Narada's Divine Secret
Mathura was the capital of the Yadavas. Ugrasena was their king. He was king only in name. His wicked son Kamsa wasthe de facto ruler. He had married to two daughters of Jarasanda, another very powerful but wicked king of the time.This added to Kamsa's strength. He began to behave the way he liked. He had a caucus of wicked men to advise him.When he came to know that a particular person was against him, he would send him to prison. Once Narada visited Mathura.He stayed in a park outside the city and sent word to Kamsa that he had come. Kamsa came to the park with the royalentourage to accord a grand traditional welcome to the sage. He was offered arghya, padya and other offerings. Whenthe sage sat on a royal chair, he said,"Prince Kamsa, I had been to Devaloka. All the Devas had met in an assemblyand they decided to destroy all the asuras in the role of Kshatriyas. They have drawn up a plan to that effect. Theyhave drawn up a big list in which your name also figures. The eighth son of your sister Devaki Devi is going to killyou. Beware of it." So saying Narada left the place.
When Kamsa returned to the palace he laughed and said to his friends,"This Narada had no better business except doing silly things. he is an expert in doing such things that are laughted at by people. I am not frightened of anyone inthis world. No one can do any harm to me, not even Devendra and his followers. I am sitting, sleeping or makingmerry. But we have to be on our guard. Let Pootani, Keshi, Pralamba, Arishta and others go round the world and put anend to anyone who is against us. We must kill all the children of Devaki, not just eighth one. Kamsa lived up to his being and proved to be a scourge of the world. There was no end to his wicked deeds. The pot of his sins was full.For that very purpose sage Narada told him the divine secret. Later his sister devaki's eighth child, Sri Krishnakilled him and saved the world from him.
Lord Hari's Secret by Narada
When Yudhishtira was conducting Rajasura Krishna had to kill Shishupala. As the latter died, a sivine light left his body and it entered Sri Krishna's divine being. Yudhishtira was surprised at the phenomenon. Sage Narada was therein the assembly and Yudhishtira asked him " O holy one, Shishupala had developed hatred towards Sri Krishna sincechildhood. He was destined to go to hell. How did he go to heaven? What is the secret of this? Please enlighten meon this."
In answer to this, sage Narada dwelt in detail about the divine deeds of Lord Hari. He does not hate anyone. Whenthe world fails to bear the weight of wickedness he takes avataras to restore the balance by killing the wickedand protecting the righteous. The punishment he gives is in a way a boon. This Shishupala and his younger brotherDantavakra were the divine gate-keepers at Vaikuntha. They were cursed by great sages Sanaka and his brothers. Theyhad to take birth on the earth as Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha, Ravana and Kumbhakarna and now as Shishupala andDantavakra and they had to be killed by the Lord to help them to go back to Vaikunta. They have gone where they belonged to. It is always beneficial to develop some kind of relationship with the lord." Yudhishtira was convincedby the explanation.
Motivation to compose Ramayana
It was Bhagawan Narada who requested and motivated sage Valmiki and sage Valmiki and sage Vedavyasa to compose the Ramayana and the Mahabharata respectively.
Once when sage Vedavyasa was sitting in a pensive mood sage Narada visited his ashram. Vedavyasa welcomed him with allreverence. The sage told him about the cause of his worry. He said,"O holy sage, I have classified the responsibilityof continuing tradition. For those, who cannot comprehend the vedas, I composed the Mahabharatha pouring into it theessence of the Vedas in simple comprehensible language. Still I am not satisfied and happy. Please instruct me whatI should do further?"
The celestrial sage said,"O great scholar,what you have done in fine. But in your great epic you have included a numberof stories and other incidents describing the first three purusharthas and commented on them. You did not includestories and incidents which highlight the devotion to God. Therefore compose the Bhagavatha which should have as its main theme, devotion to Sri Hari. That would make you satisfied and happy."
Acting on this advice, sage Vedavyasa composed the great Bhagavatha which preached devotion, knowledge and renunciation.After composing the same he initiated his son great sage Shuka to the epic. Thus sage Narada was instrumental ingetting the Bhagavatha composed.
Proclaimation to the world
Bhakti Devi is the personification of pure love of God. Her sons Jnana (Knowledge of God) and Vairagya (Detachment)become old and fell unconcious on the lap of their mother. They could not be awakened by their mother even by verygreat efforts. Sage Narada went to her and consoled her. He promised to restore her sons to life and make them youthful and healthy. After many enquiries he learnt that listening to Srimad Bhagavatha was the only means to redeemhis promise. At his request sage Sanatkumara recited that sacred text and lo! Jnana and Vairagya immediately becamealive. The compassionate help of sage Narada proclaimed to the world that even in KaliYuga, Jnana and Vairagya canbe revived only through listening to the glory of Sri Krishna as described in the Srimad Bhagavatha.Sage Narada himself was Parama Bhagavatha( a devotee par excellence).
It was Bhagawan Narada who was responsible for thousands of incidents which brought out the greatness of God in this world. He motivated the people concerned to such actions. It was he who has sown the seed of the name Narayana, singsa famous Haridasa. Yes he was absolutely right because it was sage Narada who enlightened the ordinary people of theworld about the greatness of God and the need to love Him and be grateful to him. The very name suggests it. 'Naara'means knowledge about God and 'da' means one who gives it. That means that the force that spreads the knowledge ofthe divine among the people of the world is Bhagwan Narada. Our Puranas proclaim that sage Narada is the child of goddessof devotion and it is through him that the world derives its knowledge and power of renunciation.
Sage Narada is not a force that existed and disappeared from the world long ago. It is believed that he is still wanderinground the world unseen by the mortal eye. Wherever needed, he still carries out the Lord's biddings. He is consideredto be the perennial force of spreading bhaktirasa among the people of the world to help them reach the Creator. Theliterature of devotion has become the beacon said to have been composed by him (Narada Bhaktisutra) to those cravingto feel the presence of the Lord.
************************Mangalam**************************
PREV 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10