Narada Muni - Father of Devotional Service - Part 1

Date: 2014-06-10 Author: Manohar Suvarna

Hare Prabhujis and Matajis, Please accept my humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev!

Devarshi Narada is one of the exalted . He is one of the dear most devotees of Lord Krishna. He is dear to both demons and demigods. He is the transcendental singer, and musician who chants Lords name constantly and purifies the whole universe. Details of his teachings are recounted in Narada Purana, Padma Purana and throughout Srimad Bhagavatam. As prominent representative of Lord, Narada Muni is acarya of all the . He has been the spiritual master for exalted devotees like Prahlad Maharaj, Maharaj, etc. He is also considered as spiritual spaceman. He is described throughout the Vedic literature as transcendental mystic who received from Krishna the ability and power to traverse the cosmos delivering maha to the sincere souls. Srila Prabhupada calls Narada Muni as father of devotional service. In these offerings, we will try to glorify Lord Krishna by glorifying Narada Muni and his transcendental instructions in Srimad Bhagavatam for our own purification. We humbly submit that this is not a comprehensive coverage, but just few glimpses on the subject matter.

1. Appearance of Narada Muni: In his previous birth, Narada Muni was born as the son of a maidservant who was engaged in the service of brahmanas. The brahmanas were following the principles of . When these sages were living together during the four months of the rainy season, Narada Muni was engaged in their personal service. As a boy Narada was self-controlled, not naughty and had no attachment for sports. Moreover, he did not speak more than required. The sages were pleased with his service and behaviour. Bhagavatam says, that once Narada took remnants of their food with permission of those sages and by so doing all his sins were at once eradicated and thus being engaged, he became purified in heart. Narada in the association of those great souls heard attractive activities of Lord Krishna and thus listening attentively, his taste for hearing of the Personality of Godhead increased at every step.

Narada Muni explains to Vyasadeva in Srimad Bhagavatam that as he continued to hear unadulterated glories of the Lord , his passion and ignorance vanished. While they were leaving, those vedantas, who were kind to poor hearted souls instructed to Narada Muni the most confidential knowledge about Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. With that knowledge, Narada Muni could understand clearly the influence of the energy of Lord Sri Krishna, the creator, maintainer and annihilator of everything. Let us glorify Narada Muni with verse from Srimad Bhagavatam 1.6.38 which says,

aho devarṣir dhanyo ’yaṁ yat-kīrtiṁ śārṅgadhanvanaḥ gāyan mādyann idaṁ tantryā ramayaty āturaṁ jagat

All glory and success to Srila Narada Muni because he glorifies the activities of the Personality of Godhead, and so doing he himself takes pleasure and also enlivens all the distressed souls of the universe.

Krishna willing, we will learn about Narada Muni's instructions in the subsequent offerings.

Thank you very much. Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev, Manohar Suvarna Abu Dhabi.