rule



 

Canto 1

Nrisimha Pranāma

 

Chapter 6: The Conversation Between Nārada and Vyāsadeva

(1) Sūta said: "After thus hearing from the great sage among the gods about his birth and exploits, sage Vyāsadeva, the son of Satyavatī, asked him another question. (2) Vyāsa said: 'What did you do after the mendicants had departed who instructed you in wisdom before your present life began? (3) Oh son of Brahmā, what were the conditions you spent your life in after this initiation and how have you, after in the course of time having abandoned your body, achieved this body? (4) How could you, oh great sage, remember all of this from a previous period in any detail, is it not so that time in the long run puts an end to all of this?'

(5) S'rī Nārada said: 'The great sages in my previous life gave me the transcendental knowledge I have at present and after they had departed I did the following. (6) I was the only son of my mother who was a simple woman who worked as a maidservant. She had no one else, so that I as her offspring, was completely determined by the emotional bond I had with her. (7) Although she wanted to take care of me properly, she could not do so because she, like everybody, was as dependent as a puppet on a string. (8) Being only five years old, I attended the school of the brahmins and lived, depending on her, without having a clue about time, place and direction. (9) When she once went out at night to milk a cow, she was bitten in the leg by a snake on the path and thus my poor mother fell victim of the supreme time. (10) I took it as a benediction of the Lord who always wishes the best for His devotees, and with that in mind I headed for the north. (11) There I found many flourishing big and small towns and villages with farms, mineral and agricultural fields in valleys with flower and vegetable gardens and forests. (12) I saw hills and mountains full of gold, silver and copper and elephants pulling branches from the trees nearby delightful lakes and ponds full of the lotus flowers aspired by the denizens of heaven - and my heart was pleased with the birds and the number of bees hovering about. (13) All alone, I passed through impenetrable thickets of bamboo, reed, sharp grass and weeds, and reached deep and dangerous forests that were the playground of snakes, owls and jackals. (14) Physically and mentally exhausted, I, hungry and thirsty, took a bath and drank from the water of a lake from a river so that I found relief from my fatigue. (15) In that uninhabited forest I sought my refuge under a banyan tree and emptied my mind, by focussing upon the Supersoul present within myself, as I had learned from the liberated souls. (16) Thus meditating on the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality, all of my thinking, feeling and willing transformed into transcendental love. In my eagerness tears rolled down my cheeks as I slowly saw the Lord appearing in my heart. (17) Fully overwhelmed by an excess of love and transfixed in feelings of happiness all over my body, I, oh sage, being absorbed in an ocean of ecstasy, did not see Him or myself any longer. (18) No longer seeing the form of the Lord who removes all disparity from the mind, I all of a sudden perturbed got up like someone having lost something desirable. (19) Desirous to experience that again, I focussed all of my mind on the heart but saw Him not reappear despite my patient waiting and thus frustrated got very distraught. (20) Trying and trying in that lonely place, I heard from the beyond pleasing words of gravity being spoken to me that mitigated my grief. (21) 'Listen, for as long as you live you will not get to see Me here, because for someone not completely united it is, with all impurities, difficult to acquire My vision. (22) That form was only shown once to awaken your desire, oh virtuous one, for with the devotee's growing desire for Me, all lust will be driven from the heart. (23) By just a few days having been of service to the Absolute you have attained a steady intelligence unto Me. In your [thus] forsaking this imperfect material world you [from now on will] head for - and are part of - My associates. (24) The intelligence focussed on Me will not fail, whether the living being evolves or fades away, by My mercy there will be remembrance.'

(25) Thus having spoken, that astounding and wonderful sound of the Unseen Lord in the sky stopped. Grateful for His grace, I then bowed my head in obeisance to Him, so great and glorious. (26) Free from perplexity exercising the holy name of the Unlimited One and constantly remembering His mysterious and beneficial activities, I traveled the earth liberated from desire with a happy mind and awaited my time without any pride and envy. (27) Free from being attached thus being absorbed in Krishna [*], oh Vyāsadeva, in due course of time death came for me as natural as lightning being accompanied by a flash. (28) Having been awarded with a transcendental body befitting an associate of the Lord, I, upon seeing that my acquired karma had ended, quitted the body that is composed of the five material elements. (29) At the end of the worldly period [kalpa] having laid Himself down in the waters of devastation, the Lord took me, with the creator and all, in with His breath. (30) A thousand ages later, when the creator was expired again, I reappeared together with rishis like Marīci. (31) Faithful to the vow [of yoga] traveling both within the three worlds and in the beyond, I, because of the mercy of Mahā-Vishnu, am free to roam, wherever and whenever I want. (32) I move around, constantly singing the message of the Lord, while I vibrate this transcendentally charged vīnā the Godhead has given me. (33) Singing thus soon, as if called for, the sight appears within my mind, of the Lord of the lotus feet whose actions one gladly hears about. (34) I arrived at the insight that for those who are full of worries in their continuous desire for the objects of the senses, there is a boat to cross over the ocean of material nescience: the repeated singing of the glories of the Lord. (35) Time and again with the discipline of yoga in self-restraint curbing lust and desire, will certainly not be as satisfying for the soul as the devotional service to the Personality of Godhead. (36) Upon your request, I described to you who are free from sin, everything about the mysteries of my birth and activities, so as to serve the satisfaction of both your soul and mine.' "

(37) Sūta said: "After thus having addressed the powerful sage, Nārada Muni took leave of the son of Satyavatī and, vibrating his enchanting vīnā, left for wherever he wanted. (38) All glory and success to the sage of the gods who takes pleasure in singing the glories of Him with the S'ārnga [His bow] in His hands, and thus, with the help of his instrument, enlivens the distressed universe."



Read the inspiration to this chapter by Anand Aadhar.

                      

 


 Third revised edition, loaded January 22, 2023
.

 

 

 

Previous Aadhar edition and Vedabase links:

Text 1

Sūta said: "After thus hearing from the great sage among the gods about his birth and exploits, sage Vyāsadeva, the son of Satyavatī, asked him another question.

Sūta said: "Thus hearing from the great sage among the gods about his birth and exploits, the sage Vyāsadeva, the son of Satyavatī, asked him: (Vedabase)

 

Text 2

'Vyāsa said: 'What did you do after the mendicants had departed who instructed you in wisdom before your present life began?

 'After the great devotees who instructed you in transcendental wisdom departed, what did you do before the beginning of your present life? (Vedabase)

 

Text 3

Oh son of Brahmā, what were the conditions you spent your life in after this initiation and how have you, after in the course of time having abandoned your body, achieved this body?

How were the conditions of the life you spent after this initiation and how did you, in due course of time, attain to this body? (Vedabase)

 

Text 4

How could you, oh great sage, remember all of this from a previous period in any detail, is it not so that time in the long run puts an end to all of this?'

How could you, o great sage, remember this from a previous epoch in any detail, as time in due course annihilates all.' (Vedabase)

 

Text 5

S'rī Nārada said: 'The great sages in my previous life gave me the transcendental knowledge I have at present and after they had departed I did the following.

S'rī Nārada said: 'The great sages gave me the transcendental knowledge I have at present and in my previous life I had to live by it after they had departed. (Vedabase)

 

Text 6

I was the only son of my mother who was a simple woman who worked as a maidservant. She had no one else, so that I as her offspring, was completely determined by the emotional bond I had with her.

Having only one son, my mother, who was as a maidservant a simple woman, was tied to me, her offspring, by her affection, having no other alternative for protection. (Vedabase)

 

Text 7

Although she wanted to take care of me properly, she could not do so because she, like everybody, was as dependent as a puppet on a string.

Although she wanted to take care of me properly, could she, being dependent like a puppet on a string, not do so. (Vedabase)

 

Text 8

Being only five years old, I attended the school of the brahmins and lived, depending on her, without having a clue about time, place and direction.

While attending the school of the learned, I, being only five years old, lived depending on her, having no experience with the direction of time and the country. (Vedabase)

 

Text 9

When she once went out at night to milk a cow, she was bitten in the leg by a snake on the path and thus my poor mother fell victim of the supreme time.

When once she went out at night for milking a cow, she was bitten in the leg by a snake on the path and thus she fell victim of the supreme time. (Vedabase)

 

Text 10

I took it as a benediction of the Lord who always wishes the best for His devotees, and with that in mind I headed for the north.

I took it as a benediction of the Lord who always desires the best for His devotees, and thinking that way, I headed for the north. (Vedabase)

 

Text 11

There I found many flourishing big and small towns and villages with farms, mineral and agricultural fields in valleys with flower and vegetable gardens and forests.

There I found many flourishing big and small towns and villages with farms, mineral and agricultural fields in valleys with flower and vegetable gardens and forests. (Vedabase)

 

Text 12

I saw hills and mountains full of gold, silver and copper and elephants pulling branches from the trees nearby delightful lakes and ponds full of the lotus flowers aspired by the denizens of heaven - and my heart was pleased with the birds and the number of bees hovering about.

I saw hills and mountains full of gold, silver and copper and elephants pulling branches from the trees nearby delightful lakes and ponds full of the lotus flowers aspired by the denizens of heaven - and my heart was pleased by the birds and the amount of bees hovering about.  (Vedabase)

 

Text 13

All alone, I passed through impenetrable thickets of bamboo, reed, sharp grass and weeds, and reached deep and dangerous forests that were the playground of snakes, owls and jackals.

I passed through thickets of bamboo, sharp grass and weeds and through caves which were difficult to pass alone, and I came to deep and dangerous forests which were the playground of snakes, owls and jackals. (Vedabase)

 

Text 14

Physically and mentally exhausted, I, hungry and thirsty, took a bath and drank from the water of a lake from a river so that I found relief from my fatigue.

Being physically and mentally tired, took I, hungry and thirsty, a bath and drank water, in the lake of a river finding relief from my fatigue.  (Vedabase)

 

Text 15

In that uninhabited forest I sought my refuge under a banyan tree and emptied my mind, by focussing upon the Supersoul present within myself, as I had learned from the liberated souls.

In that uninhabited forest I sat down under a banyan tree to meditate, intelligently taking shelter of the Supersoul situated within, as I had learned from the liberated souls. (Vedabase)

 

Text 16

Thus meditating on the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality, all of my thinking, feeling and willing transformed into transcendental love. In my eagerness tears rolled down my cheeks as I slowly saw the Lord appearing in my heart.

Thus meditating on the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality, all thinking, feeling and willing transformed into transcendental love, and being eager, tears rolled from my eyes as I saw the Lord appear in my heart without delay. (Vedabase)

 

Text 17

Fully overwhelmed by an excess of love and transfixed in feelings of happiness all over my body, I, oh sage, being absorbed in an ocean of ecstasy, did not see Him or myself any longer.

Fully overwhelmed by an excess of love and transfixed in feelings of happiness all over my body, could I, o sage, being absorbed in an ocean of ecstasy, not distinguish Him from myself any longer.  (Vedabase)

 

Text 18

No longer seeing the form of the Lord who removes all disparity from the mind, I all of a sudden perturbed got up like someone having lost something desirable.

Thereafter not seeing anymore the form of the Lord who removes all disparity from the mind, I all of a sudden got up being perturbed like someone is who has lost something desirable. (Vedabase)

 

Text 19

Desirous to experience that again, I focussed all of my mind on the heart but saw Him not reappear despite my patient waiting and thus frustrated got very distraught.

Desiring to experience that again saw I, having the mind concentrated on the heart, despite of my waiting, Him not, and got I very depressed being frustrated that way. (Vedabase)

 

Text 20

Trying and trying in that lonely place, I heard from the beyond pleasing words of gravity being spoken to me that mitigated my grief.

Thus trying in that lonely place heard I from the beyond pleasing words of gravity being spoken to me that mitigated my grief:  (Vedabase)

 

Text 21

'Listen, for as long as you live you will not get to see Me here, because for someone not completely united it is, with all impurities, difficult to acquire My vision.

 'Listen, for the duration of your life you will not acquire the vision of Me here, because it is difficult to acquire the vision when one, immature with impurities, is guilty in one's being united. (Vedabase)

 

Text 22

That form was only shown once to awaken your desire, oh virtuous one, for with the devotee's growing desire for Me, all lust will be driven from the heart.

That form was only shown once to raise your desire, o virtuous one, as by the increase of the desire of the devotee all the being caught in sleepiness will give way. (Vedabase)


Text 23

By just a few days having been of service to the Absolute you have attained a steady intelligence unto Me. In your [thus] forsaking this imperfect material world you [from now on will] head for - and are part of - My associates.

With the but for a few days being of service to the Absolute having attained a steady intelligence unto Me will one, having given up on the deplorable of this world, head for and be of My associates. (Vedabase)

 

Text 24

The intelligence focussed on Me will not fail, whether the living being evolves or fades away, by My mercy there will be remembrance.'

Intelligence engaged this way in devotion can at no time be separated from Me because, whether beings are becoming or even waning, their remembrance, by My mercy, will continue.' (Vedabase)

 

Text 25

Thus having spoken, that astounding and wonderful sound of the Unseen Lord in the sky stopped. Grateful for His grace, I then bowed my head in obeisance to Him, so great and glorious.

'Having thus spoken, stopped that great and wonderful sound of the Supreme authority and bowed I, being favored, my head in obeisance to the great and glorified.   (Vedabase)

 

Text 26

Free from perplexity exercising the holy name of the Unlimited One and constantly remembering His mysterious and beneficial activities, I traveled the earth liberated from desire with a happy mind and awaited my time without any pride and envy.

Free from formalities exercising the holy name of the Unlimited One and being of the constant remembrance of His mysterious and benedictory activities, I traveled the earth liberated and contented, in all modesty without any envy awaiting my time. (Vedabase)

 

Text 27

Free from being attached thus being absorbed in Krishna [*], oh Vyāsadeva, in due course of time death came for me as natural as lightning being accompanied by a flash.

Thus being absorbed in Krishna and free from attachment to the material world, o Vyāsadeva, came in due course of time death to me as natural as the coincidence of illumination with lightening. (Vedabase)


Text 28

Having been awarded with a transcendental body befitting an associate of the Lord, I, upon seeing that my acquired karma had ended, quitted the body that is composed of the five material elements.

Having been awarded with that transcendental body worthy an associate of the Lord, I quitted the body composed of the five material elements seeing my acquired karma ended. (Vedabase)

 

Text 29

At the end of the worldly period [kalpa] having laid Himself down in the waters of devastation, the Lord took me, with the creator and all, in with His breath.

At the end of the epoch took the Lord, having laid Himself down in the waters of devastation, me, with the creator and all, in within His breath. (Vedabase)

 

Text 30

A thousand ages later, when the creator was expired again, I reappeared together with rishis like Marīci.

A thousand ages later, when the creator again was expired reappeared I, together with all the rishis like Marīci. (Vedabase)

 

Text 31

Faithful to the vow [of yoga] traveling both within the three worlds and in the beyond, I, because of the mercy of Mahā-Vishnu, am free to roam, wherever and whenever I want.

Unbroken in the vow traveling as well within the three words as in the beyond, am I, because of the mercy of Mahā-Vishnu, free to go wherever and whenever I want. (Vedabase)

 

Text 32

I move around, constantly singing the message of the Lord, while I vibrate this transcendentally charged vīnā the Godhead has given me.

This way I move constantly singing the message of the Lord, vibrating the transcendentally charged vīnā with which the Godhead has decorated Me. (Vedabase)

 

Text 33

Singing thus soon, as if called for, the sight appears within my mind, of the Lord of the lotus feet whose actions one gladly hears about.

Thus singing appears soon the sight of the Lord of the lotus feet, about whose actions one gladly hears, in the seat of my heart, as if I could summon Him. (Vedabase)

 

Text 34

I arrived at the insight that for those who are full of worries in their continuous desire for the objects of the senses, there is a boat to cross over the ocean of material nescience: the repeated singing of the glories of the Lord.

I arrived at the insight that, for the ones so anxious in their desire for the objects of their senses, there is a boat to cross over the ocean of material nescience: the repeated recitation of the glories of the Lord. (Vedabase)

 

Text 35

Time and again with the discipline of yoga in self-restraint curbing lust and desire, will certainly not be as satisfying for the soul as the devotional service to the Personality of Godhead.

Desire and lust being curbed every time by the discipline of yoga certainly will not be as satisfying to the soul as the service of the Personality of Godhead. (Vedabase)

 

Text 36

Upon your request, I described to you who are free from sin, everything about the mysteries of my birth and activities, so as to serve the satisfaction of both your soul and mine.' "

I, as you asked, described all this about my birth and activities to you who are without sin, so that as well the satisfaction of your as of my soul is served'." (Vedabase)

 

Text 37

Sūta said: "After thus having addressed the powerful sage, Nārada Muni took leave of the son of Satyavatī and, vibrating his enchanting vīnā, left for wherever he wanted.

Sūta said: "After thus addressing the powerful sage, took Nārada Muni leave of the son of Satyavatī, and left he for wherever, vibrating his enchanting vīnā. (Vedabase)

 

Text 38

All glory and success to the sage of the gods who takes pleasure in singing the glories of Him with the S'ārnga [His bow] in His hands, and thus, with the help of his instrument, enlivens the distressed universe."

All success to the sage of the gods who takes pleasure in singing the glories of the Personality of Godhead, and with the help of his instrument enlivens the distressed universe." (Vedabase)

 

*: One may wonder how Krishna can be mentioned here as the one Nārada Muni learned to worship in his youth. Nārada Muni uses the name of Krishna here to address the manifestation of Vishnu not just for accommodating Vyāsa reflecting upon His life and times, but also because of the omnipresence of Krishna as the Supreme Lord of Creation in all times and eras, also the kalpa when Nārada was instructed by the brahmin seers. Arjuna asked a question like this in the Bhagavad Gītā 4: 4 whereupon He answered "There were many births of my character before, just as there are of you, dear Arjuna, I know and identify myself with all of them, but you apparently do not, oh victor of the battle!"


 

 

 

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