasadeva to Sukadeva Chapter 2; Narada Muni hears a voice from the sky. The glories of the Lord's prasada, as told by Lord Brahma to Sanatkumara Chapter 3; The glories of Sri Krsna, as told by Lord Brahma to Sanat-kumara Chapter 4; The glories of the Sri Krsna kavaca Chapter 5: Narada Muni receives the Sri Krsna kavaca Chapter 6: Conversation between Lomasa Rsi and Narada Muni Chapter 7: Narada Muni approaches the asrama of Mahadeva Chapter 8; Narada Muni's prayers to Mahadeva. Chapter 9; Mahadeva instructs Narada Muni. Chapter 10; The commencement of the great festival of Lord Brahma. Chapter 11; The festival of Lord Brahma and presenta- tions to Narada. Chapter 12: Prayers offered to the Lord. Chapter 13: Instructions by the Lord to the Gandharva, Upabarhana. Chapter 14: Discussion of unchaste women. Chapter 15: The deliverance of Narada Muni from his curse. Second Ratra Chapter 1: Mahadeva instructs Narada Chapter 2: A description of the universe Chapter 3: The revelation of mantras of Sri Radha Chapter 4: The glories of Sri Radha Chapter 5: The Sri Radha-kavaca Chapter 6: The glories of Sri Radha further explained Chapter 7; Narada Muni inquires from Mahadeva about liberation from material bondage Chapter 8: Narada Muni inquires from Mahadeva about the practice of mystic yoga Introduction Sri Ndrada-pancamtra is an ancient Vaisnava literature that was compiled by Srila Vyasadeva. It deals with five branches of transcendental knowledge and was spoken by Lord Siva to the great sage Narada. Another name of this literature is Jndndmrtasdra. The five types of knowledge described in this book are—knowledge of the Absolute Truth, knowledge of liberation, knowledge of devotional service, knowledge of mystic yoga, and knowledge in the mode of ignorance. Many Gaudiya Vaisnava acaryas have quoted verses from the Ndrada-pancardtra in their own works. Verses from the Ndrada-pancardtra have been quoted in the Bhakti-rasdmrta- sindhu (1.2.11 and 13), the Laghu-bhdgavatdmrta (verse 147) and thirty-one times in the Hari-bhakti-viIdsa. The principal subject matter of this literature is Sri Krsna and it contains various names, mantras, prayers and kavacas related to Sri Sri Radha- Krsna. Vaisnava-dharma is the oldest religion. Indeed, worship of Lord Visnu is the eternal constitutional duty of all living entities. The Vaisnava religion is elaborately described in the Bhagavad-gita and the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Vaisnava-dharma is also propagated in the Upanisads, wherein devotional service, which is the life and soul of Vaisnava-dharma, has been described in the form of codes. Since time immemorial, Vaisnava literature has been divided into two classes—Pancaratra and Vaikhanasa. A mention of pancaratra is found in the Sdnti-parva of the Mahabharata. There, it is stated that the main subject matter of this literature is the path of surrender, or unalloyed devotion. According to the rules and regulations that are prescribed in the Pancaratra, surrender to the Supreme Lord is the ultimate goal of all living entities. As a result of engaging in various types of pious activities. Sri Narada-paSicarAtra one's heart becomes purified so that one automatically develops the mood of surrender. The performance of both pious and impious activities are described in the Pancardtra. As a yogi makes his mind suitable for samadhi by the practice of yama and niyama—the follower of the Pancardtra makes his heart suitable for the worship of Lord Vasudeva by the practice of regulative devotional service. That is why the pancaratra system of religion is considered to be the preliminary stage of unalloyed devotional service to the Supreme Lord. Devotional service in the mood of santa and dasya is stressed in this literature. Pancardtra deals with the rules and regulations that are prescribed on the path of complete surrender to the Supreme Lord. 'The word pancardtra has been mentioned in an ancient scripture called Satapathabrdhmana, which is a part of the Vedic literature. There, it is said that Lord Narayana Himself has appeared in five features as the Pancardtra. In another ancient literature called Abibudhnya Samhita, it is said that the Supreme Lord personally composed the Pancardtra and revealed in it His five features—Para, Byuha, Vibhava, AntaryamT and Arcca. According to some scholars, the five branches of knowledge contained in the Pancardtra are Saiva, Saura, Sakta, Ganapatya and Pasupata. There is no doubt that the knowledge presented in the Pancardtra was greatly respected by the people of ancient India. SriNdrada-pancardtra is divided into five rdtras, or sections, and each rdtra consists of a number of chapters. A description of the introduction and propagation of the Pancardtra system of religion is found in the Sdnti-parva of the Mahabharata. It is stated therein that Brahma first received this knowledge from the Supreme Lord, Narayana. Then, in due course of time, Brahma taught it to the great sages known as Barhisat. Later on, this knowledge was handed down to King Abikampana and Introduction ix some time thereafter, it was lost. Finally, Brahma, who was bom on a lotus flower, received this knowledge once again from Lord Narayana. Brahma then handed it down to Daksa, who taught it to his eldest son, Aditya. Aditya imparted this knowledge to Vivasvan, who then handed it down to Manu. From Manu, Iksvaku received this knowledge and from him, it was spread throughout the universe. When the universe will be annihilated at the time of final dissolution, this knowledge will be merged within the body of Lord Narayana. First Ratra Chapter 1 om namo bhagavate vasudevdya atha marigaldcaranam ndrdyanam namaskrtya naram caiva narottamam devim sarasvatim vydsarh tato jay am udirayet Before reciting this Narada-pancaratra, which is the very means of conquest, one should offer respectful obeisances unto the Personality of Godhead, Narayana, unto Nara-narayana Rsi, the supermost human being, unto mother Sarasvati, the goddess of learning, and unto Srila Vyasadeva, the author. Texts 1-4 ganesa-sesa-brahmesa- dinesa-pramukhdh surah kumaradyds ca munayah siddhds ca kapilddayah laksmih sarasvati durgd sdvitri radhikd para bhaktyd namanti yarn sasvat tarn namdmi pardtparam dhydyante satatarh santo yogino vaisnavdh tayd jyotir abhyantare rupam atulam syama-sundaram dhydye tarn paramam brahma paramdtmdnam isvaram 1 2 Jjri NArada-pancaratra niriham ati-nirliptam nirgunarh prakrteh pararh I offer my respectful obeisances at the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, who is constantly offered obeisances with devotion by Ganesa, Ananta Sesa, Brahma and Siva; by the demigods, such as the twelve Adityas; by the sages, such as Sanat-kumara; by perfected beings, such as Kapila; and by goddesses, such as Laksmi, Sarasvatl, Durga, Savitri and Sri Radhika. I meditate on the Supreme Brahman, who is completely aloof from everything material, who is the Supersoul of all, who is the supreme controller, who is peaceful, who has no material qualities, who is transcendental to material nature, and whose form of Lord Syamasundara is situated within the Brahman effulgence, and who is constantly meditated upon by saintly persons, yogis and Vaisnavas. Text 5 sarvesam sarva-rupam ca sarva-kdrana-kdranam satyarh nityam ca purusam purdnam paramdvyayam He is the controller of all, the cause of all causes, the eternal Absolute Truth, the primeval Lord, and the inexhaustible Personality of Godhead. Texts 6-7 mangalyam mangaldrham ca mangalam mangaldlayam svecchdmayam para dhama bhagavantam sandtanam stuvanti veda yam sasvan ndntarh jdnanti yasya te First Ratra 1 3 tarn staumi paramanandarh sanandarh nanda-nandanam He is all-auspicious, the bestower of auspiciousness, the personification of auspiciousness, the abode of auspiciousness, supremely independent, and the eternal Supreme Lord. Even after constantly offering prayers, the Vedas cannot reach the limit of the Supreme Lord, Sri Krsna, who is the supreme shelter of all.