||Srimad Bhagavatha Mahapuran||

|| Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter –5 - The life of Maharishi Narada 

The Shaunakadhis requested to Sutha Pauranika “ Maharishi, How did you attain the immortal stories of Srimad Bhagavath Purana, kindly explain to us.”  Sutha Pauranika said “ I have received the nectar-like the knowledge of this sacred scripture from my preceptor ShukaBhramam who received the knowledge of this great scripture from his preceptor as well as father Maharishi Vedavyasa who compiled Vedas and categorized them into Rig, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva, he composed 100,000 verses of great epic Mahabharath which comprises Bhagavad Gita, he wrote eighteen Puranas such as Padma Puran, Vishnu Puran, Narad Puran, Shivamahapuran, Garuda Puran, Bhrama Vaivarththa Puran, Bhavishya Puran, Bhrama Puran,  Bhramanda Puran, Vayu Puran, Surya Puran, Agni Puran, Varaha Puran, Markandeya Puran, Skandhapuran,  and Linga Puran.  He wrote Bhramasutra, having written several scriptures praising the glories of Lord, Maharishi Vedavyasa felt incomplete, he did not get satisfaction.  Maharishi Vedavyasa was sitting on the river banks of Saraswathi, he was gloomy, thinking that even though he had given an abundance of knowledge through various scriptures which recommends Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha, people are not interested to taste the nectar-like wisdom from it.  Soon, his inner voice replied to him that none of these Purans did tell about the pure love to Supreme Lord, he was pondering over this for long hours.  At this moment, there arrived Maharishi Narada, he was received by Maharishi Vedvyasa with great reverence and revealed his plight of the situation and dissatisfaction after compiling several scriptures for the welfare of humanity.  Maharishi Narada pacified Vedavyasa saying that though he has written several scriptures Vedavyasa did not mention the pure love to supreme Lord.  Therefore Narada advised Vedavyasa to write about the pure devotion to Lord and began to explain his own life of previous birth to Maharishi Vedavyas."

Maharishi Narada said “ Maharishi Vedavyasa, in my previous birth I was a son of widow Dasi/women who perform household duties for others, she was living in the hermitage where several saints and holy men used to visit.  I was a child while she keeps busy with the cleaning work of the hermitage; I used to help her at her work.  During Chathurmasya/four monsoon months there were several holy men used to visit this hermitage.  Usually, the renounced souls, mendicants, and holy men did not live in a place for a long time, they keep moving around the spiritual places and sharing knowledge of Bhramam, but during this monsoon seasons they are restricted to not to move around, therefore they reside in a place for four months and continue their spiritual and religious rites.  I had the opportunity to worship these saints and holy men, listen to glorious myths of the supreme Lord, they give lectures on scriptures.  I used to listen to their lectures, gradually I was immersed in the supreme bliss, which would stir my heart with full of devotion and love for the supreme Lord.  The holy men were highly pleased with my nature of devotion and showered blessing upon me.  I had the fortune to consume the leftovers of the holy men that was washing off my impurities, along with the Namasankeerthana I have listened to all those days.  I had spent the four months in extreme delight in the association of the holy men.  After the four months, the holy men were started leaving the hermitage, I have started yearning to be in the association of them.  Suddenly, my mother died of snakebite; I have considered it as a will of the supreme Lord to release me from the worldly bondage.  I have realized that there is no reason to stay behind, so I left the hermitage immediately.  I had the sole desire to witness supreme Lord, I have visited a few sacred lands, eventually, my heart is filled with supreme bliss, I could envision the presence of supreme Lord in my heart, that image stayed for few minutes and vanished, I was thoroughly depressed from the separation of Lord.  I have continued to visit several sacred lands on Earth, I have performed various austerities, and Dharmic rites yearning to witness that glorious form supreme Lord Krishna.   Several years have passed, I did not achieve success in my search, I was extremely distraught, suddenly I could hear a divine voice that instructed that it was a glimpse of supreme Lord which I could envisage, and recommended to undertake extreme austerities and devotional practices, then I can be united with the Supreme Lord.  I have put all my energies into spiritual practices with determination.   I left my mortal coil, and on the next Kalpa, I have born as Manasaputhra of Lord Bhrama.  I travel all the three worlds singing in praise of the supreme Lord.  Hence, Maharishi Vedavyasa you write a scripture which describes intense love and pure devotion to the Supreme Lord.”