Narada

Narada (Sanskrit: नारद, nārada) is the Hindu divine sage, who is an enduring chanter of the names Hari and Narayana which other names for Vishnu, considered to be the supreme God by Vaishnavites and many other Hindus. He is regarded the Manasputra (son born of one's mind) of Brahma as he was born of his thoughts. He is regarded as the Triloka sanchaari, the ultimate nomad who roams the three lokas of Swargaloka (heaven), Mrityuloka (earth) and Patalloka (nether-world). He does this to find out about the life and welfare of people. He was the first to practise Natya Yoga. He is also known as Kalahapriya as he playfully causes quarrels amongst Gods (devas), Goddesses and people.

Sri Narada Muni has an important place among Vaishnavas. As per Vaishnava scriptures, he is one of the twelve mahajanas or great devotees of God expressed as Vishnu. As he was a gandharva in his previous birth before becoming a rishi he is in the category of Devarishis. The story of his spiritual advancement is of much interest to Vaishnavas. According to the story, in his previous birth Narada Muni was a gandharva who was cursed to be born in the material world due to an offense. He was born to a maid-servant who served some Brahmanas. Being pleased with his and his mother's service to the Brahmanas, they blessed him by allowing him to eat the remnants of their food. Vaishnavas glorify and honour remnants of saintly personalities and Brahmanas as they have the power of purifying the heart of all evils. Gradually he started learning from the Brahmanas and continued serving them. One day his mother died from a snake bite. Taking this as the special mercy of the supreme Lord he decided to head for the forest in search of God. Once he reached a tranquil location he quenched his thirst from a nearby stream and sat under a tree to meditate on the lord dwelling in the heart as the paramatma feature. As he had been taught well by the Brahmanas, he was successful and before long he got a vision of the Lord. The Lord, smiling, told his devotee that despite seeing him at that very moment, he would not see him again until he dies. The only reason he was given a chance to see God was because his beauty and love and would be a source of inspiration and would fuel the dormant desire the join the lord again. So saying, the lord disappeared. The boy woke from his meditation both thrilled and disappointed and kept worshiping and thinking of God. Finally after his death he received the spiritual body of Narada. In many Hindu scriptures Narada is considered a manifestation of God. In one interpretation, this does not mean he is an incarnation of God or an avatar, but rather he is a God-empowered person, or a saint.

See also

*Narad Bhakti Sutra
*Bhagavata Purana
*Veena - Narada Muni's musical instrument
*Hare Krishna
*Narada Michael Walden

External links

*Complete Narada-Bhakti-Sutra
*Translation from Sanskrit of Narada Bhakti Sutras at narada-bhakti-sutras.blogspot.com
*Translation from Sanskrit of Narada Bhakti Sutras at www.urday.com/narad.htm