Narada (An astro sage who learned astrology from Saptarshis)

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Dear All, Again VV Raman at: http://www.siddha.com.my/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000053-7.htmlLove and regards,Sreenadh

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Narada

Narada is a most interesting rishi in Hindu sacred history. The puranas givedifferent accounts of his genesis. According to the Narada Pancha Ratra,Narada was born of Brahma. The Vishnu Purana says that he was one ofKashyapa's progeny. The Bhagavata Purana regards him as Vishnu incarnate.Many stories are told about him.

Narada may be looked upon as perhaps the first jet-setter in history, for hetraveled widely: not just all over this planet of ours, but to heaven andhell as well. For this reason he is known as triloka sanchri: a traveler ofthree worlds. But he was no passive tourist. In epic and puranic literature,Narada is often described as a messenger. In this capacity he often fedsecret information which led to quarrels and misunderstandings amongfriends. This won him the unfavorable epithets of Kalikarana: strife-makerand kalahapriya: one who likes misunderstandings. In the Hindu world, aperson who gossips with the intention of provoking misunderstandings issometimes called Narad-muni.

Brahma once advised Narada to get married and settle down. Narada saidBrahma was no good as a teacher since devotion to Krishna was the path tofelicity. Brahma cursed Narada to get addicted to erotic delights. Naradafirst wept at Brahma's severe curse; and when he gained his composure, hecursed in turn that Brahma become incestuous with his own daughter, adding,"You will not be worshipped for three yugas," and tempered by saying, "afterthat, you will be worshipped for you are worthy of it ."

In the Vayu Purana Narada tells the sons of Daksha (who were about tomultiply) that they were foolish to undertake this without even knowing howbig or small the earth is, for without this knowledge how would theydetermine if they were overpopulating or underpopulating the world? Dakshacursed Narada for this.

In the Mahabharata, there are several references to Narada. In one episode,he explains the origin of death: When Brahma created the universe and allbeings in it, he soon recognized that they would be everlasting. This mightnot be good, he thought, and became very angry. His anger expressed itselfas a universal conflagration which destroyed everything. At this Rudraadvised him that he should not destroy everything at once. So, Brahmacreated the personification of Death who would destroy individual lives atvarious time, rather than all at once. That is why not everybody dies at thesame time.

In another episode of the Mahabharata, Narada is reported to have told astory whose thrust was to preach ahimsa. In that story Dharma, who haddisguised himself as a deer about to be sacrificed by a Brahmin in a yaj?ays: "The slaughter of creatures does not conform to the ordinances ofyaj? Injury to animals is no part of yaj? We also read here that afull-fledged religion is one which abstains from doing harm (himsa). This isinteresting in that the Mahabharata was before Mahavira of Jainism.

Narada was scholar, and also a great lover of music. He is said to haveinvented the veena. He is also remembered as the one who initiated the artof dancing.

This great rishi was not always modest. Once he told the Divine principle(Narayana): "I always respect my elders, I have never spoken to others aboutsecrets, I have read the Vedas studiously, I have practiced severeausterities, I have never uttered untruth, I have always been virtuous, Ihave always treated both friends and foes alike, I always adore the Divine."By these, he claimed his right to see the Divine in person.

Valmiki's Balakanda begins with the poet asking some questions to Narada:"Is there anyone who merits to be called a perfectly virtuous man? Is thereanyone who understands fully the power of ethical comportment? Who is therethat fully realizes the value of selfless service, who always speaks thetruth, and is also firm in his resolutions?..." Narada answered by saying,"Yes, indeed, I do know of such a hero, one who has all the noble qualitieswhich you have mentioned." He then went on to narrate the saga of the greatRama which Valmiki wrote for us all to read.This inspired one saintly personage of our own times to write: "In Brahmaloka Ramayana has 100 crores (10 billion) of shlokas and Chathurmukha Brahmawanted to introduce it to Bhooloka. He searched for a good narrator and Hefound in Narada. an eligible candidate." Such exaggerations are not unusualin the Hindu world when it comes to lauding great works.

It seems to me that the choice of Narada for telling the Ramayana isappropriate: Narada was scholar, minstrel, spiritual soul, and traveler.The Ramayana too has scholarly and musical components. Like Narada, it hasa spiritual dimension. Like Narada, the Ramayana has traveled to distantlands through translations in many languages.

Some hymns of the Vedas are attributed to Narada. A treatise on law, theNaradiya Dharma Shastra, is believed to have been written by Narada.

From the Mahabharata we gather that Narada was also a close friend of thePandavas whom he advised and to whom he would narrate stories.

V. V. RamanSeptember 26, 2005

PSRe: Narada Bhakti Sutra

Indeed, there is a work by this name.It is not clear that it was authored by the Vedic/puranic Narada.The work has been translated by some people in the Bhakti Vedanta Society.Like the Brahma Sutras, it begins with the line:"athato bhaktim vyakhyasyamah: Now, therefore, I will try to explain theprocess of bhakti."

It also describes the changes that occur in a human body when one is engagedin the bhakti mode which may range from doing puja and singing bhajans tomeditation and yoga practice.

V. V. RamanSeptember 26, 2005==============================