Chapter Six

              Conversation Between Narada and Vyasadeva

 

                                TEXT 1

 

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                              suta uvaca

                        evam nisamya bhagavan

                       devarser janma karma ca

                     bhuyah papraccha tam brahman

                        vyasah satyavati-sutah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sutah uvaca--Suta said; evam--thus; nisamya--hearing; bhagavan--the powerful incarnation of God; devarseh--of the great sage among the gods; janma--birth; karma--work; ca--and; bhuyah--again; papraccha--asked; tam--him; brahman--O brahmanas; vyasah--Vyasadeva; satyavati-sutah--the son of Satyavati.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Suta said: O brahmanas, thus hearing all about Sri Narada's birth and activities, Vyasadeva, the incarnation of God and son of Satyavati, inquired as follows.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Vyasadeva was further inquisitive to know about the perfection of Naradaji, and therefore he wanted to know about him more and more. In this chapter Naradaji will describe how he was able to have a brief audience with the Lord while he was absorbed in the transcendental thought of separation from the Lord and when it was very painful for him.

 

                                TEXT 2

 

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                             vyasa uvaca

                        bhiksubhir vipravasite

                        vijnanadestrbhis tava

                        vartamano vayasy adye

                       tatah kim akarod bhavan

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   vyasah uvaca--Sri Vyasadeva said; bhiksubhih--by the great mendicants; vipravasite--having departed for other places; vijnana--scientific knowledge in transcendence; adestrbhih--those who had instructed; tava--of your; vartamanah--present; vayasi--of the duration of life; adye--before the beginning of; tatah--after that; kim--what; akarot--did; bhavan--your good self.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Vyasadeva said: What did you [Narada] do after the departure of the great sages who had instructed you in scientific transcendental knowledge before the beginning of your present birth?

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Vyasadeva himself was the disciple of Naradaji, and therefore it was natural to be anxious to hear what Narada did after initiation from the spiritual masters. He wanted to follow in Narada's footsteps in order to attain to the same perfect stage of life. This desire to inquire from the spiritual master is an essential factor to the progressive path. This process is technically known as sad-dharma-prccha.

 

                                TEXT 3

 

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                       svayambhuva kaya vrttya

                       vartitam te param vayah

                       katham cedam udasraksih

                        kale prapte kalevaram

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   svayambhuva--O son of Brahma; kaya--under what condition; vrttya--occupation; vartitam--was spent; te--you; param--after the initiation; vayah--duration of life; katham--how; ca--and; idam--this; udasraksih--did you quit; kale--in due course; prapte--having attained; kalevaram--body.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O son of Brahma, how did you pass your life after initiation, and how did you attain this body, having quit your old one in due course?

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Sri Narada Muni in his previous life was just an ordinary maidservant's son, so how he became so perfectly transformed into the spiritual body of eternal life, bliss and knowledge is certainly important. Sri Vyasadeva desired him to disclose the facts for everyone's satisfaction.

 

                                TEXT 4

 

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                       prak-kalpa-visayam etam

                        smrtim te muni-sattama

                       na hy esa vyavadhat kala

                         esa sarva-nirakrtih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prak--prior; kalpa--the duration of Brahma's day; visayam--subject matter; etam--all these; smrtim--remembrance; te--your; muni-sattama--O great sage; na--not; hi--certainly; esah--all these; vyavadhat--made any difference; kalah--course of time; esah--all these; sarva--all; nirakrtih--annihilation.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O great sage, time annihilates everything in due course, so how is it that this subject matter, which happened prior to this day of Brahma, is still fresh in your memory, undisturbed by time?

 

                               PURPORT

 

   As spirit is not annihilated even after the annihilation of the material body, so also spiritual consciousness is not annihilated. Sri Narada developed this spiritual consciousness even when he had his material body in the previous kalpa. Consciousness of the material body means spiritual consciousness expressed through the medium of a material body. This consciousness is inferior, destructible and perverted. But superconsciousness of the supramind in the spiritual plane is as good as the spirit soul and is never annihilated.

 

                                TEXT 5

 

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                             narada uvaca

                        bhiksubhir vipravasite

                        vijnanadestrbhir mama

                        vartamano vayasy adye

                          tata etad akarasam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   naradah uvaca--Sri Narada said; bhiksubhih--by the great sages; vipravasite--having departed for other places; vijnana--scientific spiritual knowledge; adestrbhih--those who imparted unto me; mama--mine; vartamanah--present; vayasi adye--before this life; tatah--thereafter; etat--this much; akarasam--performed.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Narada said: The great sages, who had imparted scientific knowledge of transcendence to me, departed for other places, and I had to pass my life in this way.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In his previous life, when Naradaji was impregnated with spiritual knowledge by the grace of the great sages, there was a tangible change in his life, although he was only a boy of five years. That is an important symptom visible after initiation by the bona fide spiritual master. Actual association of devotees brings about a quick change in life for spiritual realization. How it so acted upon the previous life of Sri Narada Muni is described by and by in this chapter.

 

                                TEXT 6

 

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                          ekatmaja me janani

                        yosin mudha ca kinkari

                       mayy atmaje 'nanya-gatau

                        cakre snehanubandhanam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   eka-atmaja--having only one son; me--my; janani--mother; yosit--woman by class; mudha--foolish; ca--and; kinkari--maidservant; mayi--unto me; atmaje--being her offspring; ananya-gatau--one who has no alternative for protection; cakre--did it; sneha-anubandhanam--tied by affectionate bondage.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   I was the only son of my mother, who was not only a simple woman but a maidservant as well. Since I was her only offspring, she had no other alternative for protection: she bound me with the tie of affection.

 

                                TEXT 7

 

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                       sasvatantra na kalpasid

                        yoga-ksemam mamecchati

                         isasya hi vase loko

                         yosa darumayi yatha

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sa--she; asvatantra--was dependent; na--not; kalpa--able; asit--was; yoga-ksemam--maintenance; mama--my; icchati--although desirous; isasya--of providence; hi--for; vase--under the control of; lokah--everyone; yosa--doll; daru-mayi--made of wood; yatha--as much as.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   She wanted to look after my maintenance properly, but because she was not independent, she was not able to do anything for me. The world is under the full control of the Supreme Lord; therefore everyone is like a wooden doll in the hands of a puppet master.

 

                                TEXT 8

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       aham ca tad-brahma-kule

                         usivams tad-upeksaya

                        dig-desa-kalavyutpanno

                        balakah panca-hayanah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   aham--I; ca--also; tat--that; brahma-kule--in the school of the brahmanas; usivan--lived; tat--her; upeksaya--being dependent on; dik-desa--direction and country; kala--time; avyutpannah--having no experience; balakah--a mere child; panca--five; hayanah--years old.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When I was a mere child of five years, I lived in a brahmana school. I was dependent on my mother's affection and had no experience of different lands.

 

                                TEXT 9

 

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                         ekada nirgatam gehad

                       duhantim nisi gam pathi

                      sarpo 'dasat pada sprstah

                         krpanam kala-coditah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ekada--once upon a time; nirgatam--having gone away; gehat--from home; duhantim--for milking; nisi--at night; gam--the cow; pathi--on the path; sarpah--snake; adasat--bitten; pada--on the leg; sprstah--thus struck; krpanam--the poor woman; kala-coditah--influenced by supreme time.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Once upon a time, my poor mother, when going out one night to milk a cow, was bitten on the leg by a serpent, influenced by supreme time.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   That is the way of dragging a sincere soul nearer to God. The poor boy was being looked after only by his affectionate mother, and yet the mother was taken from the world by the supreme will in order to put him completely at the mercy of the Lord.

 

                               TEXT 10

 

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                         tada tad aham isasya

                       bhaktanam sam abhipsatah

                         anugraham manyamanah

                       pratistham disam uttaram

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tada--at that time; tat--that; aham--I; isasya--of the Lord; bhaktanam--of the devotees; sam--mercy; abhipsatah--desiring; anugraham--special benediction; manyamanah--thinking in that way; pratistham--departed; disam uttaram--in the northern direction.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   I took this as the special mercy of the Lord, who always desires benediction for His devotees, and so thinking, I started for the north.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Confidential devotees of the Lord see in every step a benedictory direction of the Lord. What is considered to be an odd or difficult moment in the mundane sense is accepted as special mercy of the Lord. Mundane prosperity is a kind of material fever, and by the grace of the Lord the temperature of this material fever is gradually diminished, and spiritual health is obtained step by step. Mundane people misunderstand it.

 

                               TEXT 11

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       sphitan janapadams tatra

                        pura-grama-vrajakaran

                       kheta-kharvata-vatis ca

                         vanany upavanani ca

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sphitan--very flourishing; jana-padan--metropolises; tatra--there; pura--towns; grama--villages; vraja--big farms; akaran--mineral fields (mines); kheta--agricultural lands; kharvata--valleys; vatih--flower gardens; ca--and; vanani--forests; upavanani--nursery gardens; ca--and.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After my departure, I passed through many flourishing metropolises, towns, villages, animal farms, mines, agricultural lands, valleys, flower gardens, nursery gardens and natural forests.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Man's activities in agriculture, mining, farming, industries, gardening, etc., were all on the same scale as they are now, even previous to the present creation, and the same activities will remain as they are, even in the next creation. After many hundreds of millions of years, one creation is started by the law of nature, and the history of the universe repeats itself practically in the same way. The mundane wranglers waste time with archaeological excavations without searching into the vital necessities of life. After getting an impetus in spiritual life, Sri Narada Muni, even though a mere child, did not waste time for a single moment with economic development, although he passed towns and villages, mines and industries. He continually went on to progressive spiritual emancipation. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the repetition of history which happened some hundreds of millions of years ago. As it is said herein, only the most important factors of history are picked up to be recorded in this transcendental literature.

 

                               TEXT 12

 

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                       citra-dhatu-vicitradrin

                       ibha-bhagna-bhuja-druman

                        jalasayan chiva-jalan

                         nalinih sura-sevitah

                     citra-svanaih patra-rathair

                      vibhramad bhramara-sriyah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   citra-dhatu--valuable minerals like gold, silver and copper; vicitra--full of variegatedness; adrin--hills and mountains; ibha-bhagna--broken by the giant elephants; bhuja--branches; druman--trees; jalasayan siva--health-giving; jalan--reservoirs of water; nalinih--lotus flowers; sura-sevitah--aspired to by the denizens of heaven; citra-svanaih--pleasing to the heart; patra-rathaih--by the birds; vibhramat--bewildering; bhramara-sriyah--decorated by drones.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   I passed through hills and mountains full of reservoirs of various minerals like gold, silver and copper, and through tracts of land with reservoirs of water filled with beautiful lotus flowers, fit for the denizens of heaven, decorated with bewildered bees and singing birds.

 

                               TEXT 13

 

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                        nala-venu-saras-tanba-

                         kusa-kicaka-gahvaram

                          eka evatiyato 'ham

                        adraksam vipinam mahat

                        ghoram pratibhayakaram

                         vyaloluka-sivajiram

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   nala--pipes; venu--bamboo; sarah--pens; tanba--full of; kusa--sharp grass; kicaka--weeds; gahvaram--caves; ekah--alone; eva--only; atiyatah--difficult to go through; aham--I; adraksam--visited; vipinam--deep forests; mahat--great; ghoram--fearful; pratibhaya-akaram--dangerously; vyala--snakes; uluka--owls; siva--jackals; ajiram--playgrounds.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   I then passed alone through many forests of rushes, bamboo, reeds, sharp grass, weeds and caves, which were very difficult to go through alone. I visited deep, dark and dangerously fearful forests, which were the play yards of snakes, owls and jackals.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   It is the duty of a mendicant (parivrajakacarya) to experience all varieties of God's creation by traveling alone through all forests, hills, towns, villages, etc., to gain faith in God and strength of mind as well as to enlighten the inhabitants with the message of God. A sannyasi is duty-bound to take all these risks without fear, and the most typical sannyasi of the present age is Lord Caitanya, who traveled in the same manner through the central Indian jungles, enlightening even the tigers, bears, snakes, deer, elephants and many other jungle animals. In this age of Kali, sannyasa is forbidden for ordinary men. One who changes his dress to make propaganda is a different man from the original ideal sannyasi. One should, however, take the vow to stop social intercourse completely and devote life exclusively to the service of the Lord. The change of dress is only a formality. Lord Caitanya did not accept the name of a sannyasi, and in this age of Kali the so-called sannyasis should not change their former names, following in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya. In this age, devotional service of hearing and repeating the holy glories of the Lord is strongly recommended, and one who takes the vow of renunciation of family life need not imitate the parivrajakacarya like Narada or Lord Caitanya, but may sit down at some holy place and devote his whole time and energy to hear and repeatedly chant the holy scriptures left by the great acaryas like the six Gosvamis of Vrndavana.

 

                               TEXT 14

 

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                        parisrantendriyatmaham

                        trt-parito bubhuksitah

                       snatva pitva hrade nadya

                        upasprsto gata-sramah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   parisranta--being tired; indriya--bodily; atma--mentally; aham--I; trt-paritah--being thirsty; bubhuksitah--and hungry; snatva--taking a bath; pitva--and drinking water also; hrade--in the lake; nadyah--of a river; upasprstah--being in contact with; gata--got relief from; sramah--tiredness.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Thus traveling, I felt tired, both bodily and mentally, and I was both thirsty and hungry. So I took a bath in a river lake and also drank water. By contacting water, I got relief from my exhaustion.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   A traveling mendicant can meet the needs of body, namely thirst and hunger, by the gifts of nature without being a beggar at the doors of the householders. The mendicant therefore does not go to the house of a householder to beg but to enlighten him spiritually.

 

                               TEXT 15

 

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                       tasmin nirmanuje 'ranye

                        pippalopastha asritah

                        atmanatmanam atmastham

                        yatha-srutam acintayam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tasmin--in that; nirmanuje--without human habitation; aranye--in the forest; pippala--banyan tree; upasthe--sitting under it; asritah--taking shelter of; atmana--by intelligence; atmanam--the Supersoul; atma-stham--situated within myself; yatha-srutam--as I had heard it from the liberated souls; acintayam--thought over.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After that, under the shadow of a banyan tree in an uninhabited forest I began to meditate upon the Supersoul situated within, using my intelligence, as I had learned from liberated souls.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   One should not meditate according to one's personal whims. One should know perfectly well from the authoritative sources of scriptures through the transparent medium of a bona fide spiritual master and by proper use of one's trained intelligence for meditating upon the Supersoul dwelling within every living being. This consciousness is firmly developed by a devotee who has rendered loving service unto the Lord by carrying out the orders of the spiritual master. Sri Naradaji contacted bona fide spiritual masters, served them sincerely and got enlightenment rightly. Thus he began to meditate.

 

                               TEXT 16

 

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                       dhyayatas caranambhojam

                         bhava-nirjita-cetasa

                       autkanthyasru-kalaksasya

                      hrdy asin me sanair harih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   dhyayatah--thus meditating upon; carana-ambhojam--the lotus feet of the localized Personality of Godhead; bhava-nirjita--mind transformed in transcendental love for the Lord; cetasa--all mental activities (thinking, feeling and willing); autkanthya--eagerness; asru-kala--tears rolled down; aksasya--of the eyes; hrdi--within my heart; asit--appeared; me--my; sanaih--without delay; harih--the Personality of Godhead.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   As soon as I began to meditate upon the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead with my mind transformed in transcendental love, tears rolled down my eyes, and without delay the Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna appeared on the lotus of my heart.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The word bhava is significant here. This bhava stage is attained after one has transcendental affection for the Lord. The first initial stage is called sraddha, or a liking for the Supreme Lord, and in order to increase that liking one has to associate with pure devotees of the Lord. The third stage is to practice the prescribed rules and regulations of devotional service. This will dissipate all sorts of misgivings and remove all personal deficiencies that hamper progress in devotional service.

   When all misgivings and personal deficiencies are removed, there is a standard faith in transcendental matter, and the taste for it increases in greater proportion. This stage leads to attraction, and after this there is bhava, or the prior stage of unalloyed love for God. All the above different stages are but different stages of development of transcendental love. Being so surcharged with transcendental love, there comes a strong feeling of separation which leads to eight different kinds of ecstasies. Tears from the eyes of a devotee is an automatic reaction, and because Sri Narada Muni in his previous birth attained that stage very quickly after his departure from home, it was quite possible for him to perceive the actual presence of the Lord, which he tangibly experienced by his developed spiritual senses without material tinge.

 

                               TEXT 17

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       prematibhara-nirbhinna-

                        pulakango 'tinirvrtah

                         ananda-samplave lino

                        napasyam ubhayam mune

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prema--love; atibhara--excessive; nirbhinna--especially distinguished; pulaka--feelings of happiness; angah--different bodily parts; ati-nirvrtah--being fully overwhelmed; ananda--ecstasy; samplave--in the ocean of; linah--absorbed in; na--not; apasyam--could see; ubhayam--both; mune--O Vyasadeva.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O Vyasadeva, at that time, being exceedingly overpowered by feelings of happiness, every part of my body became separately enlivened. Being absorbed in an ocean of ecstasy, I could not see both myself and the Lord.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Spiritual feelings of happiness and intense ecstasies have no mundane comparison. Therefore it is very difficult to give expression to such feelings. We can just have a glimpse of such ecstasy in the words of Sri Narada Muni. Each and every part of the body or senses has its particular function. After seeing the Lord, all the senses become fully awakened to render service unto the Lord because in the liberated state the senses are fully efficient in serving the Lord. As such, in that transcendental ecstasy it so happened that the senses became separately enlivened to serve the Lord. This being so, Narada Muni lost himself in seeing both himself and the Lord simultaneously.

 

                               TEXT 18

 

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                       rupam bhagavato yat tan

                        manah-kantam sucapaham

                        apasyan sahasottasthe

                        vaiklavyad durmana iva

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   rupam--form; bhagavatah--of the Personality of Godhead; yat--as it is; tat--that; manah--of the mind; kantam--as it desires; suca-apaham--vanishing all disparity; apasyan--without seeing; sahasa--all of a sudden; uttasthe--got up; vaiklavyat--being perturbed; durmanah--having lost the desirable; iva--as it were.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The transcendental form of the Lord, as it is, satisfies the mind's desire and at once erases all mental incongruities. Upon losing that form, I suddenly got up, being perturbed, as is usual when one loses that which is desirable.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   That the Lord is not formless is experienced by Narada Muni. But His form is completely different from all forms of our material experience. For the whole duration of our life we go see different forms in the material world, but none of them is just apt to satisfy the mind, nor can any one of them vanish all perturbance of the mind. These are the special features of the transcendental form of the Lord, and one who has once seen that form is not satisfied with anything else; no form in the material world can any longer satisfy the seer. That the Lord is formless or impersonal means that He has nothing like a material form and is not like any material personality.

   As spiritual beings, having eternal relations with that transcendental form of the Lord, we are, life after life, searching after that form of the Lord, and we are not satisfied by any other form of material appeasement. Narada Muni got a glimpse of this, but having not seen it again he became perturbed and stood up all of a sudden to search it out. What we desire life after life was obtained by Narada Muni, and losing sight of Him again was certainly a great shock for him.

 

                               TEXT 19

 

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                       didrksus tad aham bhuyah

                         pranidhaya mano hrdi

                        viksamano 'pi napasyam

                          avitrpta ivaturah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   didrksuh--desiring to see; tat--that; aham--I; bhuyah--again; pranidhaya--having concentrated the mind; manah--mind; hrdi--upon the heart; viksamanah--waiting to see; api--in spite of; na--never; apasyam--saw Him; avitrptah--without being satisfied; iva--like; aturah--aggrieved.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   I desired to see again that transcendental form of the Lord, but despite my attempts to concentrate upon the heart with eagerness to view the form again, I could not see Him any more, and thus dissatisfied, I was very much aggrieved.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   There is no mechanical process to see the form of the Lord. It completely depends on the causeless mercy of the Lord. We cannot demand the Lord to be present before our vision, just as we cannot demand the sun to rise whenever we like. The sun rises out of his own accord; so also the Lord is pleased to be present out of His causeless mercy. One should simply await the opportune moment and go on discharging his prescribed duty in devotional service of the Lord. Narada Muni thought that the Lord could be seen again by the same mechanical process which was successful in the first attempt, but in spite of his utmost endeavor he could not make the second attempt successful. The Lord is completely independent of all obligations. He can simply be bound up by the tie of unalloyed devotion. Nor is He visible or perceivable by our material senses. When He pleases, being satisfied with the sincere attempt of devotional service depending completely on the mercy of the Lord, then He may be seen out of His own accord.

 

                               TEXT 20

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         evam yatantam vijane

                         mam ahagocaro giram

                       gambhira-slaksnaya vaca

                        sucah prasamayann iva

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   evam--thus; yatantam--one who is engaged in attempting; vijane--in that lonely place; mam--unto me; aha--said; agocarah--beyond the range of physical sound; giram--utterances; gambhira--grave; slaksnaya--pleasing to hear; vaca--words; sucah--grief; prasamayan--mitigating; iva--like.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Seeing my attempts in that lonely place, the Personality of Godhead, who is transcendental to all mundane description, spoke to me with gravity and pleasing words, just to mitigate my grief.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In the Vedas it is said that God is beyond the approach of mundane words and intelligence. And yet by His causeless mercy one can have suitable senses to hear Him or to speak to Him. This is the Lord's inconceivable energy. One upon whom His mercy is bestowed can hear Him. The Lord was much pleased with Narada Muni, and therefore the necessary strength was invested in him so that he could hear the Lord. It is not, however, possible for others to perceive directly the touch of the Lord during the probationary stage of regulative devotional service. It was a special gift for Narada. When he heard the pleasing words of the Lord, the feelings of separation were to some extent mitigated. A devotee in love with God feels always the pangs of separation and is therefore always enwrapped in transcendental ecstasy.

 

                               TEXT 21

 

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                       hantasmin janmani bhavan

                       ma mam drastum iharhati

                          avipakva-kasayanam

                       durdarso 'ham kuyoginam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   hanta--O Narada; asmin--this; janmani--duration of life; bhavan--yourself; ma--not; mam--Me; drastum--to see; iha--here; arhati--deserve; avipakva--immature; kasayanam--material dirt; durdarsah--difficult to be seen; aham--I; kuyoginam--incomplete in service.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O Narada [the Lord spoke], I regret that during this lifetime you will not be able to see Me anymore. Those who are incomplete in service and who are not completely free from all material taints can hardly see Me.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The Personality of Godhead is described in the Bhagavad-gita as the most pure, the Supreme and the Absolute Truth. There is no trace of a tinge of materiality in His person, and thus one who has the slightest tinge of material affection cannot approach Him. The beginning of devotional service starts from the point when one is freed from at least two forms of material modes, namely the mode of passion and the mode of ignorance. The result is exhibited by the signs of being freed from kama (lust) and lobha (covetousness). That is to say, one must be freed from the desires for sense satisfaction and avarice for sense gratification. The balanced mode of nature is goodness. And to be completely freed from all material tinges is to become free from the mode of goodness also. To search the audience of God in a lonely forest is considered to be in the mode of goodness. One can go out into the forest to attain spiritual perfection, but that does not mean that one can see the Lord personally there. One must be completely freed from all material attachment and be situated on the plane of transcendence, which alone will help the devotee get in personal touch with the Personality of Godhead. The best method is that one should live at a place where the transcendental form of the Lord is worshiped. The temple of the Lord is a transcendental place, whereas the forest is a materially good habitation. A neophyte devotee is always recommended to worship the Deity of the Lord (arcana) rather than go into the forest to search out the Lord. Devotional service begins from the process of arcana, which is better than going out in the forest. In his present life, which is completely freed from all material hankerings, Sri Narada Muni does not go into the forest, although he can turn every place into Vaikuntha by his presence only. He travels from one planet to another to convert men, gods, Kinnaras, Gandharvas, rsis, munis and all others to become devotees of the Lord. By his activities he has engaged many devotees like Prahlada Maharaja, Dhruva Maharaja and many others in the transcendental service of the Lord. A pure devotee of the Lord, therefore, follows in the footsteps of the great devotees like Narada and Prahlada and engages his whole time in glorifying the Lord by the process of kirtana. Such a preaching process is transcendental to all material qualities.

 

                               TEXT 22

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       sakrd yad darsitam rupam

                        etat kamaya te 'nagha

                       mat-kamah sanakaih sadhu

                      sarvan muncati hrc-chayan

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sakrt--once only; yat--that; darsitam--shown; rupam--form; etat--this is; kamaya--for hankerings; te--your; anagha--O virtuous one; mat--Mine; kamah--desire; sanakaih--by increasing; sadhuh--devotee; sarvan--all; muncati--gives away; hrt-sayan--material desires.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O virtuous one, you have only once seen My person, and this is just to increase your desire for Me, because the more you hanker for Me, the more you will be freed from all material desires.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   A living being cannot be vacant of desires. He is not a dead stone. He must be working, thinking, feeling and willing. But when he thinks, feels and wills materially, he becomes entangled, and conversely when he thinks, feels and wills for the service of the Lord, he becomes gradually freed from all entanglement. The more a person is engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, the more he acquires a hankering for it. That is the transcendental nature of godly service. Material service has satiation, whereas spiritual service of the Lord has neither satiation nor end. One can go on increasing his hankerings for the loving transcendental service of the Lord, and yet he will not find satiation or end. By intense service of the Lord, one can experience the presence of the Lord transcendentally. Therefore seeing the Lord means being engaged in His service because His service and His person are identical. The sincere devotee should go on with sincere service of the Lord. The Lord will give proper direction as to how and where it has to be done. There was no material desire in Narada, and yet just to increase his intense desire for the Lord, he was so advised.

 

                               TEXT 23

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         sat-sevayadirghayapi

                        jata mayi drdha matih

                        hitvavadyam imam lokam

                        ganta maj-janatam asi

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sat-sevaya--by service of the Absolute Truth; adirghaya--for some days; api--even; jata--having attained; mayi--unto Me; drdha--firm; matih--intelligence; hitva--having given up; avadyam--deplorable; imam--this; lokam--material worlds; ganta--going to; mat-janatam--My associates; asi--become.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   By service of the Absolute Truth, even for a few days, a devotee attains firm and fixed intelligence in Me. Consequently he goes on to become My associate in the transcendental world after giving up the present deplorable material worlds.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Serving the Absolute Truth means rendering service unto the Absolute Personality of Godhead under the direction of the bona fide spiritual master, who is a transparent via medium between the Lord and the neophyte devotee. The neophyte devotee has no ability to approach the Absolute Personality of Godhead by the strength of his present imperfect material senses, and therefore under the direction of the spiritual master he is trained in transcendental service of the Lord. And by such training, even for some days, the neophyte devotee gets intelligence in such transcendental service, which leads him ultimately to get free from perpetual inhabitation in the material worlds and to be promoted to the transcendental world to become one of the liberated associates of the Lord in the kingdom of God.

 

                               TEXT 24

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        matir mayi nibaddheyam

                        na vipadyeta karhicit

                       praja-sarga-nirodhe 'pi

                       smrtis ca mad-anugrahat

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   matih--intelligence; mayi--devoted to Me; nibaddha--engaged; iyam--this; na--never; vipadyeta--separate; karhicit--at any time; praja--living beings; sarga--at the time of creation; nirodhe--also at the time of annihilation; api--even; smrtih--remembrance; ca--and; mat--Mine; anugrahat--by the mercy of.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Intelligence engaged in My devotion cannot be thwarted at any time. Even at the time of creation, as well as at the time of annihilation, your remembrance will continue by My mercy.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Devotional service rendered to the Personality of Godhead never goes in vain. Since the Personality of Godhead is eternal, intelligence applied in His service or anything done in His relation is also permanent. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said that such transcendental service rendered unto the Personality of Godhead accumulates birth after birth, and when the devotee is fully matured, the total service counted together makes him eligible to enter into the association of the Personality of Godhead. Such accumulation of God's service is never vanquished, but increases till fully matured.

 

                               TEXT 25

 

                                 TEXT

 

                    etavad uktvopararama tan mahad

                 bhutam nabho-lingam alingam isvaram

                   aham ca tasmai mahatam mahiyase

                  sirsnavanamam vidadhe 'nukampitah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   etavat--thus; uktva--spoken; upararama--stopped; tat--that; mahat--great; bhutam--wonderful; nabhah-lingam--personified by sound; alingam--unseen by the eyes; isvaram--the supreme authority; aham--I; ca--also; tasmai--unto Him; mahatam--the great; mahiyase--unto the glorified; sirsna--by the head; avanamam--obeisances; vidadhe--executed; anukampitah--being favored by Him.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Then that supreme authority, personified by sound and unseen by eyes, but most wonderful, stopped speaking. Feeling a sense of gratitude, I offered my obeisances unto Him, bowing my head.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   That the Personality of Godhead was not seen but only heard does not make any difference. The Personality of Godhead produced the four Vedas by His breathing, and He is seen and realized through the transcendental sound of the Vedas. Similarly, the Bhagavad-gita is the sound representation of the Lord, and there is no difference in identity. The conclusion is that the Lord can be seen and heard by persistent chanting of the transcendental sound.

 

                               TEXT 26

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 namany anantasya hata-trapah pathan

                  guhyani bhadrani krtani ca smaran

                 gam paryatams tusta-mana gata-sprhah

                  kalam pratiksan vimado vimatsarah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   namani--the holy name, fame, etc.; anantasya--of the unlimited; hata-trapah--being freed from all formalities of the material world; pathan--by recitation, repeated reading, etc.; guhyani--mysterious; bhadrani--all benedictory; krtani--activities; ca--and; smaran--constantly remembering; gam--on the earth; paryatan--traveling all through; tusta-manah--fully satisfied; gata-sprhah--completely freed from all material desires; kalam--time; pratiksan--awaiting; vimadah--without being proud; vimatsarah--without being envious.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Thus I began chanting the holy name and fame of the Lord by repeated recitation, ignoring all the formalities of the material world. Such chanting and remembering of the transcendental pastimes of the Lord are benedictory. So doing, I traveled all over the earth, fully satisfied, humble and unenvious.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The life of a sincere devotee of the Lord is thus explained in a nutshell by Narada Muni by his personal example. Such a devotee, after his initiation by the Lord or His bona fide representative, takes very seriously chanting of the glories of the Lord and traveling all over the world so that others may also hear the glories of the Lord. Such devotees have no desire for material gain. They are conducted by one single desire: to go back to Godhead. This awaits them in due course on quitting the material body. Because they have the highest aim of life, going back to Godhead, they are never envious of anyone, nor are they proud of being eligible to go back to Godhead. Their only business is to chant and remember the holy name, fame and pastimes of the Lord and, according to personal capacity, to distribute the message for others' welfare without motive of material gain.

 

                               TEXT 27

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       evam krsna-mater brahman

                         nasaktasyamalatmanah

                        kalah pradurabhut kale

                        tadit saudamani yatha

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   evam--thus; krsna-mateh--one who is fully absorbed in thinking of Krsna; brahman--O Vyasadeva; na--not; asaktasya--of one who is attached; amala-atmanah--of one who is completely free from all material dirt; kalah--death; pradurabhut--become visible; kale--in the course of time; tadit--lightning; saudamani--illuminating; yatha--as it is.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   And so, O Brahmana Vyasadeva, in due course of time I, who was fully absorbed in thinking of Krsna and who therefore had no attachments, being completely freed from all material taints, met with death, as lightning and illumination occur simultaneously.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   To be fully absorbed in the thought of Krsna means clearance of material dirts or hankerings. As a very rich man has no hankerings for small petty things, so also a devotee of Lord Krsna, who is guaranteed to pass on to the kingdom of God, where life is eternal, fully cognizant and blissful, naturally has no hankerings for petty material things, which are like dolls or shadows of the reality and are without permanent value. That is the sign of spiritually enriched persons. And in due course of time, when a pure devotee is completely prepared, all of a sudden the change of body occurs which is commonly called death. And for the pure devotee such a change takes place exactly like lightning, and illumination follows simultaneously. That is to say a devotee simultaneously changes his material body and develops a spiritual body by the will of the Supreme. Even before death, a pure devotee has no material affection, due to his body's being spiritualized like a red-hot iron in contact with fire.

 

                               TEXT 28

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        prayujyamane mayi tam

                       suddham bhagavatim tanum

                        arabdha-karma-nirvano

                       nyapatat panca-bhautikah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prayujyamane--having been awarded; mayi--on me; tam--that; suddham--transcendental; bhagavatim--fit for associating with the Personality of Godhead; tanum--body; arabdha--acquired; karma--fruitive work; nirvanah--prohibitive; nyapatat--quit; panca-bhautikah--body made of five material elements.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Having been awarded a transcendental body befitting an associate of the Personality of Godhead, I quit the body made of five material elements, and thus all acquired fruitive results of work [karma] stopped.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Informed by the Personality of Godhead that he would be awarded a transcendental body befitting the Lord's association, Narada got his spiritual body as soon as he quitted his material body. This transcendental body is free from material affinity and invested with three primary transcendental qualities, namely eternity, freedom from material modes, and freedom from reactions of fruitive activities. The material body is always afflicted with the lack of these three qualities. A devotee's body becomes at once surcharged with the transcendental qualities as soon as he is engaged in the devotional service of the Lord. It acts like the magnetic influence of a touchstone upon iron. The influence of transcendental devotional service is like that. Therefore change of the body means stoppage of the reaction of three qualitative modes of material nature upon the pure devotee. There are many instances of this in the revealed scriptures. Dhruva Maharaja and Prahlada Maharaja and many other devotees were able to see the Personality of Godhead face to face apparently in the same body. This means that the quality of a devotee's body changes from material to transcendence. That is the opinion of the authorized Gosvamis via the authentic scriptures. In the Brahma-samhita it is said that beginning from the indra-gopa germ up to the great Indra, King of heaven, all living beings are subjected to the law of karma and are bound to suffer and enjoy the fruitive results of their own work. Only the devotee is exempt from such reactions, by the causeless mercy of the supreme authority, the Personality of Godhead.

 

                               TEXT 29

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         kalpanta idam adaya

                       sayane 'mbhasy udanvatah

                         sisayisor anupranam

                       vivise 'ntar aham vibhoh

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kalpa-ante--at the end of Brahma's day; idam--this; adaya--taking together; sayane--having gone to lie down; ambhasi--in the causal water; udanvatah--devastation; sisayisoh--lying of the Personality of Godhead (Narayana); anupranam--breathing; vivise--entered into; antah--within; aham--I; vibhoh--of Lord Brahma.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   At the end of the millennium, when the Personality of Godhead Lord Narayana lay down within the water of devastation, Brahma began to enter into Him along with all creative elements, and I also entered through His breathing.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Narada is known as the son of Brahma, as Lord Krsna is known as the son of Vasudeva. The Personality of Godhead and His liberated devotees like Narada appear in the material world by the same process. As it is said in the Bhagavad-gita, the birth and activities of the Lord are all transcendental. Therefore, according to authorized opinion, the birth of Narada as the son of Brahma is also a transcendental pastime. His appearance and disappearance are practically on the same level as that of the Lord. The Lord and His devotees are therefore simultaneously one and different as spiritual entities. They belong to the same category of transcendence.

 

                               TEXT 30

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        sahasra-yuga-paryante

                        utthayedam sisrksatah

                         marici-misra rsayah

                      pranebhyo 'ham ca jajnire

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sahasra--one thousand; yuga--4,300,000 years; paryante--at the end of the duration; utthaya--having expired; idam--this; sisrksatah--desired to create again; marici-misrah--rsis like Marici; rsayah--all the rsis; pranebhyah--out of His senses; aham--I; ca--also; jajnire--appeared.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After 4,300,000,000 solar years, when Brahma awoke to create again by the will of the Lord, all the rsis like Marici, Angira, Atri and so on were created from the transcendental body of the Lord, and I also appeared along with them.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The duration of a day in the life of Brahma is 4,320,000,000 solar years. This is stated also in the Bhagavad-gita. So for this period Brahmaji rests in yoga-nidra within the body of the Garbhodakasayi Visnu, the generator of Brahma. Thus after the sleeping period of Brahma, when there is again creation by the will of the Lord through the agency of Brahma, all the great rsis again appear from different parts of the transcendental body, and Narada also appears. This means that Narada appears in the same transcendental body, just as a man awakes from sleep in the same body. Sri Narada is eternally free to move in all parts of the transcendental and material creations of the Almighty. He appears and disappears in his own transcendental body, which is without distinction of body and soul, unlike conditioned beings.

 

                               TEXT 31

 

                                 TEXT

 

                      antar bahis ca lokams trin

                       paryemy askandita-vratah

                        anugrahan maha-visnor

                        avighata-gatih kvacit

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   antah--in the transcendental world; bahih--in the material world; ca--and; lokan--planets; trin--three (divisions); paryemi--travel; askandita--unbroken; vratah--vow; anugrahat--by the causeless mercy; maha-visnoh--of the Maha-Visnu (Karanodakasayi Visnu); avighata--without restriction; gatih--entrance; kvacit--at any time.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Since then, by the grace of the almighty Visnu, I travel everywhere without restriction both in the transcendental world and in the three divisions of the material world. This is because I am fixed in unbroken devotional service of the Lord.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   As stated in the Bhagavad-gita, there are three divisions of the material spheres, namely the urdhva-loka (topmost planets), madhya-loka (midway planets) and adho-loka (downward planets). Beyond the urdhva-loka planets, that is to say above the Brahmaloka, are the material coverings of the universes, and above that is the spiritual sky, which is unlimited in expansion, containing unlimited self-illuminated Vaikuntha planets inhabited by God Himself along with His associates, who are all eternally liberated living entities. Sri Narada Muni could enter all these planets in both the material and spiritual spheres without restriction, as much as the almighty Lord is free to move personally in any part of His creation. In the material world the living beings are influenced by the three material modes of nature, namely goodness, passion and ignorance. But Sri Narada Muni is transcendental to all these material modes, and thus he can travel everywhere unrestricted. He is a liberated spaceman. The causeless mercy of Lord Visnu is unparalleled, and such mercy is perceived by the devotees only by the grace of the Lord. Therefore, the devotees never fall down, but the materialists, i.e., the fruitive workers and the speculative philosophers, do fall down, being forced by their respective modes of nature. The rsis, as above mentioned, cannot enter into the transcendental world like Narada. This fact is disclosed in the Narasimha Purana. Rsis like Marici are authorities in fruitive work, and rsis like Sanaka and Sanatana are authorities in philosophical speculations. But Sri Narada Muni is the prime authority for transcendental devotional service of the Lord. All the great authorities in the devotional service of the Lord follow in the footsteps of Narada Muni in the order of the Narada-bhakti-sutra, and therefore all the devotees of the Lord are unhesitatingly qualified to enter into the kingdom of God, Vaikuntha.

 

                               TEXT 32

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        deva-dattam imam vinam

                       svara-brahma-vibhusitam

                       murcchayitva hari-katham

                        gayamanas caramy aham

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   deva--the Supreme Personality of Godhead (Sri Krsna); dattam--gifted by; imam--this; vinam--a musical stringed instrument; svara--singing meter; brahma--transcendental; vibhusitam--decorated with; murcchayitva--vibrating; hari-katham--transcendental message; gayamanah--singing constantly; carami--do move; aham--I.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   And thus I travel, constantly singing the transcendental message of the glories of the Lord, vibrating this instrument called a vina, which is charged with transcendental sound and which was given to me by Lord Krsna.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The musical stringed instrument called the vina, which was handed to Narada by Lord Sri Krsna, is described in the Linga Purana, and this is confirmed by Srila Jiva Gosvami. This transcendental instrument is identical with Lord Sri Krsna and Narada because all of them are of the same transcendental category. Sound vibrated by the instrument cannot be material, and therefore the glories and pastimes which are broadcast by the instrument of Narada are also transcendental, without a tinge of material inebriety. The seven singing meters, namely sa (sadja), r (rsabha), ga (gandhara), ma (madhyama), pa (pancama), dha (dhaivata) and ni (nisada), are also transcendental and specifically meant for transcendental songs. As a pure devotee of the Lord, Sri Naradadeva is always fulfilling his obligation to the Lord for His gift of the instrument, and thus he is always engaged in singing His transcendental glories and is therefore infallible in his exalted position. Following in the footsteps of Srila Narada Muni, a self-realized soul in the material world should also properly use the sound meters, namely sa, r, ga, ma, etc., in the service of the Lord by constantly singing the glories of the Lord, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita.

 

                               TEXT 33

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        pragayatah sva-viryani

                      tirtha-padah priya-sravah

                         ahuta iva me sighram

                         darsanam yati cetasi

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   pragayatah--thus singing; sva-viryani--own activities; tirtha-padah--the Lord, whose lotus feet are the source of all virtues or holiness; priya-sravah--pleasing to hear; ahutah--called for; iva--just like; me--to me; sighram--very soon; darsanam--sight; yati--appears; cetasi--on the seat of the heart.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Supreme Lord Sri Krsna, whose glories and activities are pleasing to hear, at once appears on the seat of my heart, as if called for, as soon as I begin to chant His holy activities.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The Absolute Personality of Godhead is not different from His transcendental name, form, pastimes and the sound vibrations thereof. As soon as a pure devotee engages himself in the pure devotional service of hearing, chanting and remembering the name, fame and activities of the Lord, at once He becomes visible to the transcendental eyes of the pure devotee by reflecting Himself on the mirror of the heart by spiritual television. Therefore a pure devotee who is related with the Lord in loving transcendental service can experience the presence of the Lord at every moment. It is a natural psychology in every individual case that a person likes to hear and enjoy his personal glories enumerated by others. That is a natural instinct, and the Lord, being also an individual personality like others, is not an exception to this psychology because psychological characteristics visible in the individual souls are but reflections of the same psychology in the Absolute Lord. The only difference is that the Lord is the greatest personality of all and absolute in all His affairs. If, therefore, the Lord is attracted by the pure devotee's chanting of His glories, there is nothing astonishing. Since He is absolute, He can appear Himself in the picture of His glorification, the two things being identical. Srila Narada chants the glorification of the Lord not for his personal benefit but because the glorifications are identical with the Lord. Narada Muni penetrates into the presence of the Lord by the transcendental chanting.

 

                               TEXT 34

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       etad dhy atura-cittanam

                       matra-sparsecchaya muhuh

                       bhava-sindhu-plavo drsto

                         hari-caryanuvarnanam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   etat--this; hi--certainly; atura-cittanam--of those whose minds are always full of cares and anxieties; matra--objects of sense enjoyment; sparsa--senses; icchaya--by desires; muhuh--always; bhava-sindhu--the ocean of nescience; plavah--boat; drstah--experienced; hari-carya--activities of Hari, the Personality of Godhead; anuvarnanam--constant recitation.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   It is personally experienced by me that those who are always full of cares and anxieties due to desiring contact of the senses with their objects can cross the ocean of nescience on a most suitable boat--the constant chanting of the transcendental activities of the Personality of Godhead.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The symptom of a living being is that he cannot remain silent even for some time. He must be doing something, thinking of something or talking about something. Generally the materialistic men think and discuss about subjects which satisfy their senses. But as these things are exercised under the influence of the external, illusory energy, such sensual activities do not actually give them any satisfaction. On the contrary, they become full with cares and anxieties. This is called maya, or what is not. That which cannot give them satisfaction is accepted as an object for satisfaction. So Narada Muni, by his personal experience, says that satisfaction for such frustrated beings engaged in sense gratification is to chant always the activities of the Lord. The point is that the subject matter only should be changed. No one can check the thinking activities of a living being, nor the feeling, willing or working processes. But if one wants actual happiness, one must change the subject matter only. Instead of talking of the politics of a dying man, one might discuss the politics administered by the Lord Himself. Instead of relishing activities of the cinema artists, one can turn his attention to the activities of the Lord with His eternal associates like the gopis and Laksmis. The almighty Personality of Godhead, by His causeless mercy, descends on the earth and manifests activities almost on the line of the worldly men, but at the same time extraordinarily, because He is almighty. He does so for the benefit of all conditioned souls so that they can turn their attention to transcendence. By doing so, the conditioned soul will gradually be promoted to the transcendental position and easily cross the ocean of nescience, the source of all miseries. This is stated from personal experience by such an authority as Sri Narada Muni. And we can have the same experience also if we begin to follow in the footsteps of the great sage, the dearmost devotee of the Lord.

 

                               TEXT 35

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       yamadibhir yoga-pathaih

                        kama-lobha-hato muhuh

                        mukunda-sevaya yadvat

                       tathatmaddha na samyati

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yama-adibhih--by the process of practicing self-restraint; yoga-pathaih--by the system of yoga (mystic bodily power to attain the godly stage); kama--desires for sense satisfaction; lobha--lust for satisfaction of the senses; hatah--curbed; muhuh--always; mukunda--the Personality of Godhead; sevaya--by the service of; yadvat--as it is; tatha--like that; atma--the soul; addha--for all practical purposes; na--does not; samyati--be satisfied.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   It is true that by practicing restraint of the senses by the yoga system one can get relief from the disturbances of desire and lust, but this is not sufficient to give satisfaction to the soul, for this [satisfaction] is derived from devotional service to the Personality of Godhead.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Yoga aims at controlling the senses. By practice of the mystic process of bodily exercise in sitting, thinking, feeling, willing, concentrating, meditating and at last being merged into transcendence, one can control the senses. The senses are considered like venomous serpents, and the yoga system is just to control them. On the other hand, Narada Muni recommends another method for controlling the senses in the transcendental loving service of Mukunda, the Personality of Godhead. By his experience he says that devotional service to the Lord is more effective and practical than the system of artificially controlling the senses. In the service of the Lord Mukunda, the senses are transcendentally engaged. Thus there is no chance of their being engaged in sense satisfaction. The senses want some engagement. To check them artificially is no check at all because as soon as there is some opportunity for enjoyment, the serpentlike senses will certainly take advantage of it. There are many such instances in history, just like Visvamitra Muni's falling a victim to the beauty of Menaka. But Thakura Haridasa was allured at midnight by the well-dressed Maya, and still she could not induce that great devotee into her trap.

   The whole idea is that without devotional service of the Lord, neither the yoga system nor dry philosophical speculation can ever become successful. Pure devotional service of the Lord, without being tinged with fruitive work, mystic yoga or speculative philosophy, is the foremost procedure to attain self-realization. Such pure devotional service is transcendental in nature, and the systems of yoga and jnana are subordinate to such a process. When the transcendental devotional service is mixed with a subordinate process, it is no longer transcendental but is called mixed devotional service. Srila Vyasadeva, the author of Srimad-Bhagavatam, will gradually develop all these different systems of transcendental realization in the text.

 

                               TEXT 36

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       sarvam tad idam akhyatam

                      yat prsto 'ham tvayanagha

                       janma-karma-rahasyam me

                        bhavatas catma-tosanam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sarvam--all; tat--that; idam--this; akhyatam--described; yat--whatever; prstah--asked by; aham--me; tvaya--by you; anagha--without any sins; janma--birth; karma--activities; rahasyam--mysteries; me--mine; bhavatah--your; ca--and; atma--self; tosanam--satisfaction.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O Vyasadeva, you are freed from all sins. Thus I have explained my birth and activities for self-realization, as you asked. All this will be conducive for your personal satisfaction also.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The process of devotional activities from the beginning to the stage of transcendence is all duly explained to satisfy the inquiries of Vyasadeva. He has explained how the seeds of devotional service were sown by transcendental association and how they gradually developed by hearing the sages. The result of such hearing is detachment from worldliness, so much so that even a small boy could receive the death news of his mother, who was his only caretaker, as the blessing of God. And at once he took the opportunity to search out the Lord. A sincere urge for having an interview with the Lord was also granted to him, although it is not possible for anyone to see the Lord with mundane eyes. He also explained how by execution of pure transcendental service one can get rid of the fruitive action of accumulated work and how he transformed his material body into a spiritual one. The spiritual body is alone able to enter into the spiritual realm of the Lord, and no one but a pure devotee is eligible to enter into the kingdom of God. All the mysteries of transcendental realization are duly experienced by Narada Muni himself, and therefore by hearing such an authority one can have some idea of the results of devotional life, which are hardly delineated even in the original texts of the Vedas. In the Vedas and Upanisads there are only indirect hints to all this. Nothing is directly explained there, and therefore Srimad-Bhagavatam is the mature fruit of all the Vedic trees of literatures.

 

                               TEXT 37

 

                                 TEXT

 

                              suta uvaca

                       evam sambhasya bhagavan

                         narado vasavi-sutam

                        amantrya vinam ranayan

                        yayau yadrcchiko munih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sutah--Suta Gosvami; uvaca--said; evam--thus; sambhasya--addressing; bhagavan--transcendentally powerful; naradah--Narada Muni; vasavi--named Vasavi (Satyavati); sutam--son; amantrya--inviting; vinam--instrument; ranayan--vibrating; yayau--went; yadrcchikah--wherever willing; munih--the sage.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Suta Gosvami said: Thus addressing Vyasadeva, Srila Narada Muni took leave of him, and vibrating on his vina instrument, he left to wander at his free will.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Every living being is anxious for full freedom because that is his transcendental nature. And this freedom is obtained only through the transcendental service of the Lord. Illusioned by the external energy, everyone thinks that he is free, but actually he is bound up by the laws of nature. A conditioned soul cannot freely move from one place to another even on this earth, and what to speak of one planet to another. But a full-fledged free soul like Narada, always engaged in chanting the Lord's glory, is free to move not only on earth but also in any part of the universe, as well as in any part of the spiritual sky. We can just imagine the extent and unlimitedness of his freedom, which is as good as that of the Supreme Lord. There is no reason or obligation for his traveling, and no one can stop him from his free movement. Similarly, the transcendental system of devotional service is also free. It may or may not develop in a particular person even after he undergoes all the detailed formulas. Similarly, the association of the devotee is also free. One may be fortunate to have it, or one may not have it even after thousands of endeavors. Therefore, in all spheres of devotional service, freedom is the main pivot. Without freedom there is no execution of devotional service. The freedom surrendered to the Lord does not mean that the devotee becomes dependent in every respect. To surrender unto the Lord through the transparent medium of the spiritual master is to attain complete freedom of life.

 

                               TEXT 38

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       aho devarsir dhanyo 'yam

                      yat-kirtim sarngadhanvanah

                      gayan madyann idam tantrya

                        ramayaty aturam jagat

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   aho--all glory to; devarsih--the sage of the gods; dhanyah--all success; ayam yat--one who; kirtim--glories; sarnga-dhanvanah--of the Personality of Godhead; gayan--singing; madyan--taking pleasure in; idam--this; tantrya--by means of the instrument; ramayati--enlivens; aturam--distressed; jagat--world.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   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.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Sri Narada Muni plays on his instrument to glorify the transcendental activities of the Lord and to give relief to all miserable living entities of the universe. No one is happy here within the universe, and what is felt as happiness is maya's illusion. The illusory energy of the Lord is so strong that even the hog who lives on filthy stool feels happy. No one can be truly happy within the material world. Srila Narada Muni, in order to enlighten the miserable inhabitants, wanders everywhere. His mission is to get them back home, back to Godhead. That is the mission of all genuine devotees of the Lord following the footsteps of that great sage.

 

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the First Canto, Sixth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled "Conversation Between Narada and Vyasa."


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